It was impossibly hard to grasp the position I found myself in. In truth, during a not so later time this would all feel like a dream, a reality that wasn’t actuality. But those problems would be handled momentarily—for now my struggling consciousness only tried to keep up with the rapid conversation.
The adults spoke over me, around me, obviously not understanding my rising bewilderment as they kept on talking and understanding of the situation lessened as memory sharpened from a hazy black into grey. Tri colored pools that lacked the maturity of years in this body darted toward the golden female, then back to the alabaster mare called Sno, who had taken this moment to start barking at da before finally stalking off into the forest. I didn’t comprehend the reason for her anger.

My tether was still firmly attached to da, his mind the stronghold in this surge of aimless bickering. He could surely feel confusion climb higher as gaze drifted slowly from the swaying frame that vanished from view to his clear crystals which seemed ever present in the shadows that grew, ever true in its securing of mindless trust. His voice a plush fervor that my earnest heart grew hospitable toward—for I knew nothing of adult grief or strain, jealously or the idea of betrayal, it only knew that I was the child in all this and my daddy was close by to rescue what had been damaged.

He spoke again, asking me something that I couldn’t honestly answer without first checking for myself. Wearily, head twisted with neck still bent toward his frame in an absentminded urge to remain in close contact. Eyes momentarily left their steady fortress in order to drift along the curve of my side and quarters—watching as limbs shifted on command, flimsy in their trembling but moving nevertheless. One lengthy forelimb uncurled gracelessly out from underneath and scrapped mud as I drew it up.

Feeling no direct pain, only numb cold I replied. “No. Not hurt.” There was a momentary waver in the connection between, I sighed, regaining control and adding, “Tired. Hungry.” Where was momma? Her warmth would hold nourishment, sweeter than the musky smelling grass that I’d hardly begun to eat when…

Feet shuffled, moving instinctively to pull my body from its pitiful position. I’d only made it halfway before realizing that the ground was much further than I’d come to remember it, the act of gazing down made the dizziness in my head spin ever tighter—and I slipped back into the mud one instant later with visible shock flooding forth, “Whaa?”