I watched the crowd grow around us, a half circle facing the elephant as her song continued to grow. Blue eyes glanced around briefly at the faces; few I knew as just a face, others I knew more intently. A bay colored mare stood beside me, her scent easily reminiscent of the Basin and I realized we were more than likely herd mates but I hadn’t met her yet. I offered her a gentle nod. My eyes then traveled to a child, asking the elephant if she was a whale. I couldn’t help but to smile at the innocence in the question before I recognized Ilios as he entered the group. He then stood on my other side after smiling to me and I returned the gesture, nodding to him gently. He stood on the side where I had placed the feather he had given me. The silver and teal plume intertwined in my dual toned mane ever so gently and vibrant against my golden pelt.

My attention was taken again by others that drew into the group, Tiamat, a gentle creature I met briefly at a lesson from Ashamin. But the faces began to blur in knowing where they were from so I turned my attention back on the gentle giant. She said thank you to me and I nodded to her, smiling. Then she explained to the child that she was an elephant. Then I heard the words “child” uttered from her lips as she showed us all the crimson egg. My laxed ears quickly perked forward in an intense curiosity that lined what could be inside that egg. I began to wonder if it was a companion like so many creatures I had seen. I remembered all the various creatures throughout this land. My heart yearned for it. It yearned for a companionship that wouldn’t leave me cold and alone to wither away by myself. Sighing lightly to myself, I questioned to myself how we were supposed to acquire such an unbelievable gift. She spoke the words that I didn’t want to hear. She wanted us to explain why we wanted it. My ear flickered back in annoyance as I pondered what I could say. But the gray mare that had gifted the elephant and the egg spoke first, saving me from being the first to explain my issue.

She spoke so sincerely and it was nearly enough to break me right there. She sounded experienced, having a child and that bond. However when I was presented the opportunity of having a child myself, it was violently taken away from me. Was that the story I wanted to tell? Was it something that I felt like this group needed to know of me? Would Ilios need to know of it? I figured then and there that if there was any time to tell, now would be the chance. Once the mare had finished, I spoke up. “I agree with her; however, I never got the chance to experience the bond between a mother and child. I had been a mother years ago, but the child wasn’t meant for this world.” I paused, voice slightly quavering in my attempt at speaking of my past. “if I know one thing, I know that the love of a mother cannot be broken regardless of how long you’ve spent with it. I didn’t get much time to spend with mine, but I still love him with all of my heart. I would like to show this child the unconditional love that my own child never got to have.” I lowered my head briefly, ears flickering with uncertainty as I took a step back from the group. I wanted this child because he needed me. I wanted this child because I needed him. And I needed something I could be entirely and ultimately devoted to that would return the favor to me.

"Talk."

— got to sleep,

spent the whole night running.