The Mistress sniffed the air like a lone hound searching for its meat. The Utah Desert of course, 2nd October 2014. One of the hottest months of its calendar, and she was smack bang in the middle of it. She was alive in Death Valley, but not for long if she didn't get a move on. Swiftly she pulled up her hair as it, some sand, and a large bunch of tumbleweed hit her square in the forehead. It was really starting to annoy her, this new hair. She had only ever had to put up with short and perhaps... facial hair. The sun beamed down like it had been intensified by a magnifying glass. Time Lords didn't really mind the heat, Gallifrey was one of the nearest planets to its sun, so she was used to more than warm conditions. But this was pushing it. It was like a desert, well, it was a desert. There was a tree nearby, hardly lush in its given surroundings, but all the same it was some shade. Lazily, she slumped underneath its darkness, which felt so contrasted against the heat. Closing her eyes for a second, she thought about the Doctor, how he had abandoned her, made her a rung in his ladder to something better, but also about the good times they shared. Running through the crimson blades of grass as they swept past their knees and taking in the fresh scent of the Earth, before, well, life happened. She wondered whether Theta thought of her too...

./.

"So, where now Doctor?" Clara asked excitedly. They had just visited the Orient Express in the Zena Galaxy, and fought technological, soldier mummies, which seemed like the everyday thing they did since his regeneration. She had only just forgiven him for their moon trip and, though he still thought he was in the right, had accepted without any further comment on it. Though it had brought back memories when he had abandoned her (which was for her own good). Memories of Koschei and Gallifrey, two things he regretted more than anything in his life. Because, unlike Earth, Gallifrey was his home, Koschei his best friend, the one that stood by him through everything. But that was years ago, and he had already waited over a thousand years for him to find his way, there was probably no hope now that he would find either one again.

"What about the planet Anathema? Great spot, lovely coffee". Her phone beeped in her pocket and she read the text. It was from Danny. 'Down in London, dinner?'

"Actually..." she murmured. "I've got to go. I've got things. To do".

"Don't worry. Have a nice evening!" he called as the brunette ran outside the TARDIS doors and closed them behind her. He had landed on Earth, right? In a burst of panic, he checked the monitor. Yes. He was in Belfast.

"Koschei. Koschei, Koschei, Koschei", he whispered to himself in a low humming tone. "Where are you my friend?"