"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
It takes them longer than usual to reach the Gates, but that’s to be expected. Caitlyn is a tiny little thing, smaller than any foal Fiasko’s ever seen, and weak from lack of food. Fiasko’s had to be slow and careful, especially through the hills.
But, finally, here they are.
Fiasko continues on until they reach the old Mother Tree, where they are able to hide from the hot summer sun. She lets out a loud call for Wichita before looking down at Caitlyn to see how the girl is faring.
“How are you doing sweetie? What do you think of the Gates?” She glances at the garden around them. Being summer very little is flowering, but the garden is vibrant, colourful and full of fruits, and the little stream bubbles happily. The garden has grown up nicely since Beqanna bestowed it upon them.
“Wichita should be along soon. She might be able to help us. I’m so sorry that I can’t make milk right now.” She nuzzles at the girl sadly. Hopefully Wichita will have enough milk to spare - she can’t think of where they’ll get milk if she cannot. They are incredibly vulnerable right now, with few allies to help them - it’s making her regret having not strengthened that alliance with the Falls when she had the chance. Their healing waters would come in handy right now.
09-15-2015, 09:24 PM (This post was last modified: 09-15-2015, 09:29 PM by Sidra.)
The Gates are sooo boring.
The young mare has spent the day running about and exploring her old childhood haunts, trying to keep herself occupied. It’s had … limited success. It had been nice and nostalgic for a while, but now she’s just going crazy trying to keep herself entertained.
And thankfully something soon catches her attention.
She’s passing by the Mother Tree when she notices her mother standing there … along with a small grullo foal. She’s immediately interested and marches over to the pair, eyes narrowed in curiosity. As she grows closer, she can see that it’s a filly, and when she grows even closer, she can see the oddly coloured stripe running down the length of her spine. How very odd.
She stops right in front of them, offering her mother a cheeky grin. “Hey! What’s with the -” She cuts off when her mother gives her a look. Her head cocks to the side quizzically, but Fiasko soon gives her an answer. Or, well, gives her something more to be confused about really. “Hello Sidra, this is your sister. Her name is Caitlyn.”
Sidra is momentarily lost for words, something that doesn’t happen often. A sister? But how? Her father has all but disappeared, and her mother hasn’t exactly shacked up with anyone new. And now that she’s up close and personal, she can see that the girl doesn’t even look remotely like Fiasko. Did her mother like, steal some random kid?
But the look her mother is giving her clearly says ‘don’t ask questions,’ and for the moment, she decides to behave. A rare occurrence to be sure, but the look in her mother’s eyes is telling her that she's not in the mood to be trifled with. Sidra will just bother her later when the kid isn’t around.
So instead, she simply plays along. She smiles sweetly and lowers her head to meet the little girl’s eyes. “Heyyy Caitlyn. Uhh …” She’s not exactly sure what to say here. “I’m your big sister Sidra!” Yeeeah her mother said that already. Oh well.
Sidra
the wild child of jason x fiasko
Figured it'd be good for the two of them to meet as well.
FAMILIAR BREATH OF MY OLD LIES CHANGED THE COLOR IN MY EYES
Wichita had been keeping herself busy. Between managing kids she had blocked a steal, and even nabbed a soldier from the Field. It worked out in her favor, because she had little time to miss her friends. Or to be lonely for that matter. Her life had been richer this last foaling season, and she was gifted a beautiful set of twins. A boy and a girl, both of whom favored their Dam quite a lot. The little silver dapple was becoming quite the broodmare, but she didn’t really mind. Most of her children had been of consensual couplings, which was miles better than the alternative. Back home she can’t imagine how many forced breedings she probably would have been made to suffer, all at the hooves of her own father. She was thinking of that less and less, letting go the could have beens.
