"I HEAR THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP WHEN YOU'RE TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP."

I bounded after Papa as we went in search of Virga, who’d already made his way out to the beach.  Everly and I had been exploring a particularly large shell, but after determining that it was empty it had lost the zephyr’s interest and she took off after Lucius.  I did my best to follow in Papa’s hoofprints and it was easy to see where Virga had made his way out onto the shore.  The air today was heavy, but I thought the ocean was an interesting place.  After living in the mountains, I’d never imagined that water could be so big. The ocean was strange. It was so loud, but strangely soothing all at the same time.  However, today the waves seemed agitated as if something was brewing far out beyond the horizon. 

Virga wasn’t alone on the beach. There was a mare there, and a boy too, both dressed in blues and in feathers unlike anything that I’d ever seen before.  The boy seemed nice enough, and was talking to Virga and I got the impression that Papa knew the mare so I saw no reason not to approach the pair.  But then the mare spoke and my little ears pricked and my legs froze in the sand as if they were encased in ice.

Unaware that this was likely an adult conversation, I couldn’t force my legs to move me any further down the shore.  I had been paralyzed mid step by the casual words, more effectively than if I’d been hit by an electric current.  My silver eyes widened as I tried to process the mare’s words. Mother was away...father was all we had until she returned. If he left...then Virga and I would be alone.

I’d never been alone before. 
Not ever. 

Fear thrummed through my veins and burned my insides like fire and a little gasp left my dark lips. “But...why wouldn’t he travel with us?” I asked, seemingly unaware that the words were falling from my lips at all. “Then we would be all alone…”  The words were hollow.  The fear was evident. The concern was painted all over my face.  I looked up at the mare, confusion painting my features.  “Why would Papa leave us?” I asked, the panic growing in my chest.  My heart thundered against my ribs, threatening to escape from my chest and fly away somewhere safer.   

A twinge of panic fluttered through me at the thought.

Everly, sensing my concern, flew a low pass over the gathering while emitting a particularly loud squawk of warning before circling back and chirping to Lucius >Dangerous?< because she was concerned about the reaction that this mare had stirred from her bonded. It was clear to the young zephyr that this was not Mesec and Lucius’ first encounter with the mare.  I hardly even noticed Everly’s discontent as the panic began to abate and reason began to flood back through my bloodstream.  Because regardless of what this mare said I knew that Papa would never leave me and Virga. Not if it was up to him. I knew it in my very bones.  I took a deep breath and composed myself, looking first to Virga and then to Papa and finally to the blue mare that he’d called Ampere.  

So I picked myself up to my full height and did my best to compose myself, pulling my wings tight against my sides and holding my head high. “You’re wrong you know. Papa would never leave us. You don’t just leave people you love.” I managed, with every ounce of confidence in my tiny body.  I then turned to join Virga and his new friend down at the shoreline letting out the breath that I didn’t know that I was holding with each step. 

Finally, finally I make it to Virga because those ten steps felt like an eternity and I press myself against his side, hoping that just his warmth could make all of the emotions that just tore me apart disappear into nothing.  But instead I turn to the colt he’d been talking to and offer him a small smile.  “Hi! I’m Vesper. Can I play with you too?”

V E S P E R