we'll be raising our hands shining up to the sky
....................................................
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.