Winter freeze had not been kind to little Xero, sinking into her bones and making her ache and shiver and pine for a world she only dreamed of, one where cold didn’t make her miserable and numb, one where baby fluff was enough to keep her cozy. One where there was someone to snuggle anytime her baby fluff wasn’t quite up to the task.
She dreamed of another life sometimes, one where the world was warm and lush and green. One where big, warm friends held her close and fussed over her and looked down at her with so, so much love in their eyes. Oh, she knew those eyes all the way down to her bones and deeper still, fierce golden eyes and soft, dreamy blue ones from the best of friends she could imagine.
But they were eyes she only ever saw in sleep. She woke to a world of ice and solitude broken occasionally by the company of new friends. Just when she resigned herself to a lifetime of cold, spring came. It was slow at first, just a whisper of warmth in the air, an easing of the chill that stole her breath and her energy, but then. Ohhh, then! The snow began to thaw, and green started peeking through! She still liked the world far better in her sleep, when its imagined warmth would wrap around her and chase away the chill. When she could curl up against a warm, fuzzy black side and wake up to a soft sandy-rocky roan and either way she was wrapped up in warmth and in love.
Still. Maybe this world wasn’t so bad too, even if it was lonelier and full of sneaky things that liked to trip her. So she woke up and reluctantly stretched and loosened sleep-stiff muscles and made herself go explore the meadow again. It wasn’t her very most favorite of places, but it was a good place to make new friends.
Sometimes they even wandered right up to you. Like the soft gold and white stranger with wings that looked so cozy warm to tuck up under and snuggle, and pretty brown eyes that smiled all the way down into his soul. Oh. Her own silvery-gold eyes went wide and a teensy gasp sneaked out of her as she looked up at him, as he talked to her (to her? She peeked around, but yep! Had to be to her!) and his voice flowed over her all smooth and warm and lovely.
Oh right, words, that meant she was supposed to say things back! “Oh! Um! Yes! Okay! So, um, welcome to Beqanna. This is the Meadow. I dunno why, ‘cause I mean, there’s lots of meadows, you know? But everybody seems to really like this one, so it’s the best one to come to if you wanna meet people. There’s lots of other good places to frolic and play by yourself, or to sneak away for snuggles or sleeping, but this is a really good spot to find somebody to say hi to. Like me! Hi! I’m Xero. Who’re you?”
She dreamed of another life sometimes, one where the world was warm and lush and green. One where big, warm friends held her close and fussed over her and looked down at her with so, so much love in their eyes. Oh, she knew those eyes all the way down to her bones and deeper still, fierce golden eyes and soft, dreamy blue ones from the best of friends she could imagine.
But they were eyes she only ever saw in sleep. She woke to a world of ice and solitude broken occasionally by the company of new friends. Just when she resigned herself to a lifetime of cold, spring came. It was slow at first, just a whisper of warmth in the air, an easing of the chill that stole her breath and her energy, but then. Ohhh, then! The snow began to thaw, and green started peeking through! She still liked the world far better in her sleep, when its imagined warmth would wrap around her and chase away the chill. When she could curl up against a warm, fuzzy black side and wake up to a soft sandy-rocky roan and either way she was wrapped up in warmth and in love.
Still. Maybe this world wasn’t so bad too, even if it was lonelier and full of sneaky things that liked to trip her. So she woke up and reluctantly stretched and loosened sleep-stiff muscles and made herself go explore the meadow again. It wasn’t her very most favorite of places, but it was a good place to make new friends.
Sometimes they even wandered right up to you. Like the soft gold and white stranger with wings that looked so cozy warm to tuck up under and snuggle, and pretty brown eyes that smiled all the way down into his soul. Oh. Her own silvery-gold eyes went wide and a teensy gasp sneaked out of her as she looked up at him, as he talked to her (to her? She peeked around, but yep! Had to be to her!) and his voice flowed over her all smooth and warm and lovely.
Oh right, words, that meant she was supposed to say things back! “Oh! Um! Yes! Okay! So, um, welcome to Beqanna. This is the Meadow. I dunno why, ‘cause I mean, there’s lots of meadows, you know? But everybody seems to really like this one, so it’s the best one to come to if you wanna meet people. There’s lots of other good places to frolic and play by yourself, or to sneak away for snuggles or sleeping, but this is a really good spot to find somebody to say hi to. Like me! Hi! I’m Xero. Who’re you?”