FROM THE DUSTY MESA
HER LOOMING SHADOW GROWS
HIDDEN IN THE BRANCHES OF THE POISON CREOSOTE
A feeling of comfort washed over the dark filly as she felt the mare’s muzzle against her neck. Something about her new sister was strangely soothing, and the older mare’s serenity complemented the excitable filly well. Louisiane pushed her muzzle into Rhae’s neck as well, breathing in the mare’s scent deeply once again. By the time she withdrew her snout from the silver, a happy smile had returned to her lips.
Luckily, she did not catch Rhae’s gaze as it fell on her wings and darkened. Rather, her excitement level had begun to rise again (little kids way too excitable, aren’t they?) and she kicked up her heels in giddiness. “She should be just ‘round this rock!” he squealed, leading the way.
As she rounded the boulder, she realized her error… fast.
There sure stood her mother. And the absolute distress that was visible on her mother’s normally warm face was fast turning into sheer fury.
Whoopsy daisy.
“Mama,” she cooed, her voice as sugary sweet as she could make it. “I found a sister! Her name’s Rhae! She’s super nice! Can she join us? Please? Please? Purdy please?” She figured if she took control of the conversation first, maybe she could prevent any outlash. Besides, she only had to last until Rhae rounded the corner too… there’d be no way her mother would scold her in front of another… right?
Fortunately, she knew her mother too well, and steel-colored mare’s rage melted into a mixture of shock and confusion.
“Rhae?” Chalmette found herself repeating, rather perplexed at her daughter’s unexpected outcry. She knew her daughter was a headstrong, independent girl, so she quite expected the growing child to begin venturing out to explore. To bring back a sister though… that was unanticipated. She wondered for a moment if this Rhae was just an imaginary friend, or perhaps a bird or some other small creature she had befriended.
Not so, she quickly learned, as she spied the grullo mare. Her jaw dropped slightly, a wave of mortification washing over her. What crazy antics had Louisiane been up to? How much did she inconvenience this poor, innocent mare?
Her gaze briefly glanced over the approaching mare, lingering for a moment on the mare’s unique defect. However, in the grand scheme of strange traits she had seen in this Beqanna land, such a thing wasn’t too abnormal, and her gaze continued until it met the other mare’s.
“This is Rhae!” she heard her daughter exclaim as she continued to watch the nearing mare. Meanwhile, Louisiane rushed back to the grullo mare and placed herself right next to Rhae.
A small smile crept across Chalmette’s lips, both in friendliness and in embarrassment at her daughter. “Rhae… it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m so truly sorry for any convenience Louisane may have caused you,” she stammered, still wondering how Louisiane had exactly come to the conclusion of “I found a sister”. The poor mare probably had her own family to return to, and she couldn’t imagine how annoying her daughter must have been! “I’m Chalmette… Louisiane’s mother.”
AND RISE WITH ME FOREVER ACROSS THE SILENT SAND
AND THE STARS WILL BE YOUR EYES
AND THE WIND WILL BE MY HANDS