I appeared, and she backed away. Further and further she put herself away from me, crying out in surprise, and immediately I planted my feet and came to a stop. I had not wished to frighten her. "I-I'm sorry, Ros," came my voice after a moment, considerably softer but still just as worried, "I didn't mean to scare you."
But as I inspected her more closely, gazing over the creases of her face, I noticed just how weary she looked. I had never seen such an expression on the face of my little sister, and in all honesty, it was startling to see the normally grumpy, pushy, have-it-my-way filly looking at me as she was now. I wanted the old Roskuld back, the one who wasn't afraid of anything, who was ready to take the whole world on at any given moment. But for now, I was content to comfort my sister, whatever may be hindering her.
For some time, she simply stood there, slack mouthed and staring at me like a fish out of water. She wanted to speak, to tell me something, I could feel it; but I understood all too well how difficult it could be at times, to tell somebody your secrets. I'd gotten considerably better at it, however, if I could say so myself. It wasn't my time to share, however, it was Roskuld's, and I could only pray that she trusted me enough to confide in me what it was that was troubling her. Was it the darkness? The fact that she suddenly seemed so much older, almost matching my own age?
What I was about to hear, however, nearly caused my jaw to drop.
After the words left her mouth, speaking of her father I wasn't sure I'd ever met, I was left speechless as the gears in my head grinded to process what I'd just been told. Roskuld's father, whoever he was... he was a God? Just like my own Mother? I didn't know what crows she was speaking of, or exactly who she was talking about, but one thing was for certain. Like me, Roskuld was also a demi-god... Remembering myself, I sucked in a deep breath and settled my silvery gaze on my sister's own. I hadn't meant to stare, but the news had come as more than a surprise to me.
Before I could say much, though, she went on, firing question after question to me. I didn't mind listening and considering each, standing calmly before her and not daring to step any closer, unwilling to send her reeling back again. I already felt bad enough for her as it was, and it was only when she grew quiet again did I speak up, my tone firm but gentle.
"Roskuld... Please, calm down and take a deep breath; it's going to be alright." I feared a sudden outburst from her, but before she could get a word in, I pressed on. "A God is... a supreme being. Somebody who created the world and everything within it. At least, that's how I would describe it." A quick pause was taken to gauge the now-yearling's expression, but I inhaled softly and continued. "I don't know why you weren't told, Ros, maybe Mum was waiting until you were older. I only knew of them because my Mother is a Goddess, as your Father is a God."
As for what she, we were supposed to do now, I had yet to form an answer from the time of waking just an hour ago to now. "I don't know," was my answer, a reluctant one but all too true, "I really don't, Ros, and I am sorry. We have to stand strong against whatever this is. We'll figure it out and make it to the next dawn, I can promise you that. We have to stay strong and warn the others about what's going on..." I trailed off then, something clicking in my head. I recalled the brief visitation from my Mother earlier in the night, and I couldn't help but wonder, had Roskuld's father come to her?
I had to know.
"Can I ask you something, Ros?" Another brief pause before I continued, "Your father... Did he come to you last night? Did he say anything to you?" Maybe he had passed some dire form of information, something that could aide us until the Gods returned home. And, I prayed to them, that they would.
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