"...And so you see, Sparky, that's how the Earth God froze the giant snakes an' formed the great tunnels. If you look, you can see their thousands 'a teeth hangin' from the ceiling an' risin' outta the floor."

You conclude your story, well, conclusively, giving a nod as though to close the lid on that. It may not be the most accurate tale, but it's certainly an interesting one, and you're proud of it. You're careful not to walk too fast - it's a nice thing about your brother still being so small, the fact that you can hobble and limp and not fly and not feel bad about it, like you're slowing him down. You're trying to spend more time with Iskra, and you tell yourself it's not because you're worried, it's not because of the way Ma doesn't really seem interested in him, it's not because you're afraid that she's too hurt to love him properly - no, it's because you're a good big brother and you're happy to give Ma a break. Ma's a great mother, she's just tired is all. She's been through a lot. Soon she'll feel better and she'll be able to take care of Iskra just as well as she took care of you.

Meanwhile, well, you're happy to spend time with Sparky, to take him on adventures and teach him all about the world.

You're going on a little adventure today. You don't want to wear the poor kid out. For someone who was a child so recently (and, debatably, still is), you're quite concerned about the capabilities of the colt. Maybe it's because he's so quiet, so different - you're not sure what to do with him, so you decide to start small.

Besides, the caves are cool. Maybe you can get your brother interested in rocks!

The pair of you continue to wander, and you stop frequently to speak to your brother, to comment on points of interest and ask his opinion on things. Squishy trails behind, a sentinel (just in case). You've decided not to actually go into the caves today, instead taking your brother to see where the river meets the sea. It's cool, you tell him. There are fish and eels and birds there, and sometimes hippocampus. He'll love it.

The river comes into view, and with it a girl - a really pretty girl at that. You grin at your brother, lopsided and vibrant, and though he probably won't understand your ulterior motives, meeting people is fun for everyone, right? "Race ya!"

You take off running, though your limp is still pronounced.

You stop when your hooves touch the sand, a casual fifteen feet from the mare. You grin at her, your trademark lopsided smile, bashful and boyish despite the scars that litter your young body. Then your face becomes a mockery of surprise, your eyes growing wide as false concern sneaks over your brow. You spin in place, throwing your head, looking for the one thing you pointedly do not see.

Your expression is clearly concerned, though mischief flickers at the edge of your lips. "'Scuse me, miss, but have you seen my brother? He's about this tall -" you gesture with your wing "- and he's quite good at disappearing."

You're growing up to be a flirt all right - not surprising, given your genetics. Gaucho would be proud.

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OOC;; Let me know if you want me to change anything, Blu!
TAG;; @Iskra