Phantom Hollow alluvium ii

"@Silverbirch, look."

fireflies, glowing here and there, and then again, and then another.

she nickered gently at her foal, and to fancy and cedar, then stepped forward, whisking her plume through the tall grass.

the little beads of light rose in unison, circling silverbirch's head for an angelic moment.

Cedar leaned heavily against Fancy’s flank, heavy from the burden of injury. While Fancy’s head lifted to watch the fireflies dance, Cedar remained still, head resting upon her herdmate’s round hindquarters. 

Fancy remained still; she’d begun to sense that Cedar was losing hope. And while she thought a romp through a firefly-filled glade might lift her spirits, she seemed to show no interest. Fancy wouldn’t push her. 

Instead, she smiled lightly and watched the mother and daughter as they enjoyed the dizzying dance of the fireflies.

Silverbirch lifted her head abruptly, nostrils flaring. Here- there- all around her! Glowing lights that disappeared- only to reappear somewhere else!

As her mother moved through the grasses and stirred them with a swish of her tail, the fireflies rose around them. With a shrill whinney, the filly reared and then dashed forward, bounding in circles so that she could see the fireflies as they took flight.

fancy and cedar remained placidly nearby. the lead mare signalled no danger, and so selenia was free to frisk with her filly.

the dark eyes shone as silverbirch reared; she followed suit, coming down in a golden flicker and following the shapes that her beloved daughter ran among the grasses and the glowing bodies.

Fancy glanced as mother and daughter rose, as if to dance together. She felt a soft soreness in her heart, and felt warm beneath Cedar's heavy breaths. She tried not to question Equus' will, but it had become difficult not to do, this past Spring. With no Dreamspeaker to wade into a lake and seek answers for her, she could only wonder, privately, why it was she had not foaled this spring. Why had Maplesmoke left- and where had he gone? What foul thing had tripped up Cedar so badly that she now anguished?

It would be blasphemous for her to even try to approach Jehana for answers- and yet when the moon was full, she found it difficult not to try. 

Another month, perhaps. When the next horseshoe dropped, she wouldn't be able to stop herself.

Silverbirch had to crane her head back to see how high, and how proudly her mother's head rose as she reared up. With a delighted squeal, the grey-dun foal jigged sideways with high, prancing steps, and bucked her small hooves, blasts of warm breath sending crickets scattering from the long grasses. She hopped and kicked, rounding out her back as she lowered her head, planted her front hooves and struck out with hind feet. 

She exercised muscles in play- but all the time, practiced and learned in the game of survival. These steps, these kicks and strikes- might come to her aid one day. For now, it was simply fun.

as gait carried her in smooth circles around silverbirch's kicking heels, selenia wondered how long it would be before she knew if a foal was growing within her for the year to come.

her heart softened with that sentiment; her heart thought of maplesmoke, and softly she whinnied, as much for silverbirch's joy as her own remembrance.