TThe moment the frigid snow touched her lips, they folded, melting against the heat of her mouth into tiny pools of water. How terribly delicate they were! Licking her thick black lips the drops that were once snow began to bid back the tang of blood that lingered on her tongue.

I'm sorry, Sweet Pea, I should have known.

The words softly worked their way into her head, tender and labored like her own breathing. How tight were the cords of fate that bound them? These were boundaries that the pale one had yet to learn. Her feathered friend was much more then an elegant shadow that pushed her forward. She had yet to understand that what pain she felt, the emerald humming bird pained himself with as well. Hush..Avery. Just...hush. One. Her lungs still ached but steadily, she forced the air into the tender vessels. Two. The resistance from agony was slowly giving away. Three. With a big breath the air came and left her easily. Elegant head lifted to the sky, her long lashes drew her large eyes closed, delighting in the feeling of the soft snow as it fluttered down against her skin. For just the moment, she was lost in it, in the tender touch of the snow as it's cold fingers caressed her closed lids.

Her careful ears could hear nothing, just the wind's mournful song as it whipped past her. She could feel Avery hunkering down on her mane, his tiny clawed feet clinging into her cold damp mane. Unlike the rest, the tiny bird needed no explanation. He knew the way she thought. How she fell in love with every color that was ever painted in the sky, how every sound was thought of as music. How every touch...like that from falling snow, was something so brilliant it had to be kept to memory.

But even as she found herself happily appeased with the dreary winter world, the mare had not forgotten the one she stood present in. The sound of snow gently smothering under hoof brought her ears to attention. Someone was approaching. Only when the sound of their easy movement stopped did she lower her head from the thick brooding sky and open her eyes to the stranger.

From where she stood he seemed taller than herself, no doubt he certainly outweighed her. And yet, to be this close to a perfect stranger she could only think of his coat reminded her of the trees. As his words floated from his lips to her ears, she could only tilt her head to the side. They were so careful. The question was why? Catching the flicker of his eyes as the lifted from the snow, horror rushed through her in waves. Her head dropped as she pushed snow over the stain as if that would hide her secret, only when she foolishly lifted her head to meet his gaze did she realize the red hued body of the wolf that lingered beside him.

Fear fell in her gut like stones, and yet the only movement she could will her muscles to make...was to make no movement at all. It was then the glittery feathered Avery made a move, darting in front of her on his beating wings. "Fuss, Fuss Sweet Pea." he softly chirped. "She won't hurt you." With his nearly inaudible words, his little body lands on the wolf's snout, tilting his head tilting this way and that as examined the wolf's glossy eyes. "Will you, Sweet Pea?" That was the funny thing about Avery. To him, everyone was Sweet Pea Without waiting his quick wings carry him off, beating so hard he sounded like a bee. But with precision he lands on the bay stallion's forehead. Twitching his head, he admires his reflection in his large eye. "Isn't that right, Sweet Pea?" he whispers, leaning toward the stallion's ear. His words are soft and yet the little thing means business. Someone should tell him he wasn't as large as he thought.

Winning a soft smile from Blessed's lips, the bird takes off, perching himself on her poll. "I am Avery. " His words are so small they could almost be lost in the wind, and yet they are spoken as nearly as quick as his wings flutter. "This is My Blessed." he whispers, moving to let the mare dip her head to the snow in greeting, nothing but a soft hum leaving her lips. Now wasn't this awkward? "Psst. something on your lips, Sweet Pea." Award was a cinch compared to the new feeling that clutched her as she wiped the blood off on the snow. It was almost as if she was telling the world her secret. Looking up at the stallion with her pale green eyes she sighed. Yes. I'm sick. This was the part when most ran away.

BlessedA Humming Bird Needs No Voice

Wordless. Selfless. Shy



Charmer of the small.