m a z i k e e n .
Guilt mixes with her sadness when Myrna reaches to comfort her - it should be the other way around, shouldn’t it? - but it does help. Even when she needs to close her eyes for a second and the tears leak out of their own free will, Myrna snuggled against her side and her small cheek against her shoulder means so much. It’s getting a little easier, not shying away from receiving comfort, and she tightens her wing a little bit around the (thankfully small again) filly when words fail her. For a little while longer, she can enjoy moments like these when she is lucky enough to get them.
Mazikeen appreciates the excitement and the question asked and the change of direction it brings, a more genuine smile forming as she replies. “No, he can’t.” There’s no sadness or disappointment in her voice - Mazikeen had never thought less of her dad because he couldn’t change shapes, and she hopes Myrna won’t either. “But he has orange eyes like mine, and like Malik’s one.” She opens hers again, and though they are still too-bright with tears there is a warm smile returning to them.
Orange like her dad, like Malik… and Sickle, but Mazikeen has not yet figured out how to bring up her other daughter with Myrna and Malik and the longer she waits the harder it becomes. ‘So we had twins and I tried to hide then but your father caught one and didn’t end up liking her so he made me kill her and then brought her back only to send her away and then he took Malik and turned him back into a baby so we could raise him and he’s actually a year older than he looks and just last year I tried to kidnap your sister but she got away from me and now I don’t think I’ll ever see her again, which is what I deserve’ just doesn’t roll off the tongue.
“Your grandpa is very kind and patient, even when I brought back frogs and let them climb in his hair.” Mazikeen ruffles the short, fuzzy mane of her daughter as she says this, ticking her neck with her nose. Though the sadness persists as a dull ache in her heart, the last of her tears dries up as she thinks about finding her parents again and pretending she was ever good at being part of a family.
A plan starts to form - little trips outside of Hyaline. Myrna’s goat form will be handy for the rocky paths they’ll take and Mazikeen can help her practice other shapes while they search. “We might not find them right away tomorrow but we will start looking.”
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Viszla
