But the night fades away and gives way to the day
Her black hide, decorated with its starry rump-blanket and random purple swirls, stands out drastically against the vibrant emerald grasses and leaves of high summer. Not that Draconis notices the contrast she provides; she is on a mission. Her mommy had told her some weeks ago as the foal was nodding off to sleep, about the rare and beautiful moon flower that only bloomed once a month, in the rays of the full moon. Absorbed in the tale, Draconis had hatched a plan: she was going to go and find this flower and bring it back to her mother as a gift. When finally, the full moon had risen again in the night sky, she had closed her eyes and feigned sleep until she heard Shadowsilk doing the same. Peeking one cautious eye open, the black filly saw to her satisfaction that the horned mare was truly asleep, her breathing deep and slow. She had crept off, very carefully placing her feet down as softly as she could manage. But now, it was early morning. The filly had thought she had found the moon flower once, but it had turned out to be only a white daisy, which she recognized from one of the "nature walks" her mother was fond of taking her on. She'd had nothing to show for hours of searching but an empty, growling tummy and aching feet, and what was worst of all, she can't seem to remember how to reverse her steps and get back to her mother. She was lost, and her breath catches in her tiny throat at the realization. Tears soon follow, until she is unable to see clearly and stumbles her way to a bit of shelter between two trees. Draconis manages to get ahold of herself shortly after, despite some hiccuping. The patch of grass in front of her isn't so lucky, as the final hiccup is followed by a warm rush in her throat and mouth that results in said grass catching on fire before her eyes. Had she done that? How? The tiny fire before her is at risk of becoming much bigger, and she's lucky that there had been rain in the area recently, and that the grass is not bone-dry. She has no idea what to do about it except to try and stamp it out, and quickly tries to do just that. The filly stands up and brings her forefeet down upon it until she seems to have succeeded, though now her front hooves are feeling rather tender, and she hopes that she hasn't burned them. She limps away from the charred spot towards the scent of water, which turns out to be a slow-flowing creek. Draconis lowers herself down alongside of it and dips her forehooves into the cool water, which seems to help. Keeping her feet submerged, the purple-swirled girl decides to just stay where she's at, and hope that her mother will be able to find her. She carefully shies away from any thoughts of what she would have to do if the horned mare did not reappear, until her empty stomach puts in its two cents on the matter, rumbling like a miniature earthquake right there in her own small body. Sighing, Draconis ignores it as best she can. Just keep waiting, she tells herself. Wait, wait, wait, and her mother will come. Trying to distract herself from the aches in her stomach and feet, she turns her head from one side to the other, keeping a hopeful watch for the black unicorn.
Draconis