[PRP] The Way Home (Setsuka Graziano x Brighid)

[Yayoi]

The family hadn’t been in the forest long. Typically they stayed in the open plains because mama liked to soar in the open skies from time to time. She had been teaching them how to fly just that morning. But sometimes Grandfather and Aintie liked to head into the forest. It was Graziano’a first time in the forest. Having recently emerged his basket alongside his brother. Mama told them not to wander into the forest without an adult but his brother has dared him to and while he had great reservations about it, Graziano couldn’t decline a dare. At least that’s what brother told him.

The colt wasn’t a rule breaker. But now because he broke mama’s rule we was utterly lost.

He didn’t know how long he had been wandering but he was hungry and thirsty and his tiny hooves hurts almost on the verge of tears he flopped down onto the ground and covered his eyes with his wings and quietly sobbed while calling softly for any of his family. But especially for his mama.  

[xo maho]

Brighid was gathering herbs in the forest, eyes focused at the bases of the trees and probing around the roots for shade-loving plants, when she heard soft cries. She lifted her head, removing her hat with her hand in order to hear better. A rustle sounded from the forest floor up ahead, along with the quiet sounds of frightened misery. Her brow furrowed in concern as she rounded the base of the gnarled old growth tree in front of her.

On its other side, she found a foal with wings sheltering his head as his whole body trembled. Her heart instantly dropped in her chest, and she bent her head and lowered her tail so as to not appear too imposing.

"Little one," she said gently, trying her hardest not to spook him. "What distresses you so?"

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137 words.  

[Yayoi]

He hadn’t heard the mare approach and jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. The colt hadn’t expected anyone other than his family to find him. He blinked lifted his head, peering through his feathers at her with tear filled eyes.

“Mama is going to be so mad. She told us not to go alone but brother dared me to and now I can’t find them.” His soft voice shook.

Giving a loud sniff he rubbed his face against a wing before climbing back up onto his tiny hooves. Giving her a shy look as he glance at her to give her a once over before his gaze started away. “Have you seen my mama? Everyone says that I look like her….or my grandma? She’s pinker than us…” Hus head swiveled back and forth as he looked around. Ears and tail drooping as the realization that he was lost set in once again.

Sniffing again Graziano looked at the mare once again before saying in a small voice. “I’m hungry….” He hadn’t eaten in days it seemed but was actually just a few hours ago when their family had eaten some tasty berries that morning.

Mahogany Sunset

 

[xo maho]

Brighid knew that look, especially with two of her own at home and who knew how many on the way - her wings hid her burgeoning belly well. This little colt had been up to mischief, perhaps reluctantly, sometime earlier in the day, and now had come to regret it. She let out a little sigh. Internally, she made herself a short to-do list that would need to be accomplished before continuing with her day:

1. Find him something to eat.
2. Find him his people.

"Well," Brighid said, "first things first. What do you like to eat that you think might grow in the forest?" She was not about to upset him more by commenting on the fact that, depending on his mom, she might very well be steaming that he had disappeared for so long. While Brighid's relief whenever her foals reappeared far outweighed her anger when they ended up getting lost, not all mothers were the same.

As the foal got to his feet, Brighid took note of his features - the tiny horn on his forehead and the little winglets on his ankles pointed to a hopefully kind mother who would understand her son getting up to a little misadventure. "I'm Brighid, by the way," she added, hoping he would feel somewhat more comfortable with that knowledge.

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219 words.

Yayoi

 

[Yayoi]

Graziano perked up a little when she asked him what he likes to eat. “Berries!” His little voice squeaked. Remembering himself he pulled back on his excitement just a little “Not the little red ones. I like the little blue ones and sometimes I eat the black ones. But I do like the BIG red ones.”

He rubbed his nose with a wing again. Giving another little sniff. The colt was starting to feel a little bit more comfortable in her presence. Though if she had a bulging belly Graziano toon no notice of that.

His shyness took hold again when she introduced herself. He was so bad at introductions. “I….I am Setsuka Graziano. But Setsuka is my family name so you can just call me Graziano.” He dipped his head slightly to the side, his eyes taking a chance to gaze at her again before it flitted away. I’m

Mahogany Sunset

WC: 518  

[xo maho]

"Nice to meet you, Graziano," Brighid said cheerfully. "Now, what say you to finding some berries?" Nodding to him, she set off in the direction from which he had seemed to originate, hoping that they might find his family during their search to placate his hungry tummy. She imagined he would follow her, given the quest he had (basically) just assigned to her.

Thinking about the description of the berries he provided, Brighid attempted to identify which ones he might be talking about. Her thoughts eventually arrived at the conclusion that he probably liked mountain huckleberries (reasonably common), blackberries, and strawberries. She wondered where he had had such a treat as strawberries - she was aware that they could grow wild, but the only place she had ever seen them was in domesticated gardens maintained by humans or savvy soquili.

As Brighid was familiar with this area from gathering herbs, she led them toward a place she believed a few huckleberry bushes grew. They had rooted themselves in the trunks of fallen, decomposing trees, taking nourishment from the nurse logs. "How large is your family?" Brighid asked, making conversation. "Having a family name is not altogether common, but it makes the impression that you must have extended family out there, too."

Yayoi