It relieved Mouse when the draft did not start, but instead calmly turned to face her and approach her. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until she released it in a small cloud of mist. Shifting slightly as Impa looked her over, she realized that much of the soreness and itchiness of her injury had disappeared, and if she had been near a reflective surface she would have seen that her shaggy hair now covered the old wound. Come spring, there would be only a line of hairless skin to indicate anything had been awry. That, and her lack of memory.

She returned Impa’s smile as she pointed out that her physical state was better. Dipping her head in agreement, she then puzzled over a response to her friend’s inquiry. Though it had taken time, she had remembered the memories that were most deeply embedded in her brain. Still, she was not quite sure of the location of her origin in respect to where she now lived. As she struggled to find the right words, she noticed appreciatively that Impa backed off, but soon met her gaze without anxiety.

”My shoulder feels much better, and I can remember more now, but not everything.” She thought perhaps this was the most she had ever said to the dark mare, but kept speaking anyway. ”I can recall being young, and my parents, and the herd I was in. It wasn’t like here, where women are claimed like property. That’s as far as I’ve gotten.”

She was quite comfortable at the moment, a far cry from her state when the two had first met. Her hind leg was cocked in a resting position, and her tail lazily swept at her hocks despite the lack of pests this time of year. That is, until Impa focused on her growing barrel. Despite the fact that her tone was light-hearted, not to mention she was at no fault, Mouse felt ashamed. She looked away, her ears tipping back for a moment. A heavy sigh escaped her. ”Oh. That.” Her voice was flat as she struggled to think of what to say. ”It…I didn’t want this.” She looked back to Impa’s grinning face, her brown eyes full of worry, and silently begged for reassurance.

m o u s e
mustang | mare | grulla | 14.2 hh | 6 years | ali