It was meant to be a quick trip to gather supplies. Of course she could have sent one of the boys or brought them with her. An extra body for carrying baskets would not have gone amiss. Then again, gathering didn’t really thrill them, no matter how much she'd tried to pass along her healing skills. Oh, they'd tried. Yazmina had held great hope for Nikki and Roque. Yumitoko made her heart sing. But forcing a path on her children didn't.
So she'd set out on her own, with promises to be careful and to be home soon and all had gone as well as one might expect.
Until she heard a voice say, "It's that way, right? No, I just passed it. But if I passed it, why do I think I should turn around?"
Rounding a band in the pathrhat led through the last valley before home, she spotted a rabbit. No, hardly anything that innocent. Once she'd taken him in, long ears to padded feet, she realized that the creature actually blocking her path was a rabbit shifter
Her own ears twitchesd and her wings rustled a little as a memory struck her. It had been abour this tine, a year ago or so, that rumors about a harmless not-so-harnkess rabbit had spread across the lands, wasn't it? How many had been taken in and caught off guard by that one? Was this a pattern? Were they going to cone back every year now to see how many more they could fool?
Well, it wouldn't work on her. Not this time.
Setting her teeth, she started on her way again, right past the pony in question, As she drew nearer though, he put on a very pleasant smile and called out, "Coukd yoy help me? I think I got turned around. I'm just looking fir a little water. It's warm and I'm hot and I could use a drink."
"You passed ur if yoy came this way," she abswred, continuing on as she was going. She was not going to be tricked by this creature, no matter what.
"Did I?" Yazmina glanced over to watch the poor soul look over his shoulder obe way then twist his head over the other, as if sonegow that might maje where he was standing change. "I don't remember seeing any water." He turned his head to look at her again. "I think I would have stopped."
Yazm8na's steps faltered. It was true that the water was a *little* downhill. Maybe he hadn't seen it. "Do you remember going up or down any hills?"
The stallion thought, then brightened. "Yes. A day or so ago I climbed a *very* big hill. At the top, I thought maybe I could see everything in the world." One ear drooped slightly. "Then a bird flew by and I got so busy watching it that I forgot which way I was going. I figured forward was best, so that's the way I went. Forward and *down* the big, big hill. " He frowned. "Do you think I should go back?"
Yazmiba had stopped walking entirely now. Oh, she remembered the rumors of a year ago, but it hurt her heart to think of simply plodding in and leaving a confused soul here to try to find his way. And to water, of all things. She'd been very thirsty before. Thirst made everything so much harder.He was still looking at her, watching her with -- what was that, hope? -- in his eyes. What if one of her boys had been stranded somewhere, lost and confused and just in need of a drink? What if there'd been some Wful rumor that meat no one dared to help them either?
Be careful, she told herself. And she would keep her distance. If things went badly, she could fly out of reach, at least. She could fly to safety or to get help for both of them.
So. She set down a basket of herbs and insructed, "Cone pick this up." She backed away as he stepped closer abd lowered his head to lift the basket without when asking why. Well then, at least she'd have help carrying things after all.
"Follow me. I'll take you to the water, bur I can't take you farther than that
Oh, if only she believed she'd stick to her words.
Still, she had her mission and she'd see it through.
Off they went to find the quiet watering hole Yazmina knew was nearby. Perhaps, with luck, they'd find someone who knew his name, too.
(wc= 763)
