Elsa,

Feel lucky for what you have, when you have it. Happily ever after doesn’t mean happy forever.

The tension was slowly leaking away as she herded Hera back towards the Edge. That, however, did not draw away from her attentiveness. Elsa seemed almost constantly at the child’s beck and call. Every so often she’d lower her nose and gently press against her back in encouragement as they trudged through the rain and sludge. Hera’s young age caused her to stumble a lot more than Elsa had anticipated. The wounds growing on her knees were a cause for concern, and the desperation was building within Edgar and Elsa’s bond. It seemed at every turn there was no sight of her mother. There was no worried mare calling after her child, and yet at the same time, no body.

Elsa was screaming on the inside, begging Edgar to find something. Yet the poor bird did all he could. She could feel his exhaustion through the bond, and it was so strong that even Elsa felt like she wanted to collapse. ’Come back, but stay away from Hera. I need her to hold out hope a little longer.’ A pang of guilt spread throughout her system like a wildfire as she glanced towards the child. Was it bad for her to lie? Looking at Hera’s wounds Elsa needed to give her something to cling to, at least until she trusted Elsa more and became comfortable in her surroundings. For now, it would be cruel to let a wounded body and soul take a knife to the heart.

She ushered the group beneath the canopy of the forest inside of the Edge. Elsa found a rather dry spot, and motioned for the girl to come lay next to her. She extended her wing, inviting her to come sit under it for comfort. By now, Edgar had made his way back, and Hera had answered the question Elsa hoped to avoid until tomorrow. Encouragingly, she motioned to her side again, inviting her to get some rest while Elsa talked. Speaking of which, had Alune followed? Beneath the storm and the rain she had barely noticed Alune’s presence, and she had passed him by quickly as she moved toward the Edge. She kept an eye out just in case, maybe Alune had seen something she hadn’t.

”No, your mama is not in the Edge right now. Edgar is still out looking for her.” The lie fell off her tongue with ease, but it still hit Elsa in the heart. Edgar silently crowed in anguish from a nearby tree as he stealthily kept an eye on the group. ”I promise I’lll take care of you until she gets here. I have my own babies that were like you, strong and independent. Now they’re all grown up and strong, just like you’ll be!” She exclaimed, a smile creeping up her face despite the weather. ”You’re mama is probably off trying to find you, but we both know this storm is bad. She probably took up shelter somewhere and will come find you in the morning.” Elsa was sure to leave off any definitive guess of that happening. She did not want to make a promise to Hera when she couldn’t ensure she could keep it. ”So while we wait, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself? Like, what are your favorite things to do, did you come from a band of horses, have any siblings…” Her voice trailed off in an effort to not overwhelm the child. ”Of course, you can always ask me questions too if you have any. I’ll do my best to answer them.” Then she fell quiet, hoping the girl would feel comfortable around her for now. Elsa would need to get her a healer and a wet nurse somehow too, and fast.

"talk"