[open] Cool with wasting my time [ANY]

[Narcisus]

See, I knew she was an insect soon as I could make out the sound of her trailing me further into the dark woods. What sort of creature defies logic, rolling ever forward toward death with little stops in between? A bug, that’s what. When I was a kidd I used to like the sound their hard exoskeletons made when I crunched them underneath my hooves. I wondered, idly, if her tiny child bones would make a similar-sounding noise when crushed under the weight of a nearly-grown stallion. That made me smile to myself; that, and the idea she was left staring at my wide ass in the dark.

“Oh you’re warning me now, are you?” I mocked her laughingly, flicking my ears as if to flick away the pesky sound of her voice. How lonely was this pathetic thing, to follow around some horse who’d rather treat her like a dog? And yet, what she said did settle uncomfortably in my thoughts, if not on my face. I had literally no idea what could be out here. Being on the ground was bad enough, stuck in this muck weather and under tight treeline cover? Possibly the worst-case scenario I could find myself in.

I really hated the idea, but having a tick stuck to me was better than a monster.

“I think I can handle myself just fine, but thanks anyways.” I stopped walking and looked up, around, not really interested enough to sound especially cruel. I was looking for a specific type of place to hide out for the night, a tight little area or maybe somewhere beneath an overhanging boulder, close to water. Somewhere I could keep my back guarded, but the trees here were all the same. The kinds I had grown used to varied by location, giving away little hints about where to find what I was looking for. Not so, here.

“Hey you know what?” I said abruptly, turning. Had she been saying something? Too bad if she was, I hadn’t really been paying attention. Or caring at all. My wings swooshed at my sides before settling again, and I needled her little obtuse shape in the dark with my eyes, smiling. I mean, was there really a need for her to feel so… blue? Why should she, when I could do the opposite? Give her a small gift, maybe...

I stepped toward her, lowering my nose to her level, and felt radiantly bemused at having her around. If she was receptive, there was a good chance she might feel it too: the happiness that almost seemed to make the air feel warmer, your hooves feel lighter, make a heart soar. I found giving it to others made them more… complacent to my wishes, when I had them.

“You should show me where you like to hide, you know—when you need to be careful. Because that’s what I need right now, and I think you’re the perfect filly to help.” I grinned in the night, poised and ready. Ready for what? Well, that all depended on her answer, now didn’t it?

Narcisus

@[Calavera]