“Stay here,” father said to her, “and whatever you do, do not eat anything.” Then, off he’d, leaving only the faint pressure of his legs along her ribs, and a damp rut in the earth, where a plant had been. The little one watches her father hurry off to wherever it is he’s going, the trees and shrubs swaying in his wake, all the while until he is completely out of sight.

At first, she wants to listen. He’d seemed so serious, after all, and she was a good girl. Still, he’d also rushed off in the biggest hurry she’d ever seen anyone rush off in, and she had been in the greenhouse most of the day already. In mere moments, the young daughter of the Moon Doctor couldn’t help but find her gaze wandering, and soon her hooves followed suit.

Looking from one plant to the next, feeling her boredom rise with each familiar flower and leaf, even the sunlight casting rippling light on the floor of the greenhouse isn’t enough to hold her captive. Glancing sneakily about herself at the ladies present, the doll waits until each of them is busy or looking away before tip toeing to the exit. With one last cautious glance behind her, the filly darts into the shrubs her father had passed through only moments before.

Settling for a smirk of victory rather than a shout, the child happily prances along the paths her sire had taken. In his haste, the healer had left quite the obvious trail, and, after she’d followed it for a short while, she began to hear voices. One of them, most definitely, was her dad.

This made a new worry arise. What would he say when he discovered she’d followed him? Her successful grin falls quite suddenly, pretty eyes glimmering already from the thought of her father being disappointed in her. But, she thinks to herself with a rise of spirit, maybe he wouldn’t mind so much if she stayed quiet, and out of the way. Yeah, she affirms herself, stepping out into the clearing alongside her dad, her grin sheepish but endearing as she glances up at him, before smiling prettily out into the clearing.

Is that tan guy the biggest guy in the world or what! And are those other foals?!

"Babies!" she girlishly exclaims.

Excitement rises in her like a well on the verge of spilling over. It makes her hooves dance beneath her without her bidding, her tail swishing against the tops of her snowy hocks with rapid succession. Only managing to refrain from flying over to them with a bit of good sense, and the memory she wasn't supposed to be here at all, Maude finds herself full of yearning, and questions (why are they wet? Why are there two? Who is the giant guy?). Her eyes, wide and glimmering with eager hope to meet and play with them, barely manage to tear themselves away from the splendid sight of potential friends. The greenhouse would surely be less droll with them around!

MaudeHow should we like it if the stars were to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
let the more loving one be me.