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She wiggles under my neck in the horsey equivalent of a hug, and I sigh happily at the contact. This is what I always picture when I think of being a father; a sweet little child playing around my heels, an endless source of cuddles and affection. I would teach them healing, as well as other lessons like empathy and politeness, and the foal would grow into an upstanding pillar of society. Alas, my craving is just that; the humans have ensured I will never see my own progeny bounce around in front of me, with my markings and my personality. Erthë is the closest I am likely to get to having my own child, and I adore her as if she were. She already has a family chock-full of love, with a father and a mother who undoubtedly adore her, so I can only pray she has room in her heart for me, an unrelated man who was simply in the right place at the right time. I hope she will not outgrow me and drift away as she ages - but I fear she will, so I make the most of this embrace whilst I can. The girl declares the disease as yucky, and I'm inclined to agree. I shrivel my nose in disgust at the black ooze that pours from it, my sensitive eyes picking out all the different hues in her white coat. "It's disgusting," I agree, and watch as she gobs a healthy mouthful of black onto the grass. My entire throat feels constricted by the weight of tar that aches in my lungs; it's deathly uncomfortable, and I crave relief from it. She informs me that her mother has gone off somewhere, and I frown. That strikes me as unusual - why would Shadow want to spend so much time away when she has a gorgeous bundle of love back home? "I don't know, little one, but I'm sure she'll be back soon. Until then, I'll keep you safe." I beam down at her with a bravado I don't feel. If we were attacked, whether by horse or predator, I would do my best to protect her, but there's no saying I would succeed. I am no fighter - my duty is healing wounds, not making them. So her dam's constant disappearances are a worry, and if I was closer to the black pegasus then I would try to broach the subject about it. But I don't feel like I am close enough to her to ask such personal questions - alls I can do is ensure her daughter is safe in her absence. I feel delight pounding at my chest as she moves towards my herbs. My heart aches, though, at the way she wishes she could find something to make her mother smile; oh, she is so darling! Again, it is a worry that Shadow isn't smiling anyway, the healthy grin of new motherhood - once more, I'm hardpressed to stifle my curiosity about what is plaguing the blackbird. "Unfortunately, herbs don't fix everything, and I haven't yet found one to cure this disease we have. But there's a lot of things they do fix - I'd be happy to show you, if you're interested." I fix her with my hopeful brown gaze. |
