Amazing!! The juxtaposition of their "worlds" and this meeting of minds between creator and created is So awesome! I liked the ending: he knows the truth. Warriors and steeds triumph still. (which is how I choose to read it) But, at the same time, you have that element of ambiguity in the fact that this is a story he is writing-- is he constructing this "reality" because *his* reality is just not measuring up? (Dif you ever see Pan's Labyrinth? I don't know why I was reminded of that when I read your awesome Drabble pair; I think it is that well-crafted element of ambiguity that you handle so well here). (I hope I am reading this the right way. I was up late last night working on some RL projects, then trying to catch up reading and reviewing, and I have been messing up in the interpretation department...)

Love the title! It's been a few years since I've read this particular book, but you make very good use of a very good title.

Finally (I promise I'll shut up now) your author's notes and summaries are great ;-)