No, she had been rather blessed lately, and she couldn’t be happier. She deserved to have good things in her life for once, and so she spent her time enjoying them. She is currently watching the twins jump around the meadow, each one telling the other they can jump farther or higher. Most of the time they made equal progress, but neither would agree or admit to it. Wichita’s ears swivel,
sounds of the squealing tots replaced with a call. A familiar one too, one she hadn’t heard for a while. ”Come on ya’ll. Time to go see a friend.” She calls to her youngest troupe, and rounds them up to cross the fields, nudging at their rumps. ”Bout time you met our Queen anyways, she is one of Momma’s good friends too. Don’t you worry.” She reassures Guthrie who is giving her an unsure look while she swipes her tongue across his forelock. She wanted them to look presentable, not that they really needed much sprucing. They were both delightfully beautiful, all her kids were in their own ways. These were just..special.
It is without haste that the trio makes their way to the Mother tree, spotting Fiasko’s familiar painted hide. Wichita does a double take at the little foal that crowded the mare’s side. Well, one of the foals anyway, the bigger one was Sidra, she knew that much. The other though, well, that one was new and Wichita hadn’t seen Jason in a lifetime. Maybe the two had had a falling out, maybe Fiasko had suffered a tragedy like she herself had experienced her first season. Whatever the case may be Wichita was here to help her through it. What are friends for right?
The pony sized mare troted up, a few paces ahead of her foals. ”Long time no see. How are ya doin’?” She asked with a smile, but a gave a rather direct glance at the grulla babe next to her. A direct but indirect way of inquiring where it had come from.As for the twins, they were too busy tugging at each other’s manes.
She always had a pretty face, I wondered why she hung around this place
We can drive home
with one headlight
The way to the Gates should have been a time of adventure and discovery for me but instead it’s a blur thanks to the increasing hunger pains in my stomach. I’m starving, so tired. I stumble most of the way there and fall into Fiasko’s body for support. Suddenly I can feel the coolness of shade on my back and I look up timidly at the huge tree. And it is huge, pretty much the biggest thing I’ve ever seen. My Mother nudges me softly, asking if I’m ok. ”It’s so big…” I whisper, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by how small I was compared to all these huge things.
I’m distracted by the arrival of another girl. A girl who is my sister. A sister, a sibling. I hadn’t even had a chance to consider such a thing, to have such family. Immediately I am excited and stumble towards this big sister of mine. ”Sidra!” I exclaim and nuzzle into her chest just as I had done when I had found Mother again. ”My big sister.” I giggle softly before collapsing on the ground, my vision doing doubles. That’s weird. Actually now that I lay here, I realize I don’t feel so good.
Even though I feel sick, I can’t miss the mare and her two foals coming towards us. She seems nice but I don’t understand why everyone keeps looking at me weird. Hesitant pointed looks directed between me and my Mom. The only thing I can think of is my smallness, that I’m not normal. Maybe I’m a freak and they don’t want to be rude. A loud rumble comes from deep within my belly followed by a sharp stabbing pain and I wince unhappily. Trying to find my feet again I ask the new mare quietly. ”Are you Mommy’s friend that can feed me?” Desperately I hope it is as I totter close to her side, unable to stop myself in the hopes that she will have milk.
09-24-2015, 02:00 AM (This post was last modified: 09-24-2015, 02:00 AM by Fiasko.)
fiasko
Of course Sidra just had to show up.
She loves her daughter dearly, but the girl has a horrible talent at showing up at the least opportune times. She had been hoping to have the chance to get Sidra alone before introducing her to Caitlyn, so that she could explain the situation. But clearly, no such luck.
Thankfully though, the girl appears to be paying attention for once. Miracle of miracles. Even though confusion and curiosity is displayed all over her daughter’s face, Sidra keeps her questions to herself and joins in the act. Fiasko knows she’ll get an earful later, but she can handle that. And she can’t blame the girl for her curiosity.
And, even more thankfully, her dear friend Wichita is quick to join them. She smiles warmly at the silvered mare, but her eye widens in surprise when she spots the foals at Wichita’s feet. Twins! Her smile immediately changes to one of sympathy. She’s well aware of what a handful twins can be, both physically and mentally. It makes her feel guilty about what she’s about to ask of the mare, but at this point she has no other choice. Caitlyn needs food, and soon.
“I’m quite well, Wichita, and yourself?” She’s unsure of how to broach the question - she feels so awkward for such a big imposition - but Caitlyn beats her to it. Ahh the honesty of children.
