Zilpah laughs and then takes a running start in order to leap into the sky, pumping her cream and russet wings in order to clear the dune ahead. She keeps pace with Kellyn as her pink friend runs underneath her, until they reach the oasis and the Vanquish tree. She wheels around the grand, leafy boughs and comes to rest on the ground, facing Kellyn. It is hot, and she is sweating, but Zilpah is smiling, as per usual. She dips her black nose into the cool water and drinks deeply.
Without the oasis, they could not survive here. It was the heart of the Kingdom, and in fact Zilpah is surprised that there is no one else there. The kingdom has grown, but she finds that moments like these, when the land is quiet, remind her of her childhood. That was a wonderful time.
Zilpah is about to start chattering away again, but Kellyn beats her to it. Her dainty head tilts a little to the left, scrutinizing the other mare. “Really? What’s changed? Is it a good thing? I can’t see anything different…. oh! Are you going to have a baby?!” Her eyes light up and her big, Akhal ears swivel forward, because she knows what it’s like to be a ‘mother,’ and she would love to be an Auntie! Babies are just so darn cute and fluffy!
Zilpah
a song of sand and snow