There is so much to explore, and already the sun is halfway through its arcing across the sky.
Titanya – she didn’t want to be called mother – had left him for the first time to adventure on his own in the playground. She said she would be close and would collect him as the sun sank close to the tops of the trees. She told him he better be ready and waiting to go home by the big oak tree at the agreed time or else.
Volos has no idea what or else means. What will happen if he isn’t at the designated spot when he’s supposed to be? Will a three-headed bear come and gobble him up? Are there many-toothed sharks flying in the sky that will chomp him to bits like the ones that swim in the waters around Ischia? Or will the ground simply open up and swallow him whole? He knows it can happen – a filly with wide eyes and a trembling lip told him in passing as she was being escorted home by her mother.
He’s decided he doesn’t care much what will happen if he’s late. He puffs his chest out and lets the sharp teeth that must live inside his head grow long and pointy. Let the beasts try to eat him up. He’ll make them think twice about messing with someone as ferocious as him. Volos even lets out a very tiger-like growl and struts haughtily into the playground further. He is not going to be denied his first taste of freedom. There are friends to meet and fun to be had.
“Hey,” he says, coming behind the first other kid he sees. “Want to be my friend?” The grullo colt realizes after he’s asked that he is still holding his defensive posture and relaxes immediately. A smile as bright as the summer sun above them lightens his features. “I’ll protect you if – “ his eyes dart about them looking for an invisible threat and his voice lowers, “anything happens.”
Titanya – she didn’t want to be called mother – had left him for the first time to adventure on his own in the playground. She said she would be close and would collect him as the sun sank close to the tops of the trees. She told him he better be ready and waiting to go home by the big oak tree at the agreed time or else.
Volos has no idea what or else means. What will happen if he isn’t at the designated spot when he’s supposed to be? Will a three-headed bear come and gobble him up? Are there many-toothed sharks flying in the sky that will chomp him to bits like the ones that swim in the waters around Ischia? Or will the ground simply open up and swallow him whole? He knows it can happen – a filly with wide eyes and a trembling lip told him in passing as she was being escorted home by her mother.
He’s decided he doesn’t care much what will happen if he’s late. He puffs his chest out and lets the sharp teeth that must live inside his head grow long and pointy. Let the beasts try to eat him up. He’ll make them think twice about messing with someone as ferocious as him. Volos even lets out a very tiger-like growl and struts haughtily into the playground further. He is not going to be denied his first taste of freedom. There are friends to meet and fun to be had.
“Hey,” he says, coming behind the first other kid he sees. “Want to be my friend?” The grullo colt realizes after he’s asked that he is still holding his defensive posture and relaxes immediately. A smile as bright as the summer sun above them lightens his features. “I’ll protect you if – “ his eyes dart about them looking for an invisible threat and his voice lowers, “anything happens.”
V O L O S
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