I DON'T WORRY, WORRYING DON'T AGREE
THINGS THAT BOTHER YOU, NEVER BOTHER ME!

Things had been getting strangely better lately for the knobbly-legged filly caught in a weird, lanky growth spurt just a few months shy of her first birthday. She wasn’t sniffling nearly as wretchedly as she had been and her nose wasn’t a mixture of currently running snot and past dried snot. Her eyes weren’t as swollen or as watery as they’d been her entire existence.

And best of all, she could breathe. Though somewhat nervous (all of this felt as if it was too good to be true), the filly had been gaining confidence ever so slightly with each better day that followed the last. Once, when she was sure she was by herself, she’d even managed to get her gait up to a decent run for the longest distance she’d gone yet! She’d still stopped, panting and gasping for air, but she’d been so proud when she’d looked back and seen how far she’d run. It was exhilarating!

She still hadn’t shown her mother… she feared her mother would push her to run even more than she was capable. At this moment she knew her mother was near, but likely exploring about somewhere. Her mother had enough energy for ten foals, and her daughter was disappointingly lacking in ability to keep up with her. The little filly snorted and rolled her eyes, huffing dejectedly before she began pushing her nose curiously at a clump of wilted, dead vegetation. Her mother told her one day she’d wake up and the world would be pure white with frozen water… but the filly felt like maybe that was just one of those things her mom said that didn’t wind up true.

A sudden cry surprised her, and the filly tensed, head shooting upright and ears turned forward. Who was that? It wasn’t her mother, it wasn’t her grandmother, and it wasn’t her mother’s friend either. So… who?

Caught somewhere between apprehension and intrigue, the filly was still standing where she’d been when she heard the call. A mare approached, walking through the tall trees. The filly watched with wide eyes as the mare grew closer and closer yet, sure to spy her at any second.

“GODDESS PERSEPHONE!!!” A shriek – her mother’s voice – and a cracking of twigs and breaking of leaves announced her arrival as Talya blew past her daughter, barreling toward Persephone. “HAHA! YOU’RE BACK!” She squealed with girlish delight, slowing her pace to run and kick and hop a little circle around Persephone, smiling cheekily at her. “How was your trip? What did you see? Are you excited to be back? I’M excited you’re back!!”