GF: Oh, no… Oh, NO. I think I killed Shadowmere!
Me: OH NO! …Can you loot him?
GF: I am a Silencer of the Dark Brotherhood, but never before have I felt the cold sting of death. …Can I loot Shadowmere?
Me: Is he really dead?
GF: I don’t know!
Me: If he’s really dead, I think you can loot him.
GF: He’s gone.
Me: He’s GONE?
GF: Here’s what happened: I rode Shadowmere to a cave, but then the sky turned all red, as it does when you’re close to an Oblivion Gate. And then I see Shadowmere running off. I’m all, “Wait, wait, wait!” Next thing I know he’s fighting these giant… dinosaur-type things.
GF: And now I’m like, “Crap, now I need to kill these shits, before they kill my horse.” So I do. But in the process, Shadowmere looses consciousness twice! When the fight is over, Shadowmere goes limping off, down the snowy mountain, and so I use a couple of my Heal Other scrolls. And then he just keep walking away. I figured he’d stop, but he kept going!
Me: So, he ran out on you.
GF: Yes!
Me: He’s a fair-weather horse-friend.
GF: Exactly! I don’t blame him. I led him into a trap, really. But he didn’t HAVE to fight. He could have just stayed away. But nooooo.
Me: If you fast travel, he’ll probably show up stabled at an inn.
GF: Oh, but wait! So at this point, that’s what I think will happen. I just go into the damn cavern, kill the 5 vampires I’m supposed to kill, acquire really badass loot, and then leave. But Shadowmere’s nowhere to be seen. THEN I start to panic.
GF: I fast-travel to the Cloud Ruler Temple, to finish up this one quest, thinking Shadowmere will be out in front like normal, but he’s GONE. I searched down the road, and nothing! I don’t know if he escaped. Like, “Fuck you, I’m leaving.” Or if he’s dead.
Me: Fast travel and find out already! The suspense!
GF: Okay, okay, okay.
<pause>
GF: Oh, sweet Jesus…. Dear Lord… THALOS, WHY??? Shadowmere is gone.
Me: Talos.
GF: I am not concerned about spelling in a moment like this. I cannot contain my grief. I worked so hard to earn him…
Me: There’s always reloading.
GF: I’m not reloading. That mine was too difficult. I’ve gotten too much loot.
Me: Bye bye, Shadowmere.
GF: NO. NOOOOO! I’m at a stable right now, and they don’t even have my old Paint Horse! He probably left me forever once I got Shadowmere. I don’t blame him, either.
GF: I’m not meant to have horses. I didn’t sign up for that kind of responsibility.
Me: You’re going to run everywhere, now?
GF: Or fast travel… And now I’m being devoured by a mountain lion. What is my life coming to?
(Note: My GF eventually searched the internet, and found a tip saying that she—Shadowmere is a she!—will respawn at Fort Farrugot. So, they were eventually reunited, and rode happily into the sunset. There was one mountain lion harmed during the writing of this blog entry.)
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