Our exchange is far from awkward. She is gentle, kind, electric, and I am rough, wild, and fiery. Complimenting each other well, I'd like to say that we will last. I don't want to, can't, lose her. If I lose Destry, I'll shatter into millions of pieces, never able to completely be put together. I'll die. Is that how it feels to lose a parent? My heart aches for my twins, the two youngins I left alone. Abandoning a foal... I understand the impact of an action like that now. The strain it puts on an undeveloped mind is unthinkable, the loneliness, unfathomable. Destry was abandoned by her mother, by everyone. In a world full of horses who come and leave, it hurts the most when the ones you call family go. My father left me, and it stung like crap. It wounded me in an irreversible way. Us three, we're wounded, but I bet they have never abandoned someone.

My features remain nurturing and loving, but I am frantic on the inside. It feels as if anxiety is clawing it's way up my suddenly dry mouth, threatening to choke me. When will I tell Destry of my path... If ever?

Their voices lull me back to reality, something which I am seldom in. Quite simply put, my mind is... elsewhere. It's in a dark void and the few times my head is in the moment, understanding and listening, it's like a crystal clear pool. I learn, but I also feel. I feel emotion, love, hate, anger.. All of it. It's much easier to drown myself in an all-consuming darkness then face the situation. To hide behind a veil of lies and insanity then show my naked mind. When you're naked, that's when you're vulnerable, that's when the world decides to attack. When you're feeling vulnerable, the world points out your every flaws, builds on your low esteem, flourishes on depression. Mental and physical vulnerability are the greatest killers.

My eyes catch a quick flash of movement above Destry's cranium. Her ears have shifted backwards. I can see emotion flash across her face. Vulnerability? Deciding it would be best to shield her from whatever makes her uncomfortable, my ears flatten menacingly. Then he goes on about his parents and other shit like that. So, he's the prodigy of Gaucho the fucking fire whatever and Sohalia? Well, fuck Gaucho! I'm the fiery one not him! Nothing about him had anything to do with fire until he suddenly reappeared! I mean let's be real, what the hell was that?! My apples bet that Gaucho's disappearing and reappearing (then murdering, like, half of Helovia's population) is all a huge scheme dedicated to gaining all the attention from all of Helovia! Watch out Helovians, horse that has bone stuff and fire is here!!! Oh wait, he's a stallion? Well, my goodness! Let's just invite him to our house and watch him steal everything! Ya, that sounds like a good plan!

Realizing my inner-bitter has morphed my face into something along the lines of anger, sadness, and pain, I try to forget about "the Wildfire" and everything to do with him. Destry poses a question, clearly (at least to me) trying to guide the conversation towards our quest. Could this foal be our one-way ticket to a family? Truly, I didn't know what to say to him or Destry. How could I, a child-abandoning, stupid, crazy mare, offer any sort of advice to this child? I waited to hear what Destry was to say, then I would maybe talk. My ears slipped forwards as I listened for an answer from the Pegasus colt.

Ooc: @[Rhoa] aurelia reminds me of some bitter cat lady who's old and tells people to get off her lawn...