She shuffles awkwardly, but keeps her eye trained on Wichita. “I’m so sorry to ask this of you, as I can see that you certainly have your hooves full at the moment, but would you be able to spare some milk for Caitlyn? I’m unable to produce milk at the moment, and she’s been without food for quite some time.” Wichita likely does not have much extra milk, what with twins, but anything would be a help at this point. Caitlyn needs nutrients, or her body will start to fail. Maybe with a little supplement of milk they can try to introduce her to more solid foods, but the will need that milk first.
Sidra can’t help but grin as the tiny little girl shoves nuzzles her chest. She doesn’t think she’ll mind being a big sister. It could be fun - someone else to fool around with, someone else to bother …
She’ll still pick her mother’s brain though, the moment she gets the mare alone. She knows that something’s up - her mother hadn’t been at all pregnant during the winter. This girl has either been taken or adopted … though knowing her mother’s soft nature, adoption is the more likely case.
She steps forward in concern when the girl falls, and understanding comes when she hears the fierce rumble of the filly’s stomach. The poor thing is probably starving. Sidra glances at her mother - Fiasko hasn’t produced milk in aaaages, and the girl is too young to eat plants.
The sound of many hooves approaching makes her look up, and she smiles politely as her mother’s friend Wichita walks up, two little foals tagging along. She doesn’t know the mare terribly well, but she seems nice enough.
Sidra stays silent as Fiasko and Wichita make small talk, but when her mother broaches the subject of milk she snorts quietly. How very awkward. But she supposes it’s necessary.
She glances at Wichita, then at her young twins. She doubts the mare has much milk to spare, if any. But beggars can’t be choosers. She sure as hell can’t suckle the kid.
They wonder many things, like why they are Down. It is strange here, gravity pressing against their bodies for what feels like the first time. The passing of days, slow aging of their bodies, the feel of heat and cold. They follow their Mother, or what is their Mother here in Down, she is always leading them places, expecting them to follow. They do follow of course, not always enthusiastically, but they follow. Now was one of those times, she said come and they traipsed along behind her, slowly but surely. They were having fun, nipping at each other, seeing who would be the first to squeal. Pain was an odd sensation, they did not seek to really harm one another, but simply to explore boundaries. Hair too, that was new, at least in the physical form. Little wispy bits of thread sprouting from your head, from your hind, how funny. Romilly remembers her hair, clusters of stars and gases flowing, forever existing. Changing slowly, the process so long in truth, but for her it had gone by so very quick.
They nab at each others locks, Guthrie missing accidently and catching Romilly's ear. She pipes against the scrape of teeth, and he gives her the most apologetic look. Really they would not take such an interest in their Dam's personal life, it was always the same, 'Hello, Goodbye, How are ya doin'?' She talked like that as well, a queer noise, Guthrie had laughed so hard the first time he had heard it. He didn't laugh anymore though, the bewildered look that crossed their Mother's face, he had felt quite bad. Today though, there seemed to be several voices, something unusual as they hadn't been in such a large group since they arrived. Romilly is first to peek her head out, to nose around her mothers rear and take a look at what is going on. She passes over the others pretty quickly, a black and white woman with terrible scars- unphased. A young girl that looks a lot like Mother- seen it. Then, and then... A young girl, small in stature, (almost oddly built if you asked her) attempting to reach their Mom. Her legs fail her, sending her to the ground, and something most interesting catches Rom's eye. A line down the girls back, of stars and gases, of nebulae. She stomps out, catching Guthrie's leg, and he comes to join her gawking.
"She may have some of our milk, she is one of us Mother." Romilly gives the all clear, as if it is her milk to give away, which it is. The body though, its not hers and she is unaccustomed to being off put or embarrassed about touching. A body was a body, it served its function, carried their beings around, even if it was a strange horse body. Even if you had to walk on four legs instead of two, and walk at all for that matter. Guthrie nickered to her, the little child, he didn't talk much not unless he had something to say.
![[Image: sidraandsahm_zps0fabjlj2.gif]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/dsl_devin/sidraandsahm_zps0fabjlj2.gif)
