|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2024 5:31 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2024 9:30 pm
Tarashikomi, unfortunately, remembered everything that happened after eating something that had made her go all loopy. She felt embarrassed by her actions, terrified over what she had admitted -- but also elated, because Parthenos had said he loved her. It was a confusing mess of emotions, and she'd ended up avoiding him for three days to put off the conversation she knew they had to have. It couldn't last forever, though. She wanted to see him again, and felt a little silly that she didn't blink before jumping into battle but shied away from serious conversations. At least one like this. Honestly, part of her knew it would turn out fine. Parthenos was so kind and sweet -- in fact, she couldn't even think of a time he'd ever been angry. He would probably forgive her in that too-understanding way of his.
But she felt ashamed for what she'd done... and that she'd lied about it.
So, today, she wasn't going to avoid him. She took a deep breath -- and set out to look for him.
He wasn't hard to find. Parthenos wasn't trying to avoid her, and Tarashikomi hadn't run away. In fact, avoiding him had been difficult. So now that she wasn't doing that anymore, she was able to track him down within minutes. As she approached, he lifted his head up to look at her with a tentative, nervous smile. Tarashikomi hated that she'd put that there. She wanted to see his full, joyful smile that he'd always given her. "I..." she started, suddenly realizing she didn't really know how to start. "I-I'm sorry. That I lied," she mumbled shamefully. "About what happened with the shifter foal."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2024 7:23 pm
Parthenos couldn't help but wonder if Tarashikomi had changed her mind. Sure, two very important things had happened three days ago -- not only had she confessed she lied about the shifter he believed to be dead, but she'd also confessed her love for him, and vice versa... but then she'd been adamantly avoiding him every since. Maybe she didn't actually love him, after all. Was whatever she'd eaten made her say things she didn't mean? Or had they been declarations of love between friends, not realizing that Parthenos had meant it, deeply, with all his heart? He did love her as a friend, too, but it was also different at the same time. It had felt good to get it out there, but now Parthenos worried it had damaged their relationship. Why else would she be avoiding him? Did she regret it?
If only she'd stop avoiding him, they could just talk and sort this out! Anything but this waiting and wondering. Parthenos didn't know what to do with this... not-talking-about-it preference Tarashikomi seemed to be comfortable in. It wasn't like him. He just needed to come up with some strategy to corner her so they could finally fix this.
So it came to a surprise when Tarashikomi was the one to finally approach him. He had looked up at her and tried to smile, unsure but hopeful that she was going to open up to him. She didn't say much, but it was enough for him to go on. "It's... I understand. Why you did it, I mean. Or... didn't do it." He shook his head, remembering how terrified he'd been of the little shifter. When Parthenos had looked at the shifter, all he'd seen was something violent and ready to kill. But Tarashikomi? She probably saw that too -- but more than that, she saw a foal. He looked down at the ground and scuffed a hoof in the dirt. "Like I said before, I wish you'd have just told me. The truth."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2024 7:41 am
Tarashikomi felt her eyes grow damp, and she fought to keep her tears at bay as she nodded in agreement. "I know. I don't even remember why I didn't just tell you. I guess -- it was maybe a little bit to do with my mom and grandmother. I don't know if they would have understood why I just... let an uncharmed shifter go free." She let out a heavy, weary sigh. "I should have just told them the truth, too. They would've helped me figure out what to do... or how to fix the mistake I made by letting it go." They would have helped her... kill it. Purge its evil from the earth, like she and her family were born to do. Now, it has likely grown into a powerful, ruthless killer. How many lives had it taken since Tarashikomi allowed it to live? That was blood on her hooves. Blood she could have prevented from being spilled.
This wasn't the first time these thoughts have raced through her mind, but she had become practiced at keeping them buried. Now, brought to the surface again, she could feel her heart begin to race. Tarashikomi took a deep, shuttering breath -- then another. And another. Suddenly, she was gasping like she couldn't get enough air, trembling like a leaf, and those tears she fought so hard against were streaming down her cheeks. Her legs gave out, and she flopped ungracefully down to the ground, legs tucked underneath her body, and sobbed. "I'm supposed to be a protector! It sh-shouldn't have mattered that it was just a foal!" she stuttered her words through another heaving gasp. She didn't understand why Parthenos could be so forgiving about this. He should be furious! "Whatever evil its committed since I let it go is my fault!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2024 10:19 am
Parthenos's eyes widened in panic -- the conversation had been calm, measured, and suddenly Tarashikomi was struggling to breathe and shouting and falling to her knees. "Tara!" he cried, hurrying closer over to her side. His eyes darted over her body, noting the way she was gasping in too-short breaths. He pressed his body close against her side and draped his neck over her shoulders. "Take deep breaths, Tara," he said, trying to hide how his voice shook when he spoke. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. He tried his best to keep a steady rhythm and not slip into panic himself. "You can feel my breaths too, right? Try to copy them and breathe with me, okay?" Deep breath in. Deep breath out. It was a struggle to stay calm when Tarashikomi was so clearly distressed, but he squeezed his eyes shut and tried his best to focus. Slow his heartbeat. Slow his breathing.
He felt her body jerk with a hiccup, but she seemed to be taking his words to heart. She turned her neck and tucked her head against his side, fur going damp from her tears, but her breathing was starting to even out. Parthenos nuzzled her shoulder with affection. "There, deep breath in... and deep breath out," he encouraged, starting to feel his body relax along with hers.
Finally, when both of them were calm, Parthenos pulled away to look at her. "It's okay. You're okay," he said, voice soft. "We'll figure it out. Together, no matter what. Okay? I promise." He couldn't tell her that the shifter hadn't killed anyone since their encounter with it. Unfortunately, if it managed to survive, it most likely had. He wished he could tell her that no, nothing bad happened because of her decisions. But he couldn't. Even so, he didn't blame her for it. The shifter was responsible for their own actions. For a while, after they first met, Parthenos looked up to her like she was some infallible hero. As time whet on, though, the hero-worship simmered down, and while he still admired her he knew that they were more alike than they were different. She had flaws, just like him. She had good days and bad days, made mistakes. She was brave, but could also be scared sometimes, too.
All of those things just made him fall in love with her more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
