09-12-2021, 10:41 PM
She understood what he meant about making sure their parents had a home to return to. After all, this place and its mystic wonders was their lovechild in a way. A shared dream between the yellow-gold goaticorn and his butterfly-winged wife, cultivated by the others who’d joined in and looked over by the horses that’d been here long before. Yan and Ama had wanted to build a bountiful haven by picking up the pieces left behind to them; they’d wanted to honor the guardianship and what it meant to be a truly neutral homeland. Anyone and everyone had been welcome, and when the world was darkest this place had been a center for hope.
It felt wrong, asking Reynard to leave it all behind.
At least he was willing to openly compromise, considering Saturnelle and Cerf’s welfare. With her twin here, it would still be mostly safe for the younger two horses to grow up well-fostered. Nelle actually reminded Cheri of herself, so she doubted that anything could really stand in the way of her sister’s success. Cerf had been different from birth, though - she faintly remembered their dam mentioning something about him never wanting (or needing) much of anything. With the both of them having relations in either direction, Cheri felt a little easier thinking about their uncertain futures.
She promised to keep up with them, and to locate each one before her duties spirited her away again. They needed to hear her offer and feel her comfort, too.
“I know you can judge fairly for yourself.” She nosed his cheek, humbled by such outspoken support. “I just wanted you to have options. If something ever happened to you or the babes…”
Best to stop there, she thought. Saying anything else would feel like she was asking for horrible things to come true. “I would be empty. Hollow.” The worst thing to be for an empath. He could understand that, couldn’t he? The fear of losing them was the worst thing she could imagine now. Nothing else really came close to the nightmare, since their parents and protectors disappeared.
“Uncle Nash and Reave are coming south for a visit, you know.” She spoke up shortly thereafter, taking a walk along the familiar trails while they chatted. “At the very least you could think about doing the same.”
It felt wrong, asking Reynard to leave it all behind.
At least he was willing to openly compromise, considering Saturnelle and Cerf’s welfare. With her twin here, it would still be mostly safe for the younger two horses to grow up well-fostered. Nelle actually reminded Cheri of herself, so she doubted that anything could really stand in the way of her sister’s success. Cerf had been different from birth, though - she faintly remembered their dam mentioning something about him never wanting (or needing) much of anything. With the both of them having relations in either direction, Cheri felt a little easier thinking about their uncertain futures.
She promised to keep up with them, and to locate each one before her duties spirited her away again. They needed to hear her offer and feel her comfort, too.
“I know you can judge fairly for yourself.” She nosed his cheek, humbled by such outspoken support. “I just wanted you to have options. If something ever happened to you or the babes…”
Best to stop there, she thought. Saying anything else would feel like she was asking for horrible things to come true. “I would be empty. Hollow.” The worst thing to be for an empath. He could understand that, couldn’t he? The fear of losing them was the worst thing she could imagine now. Nothing else really came close to the nightmare, since their parents and protectors disappeared.
“Uncle Nash and Reave are coming south for a visit, you know.” She spoke up shortly thereafter, taking a walk along the familiar trails while they chatted. “At the very least you could think about doing the same.”
@Reynard