[open] and if everything's gone bad, we'll make it alright

[Narcisus]

“Narcisus!” I replied eagerly, lifting myself off my rump to stand and shake loose dirt out of my tail. The little tuft of hair went this-a-way and that, a little herald flag that waved along to the sound of my own name. ♪ Narcisus / my name is Nar-ci-sus ?
I hummed my little vagabond song to myself, in love with the way each syllable joined hands with the other. The silver colt’s name was nice too. ? Sixteen / his name is SIX-teen ? I did the little jingle again, watching the way he turned circles around me and touched my feathers with his nose.

A nice name, but not half as nice as my own I think.

Here we are just the two of us, Narcisus and Sixteen, and I can't seem to fathom where his mind goes to. Mine is filled to the brim with thoughts of self-interest: did he like my wings all soft and browny? He seemed bigger and taller than me, was that alright? Did I have something in my mane, on my muzzle? The indecision left me fidgety, ready for flight, but above the anxiety I was still interested in being Sixteen's object of study. I settled my racing thoughts, a willing patient as long as it suited my ego.

“Um, Parent. I had a mom but not anymore! And noooo, she didn’t try to eat me. That’s weird!” The giggles struck again, high and trilling but just as innocent and sickly-sweet. I shook my head at this nonsense Sixteen was talking about. Why would parents try to eat their babies? “You’re weird looking and you say weird things. I like you.”

There. The decision was made. He was all colorful and shiny, and most of my old friends back in the den weren’t. Sixteen was new and exciting, and I wanted him to keep telling me new and exciting things.

“Where are you from, anyways?” I asked him, tilting my head until one of my ears flopped sideways.

@[sixteen]