02-23-2026, 05:39 PM
Kylan listened with wide, earnest eyes, the kind that always seemed too soft for the bloodline he carried. He didn’t recoil from her skeletal form, he had seen far worse in the shadows of his father’s domain or so he thought, but there was something different about Starbry. Something that made him want to step closer instead of away. Her voice, warm despite the lack of flesh, wrapped around him like a summer breeze.
When she flinched at his question, Kylan's ears dipped back in immediate apology. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, and the thought that he might have made her uncomfortable tugged at him. “I didn’t mean to make you remember something bad,” he murmured, shifting his weight in the grass. “I just… you seem kind. And I wanted to understand.”
As she explained her strange transformation, Kylan's expression softened even more. A river overflowing with magic, a body that melted into bone at night, Beqanna truly was full of wonders, but he didn’t see her as frightening. If anything, he admired the way she spoke of it with humor and honesty, even though he could hear the uncertainty beneath her words.
“That sounds scary,” he admitted gently, “but you’re handling it better than most would. My father says the world only respects strength, but I think… I think it takes strength to stay kind when things get strange.”
He hesitated, glancing down at his own hooves. Talking about his father always made his stomach twist. “I wasn’t born with anything special,” he said after a moment. “Not like you. I don’t read minds or see heat or anything like that. At least as far as I am aware.” He lifted his head again, offering her a small, shy smile. “But I try to be good. Even when it’s hard.”
Kylan shifted closer, not touching her, but making it clear he wasn’t afraid. “My father wants me to be like him. Dark. Cruel. He says that’s how you survive. But I don’t believe that. I think every creature has something important about them, even if it’s small. Even if others don’t see it.”
He paused, then added with quiet conviction, “You’re not wrong for what happened to you. And you’re not wrong for being different. I think… I think it makes you interesting.” The young stallion's tail flicked lightly behind him, a nervous habit. “If you ever want help figuring out your magic, I can stay with you. I can’t do much, but I’m good at listening. And I won’t run away when you change. I promise.” He dipped his head respectfully, the way he’d been taught to treat mares; with gentleness, with care, with a sweetness that came naturally to him despite his lineage. “It really is nice to meet you, Starbry.”
Word Count for 2026: 465
@Starbry
When she flinched at his question, Kylan's ears dipped back in immediate apology. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, and the thought that he might have made her uncomfortable tugged at him. “I didn’t mean to make you remember something bad,” he murmured, shifting his weight in the grass. “I just… you seem kind. And I wanted to understand.”
As she explained her strange transformation, Kylan's expression softened even more. A river overflowing with magic, a body that melted into bone at night, Beqanna truly was full of wonders, but he didn’t see her as frightening. If anything, he admired the way she spoke of it with humor and honesty, even though he could hear the uncertainty beneath her words.
“That sounds scary,” he admitted gently, “but you’re handling it better than most would. My father says the world only respects strength, but I think… I think it takes strength to stay kind when things get strange.”
He hesitated, glancing down at his own hooves. Talking about his father always made his stomach twist. “I wasn’t born with anything special,” he said after a moment. “Not like you. I don’t read minds or see heat or anything like that. At least as far as I am aware.” He lifted his head again, offering her a small, shy smile. “But I try to be good. Even when it’s hard.”
Kylan shifted closer, not touching her, but making it clear he wasn’t afraid. “My father wants me to be like him. Dark. Cruel. He says that’s how you survive. But I don’t believe that. I think every creature has something important about them, even if it’s small. Even if others don’t see it.”
He paused, then added with quiet conviction, “You’re not wrong for what happened to you. And you’re not wrong for being different. I think… I think it makes you interesting.” The young stallion's tail flicked lightly behind him, a nervous habit. “If you ever want help figuring out your magic, I can stay with you. I can’t do much, but I’m good at listening. And I won’t run away when you change. I promise.” He dipped his head respectfully, the way he’d been taught to treat mares; with gentleness, with care, with a sweetness that came naturally to him despite his lineage. “It really is nice to meet you, Starbry.”
Word Count for 2026: 465
@Starbry