Echo started awake in fear when the first piercing cry rang through the forest. She panicked for a moment, before she felt her mother stirring beside her, and at her hip, her precious son. The blind mare merely nodded at Rowena’s direction, muzzle held close to the black mare’s shoulder as the trio slunk through the forest. The young mother felt her heart tremble within her as she was assaulted by a myriad of foreign scents on the wind, one that was disturbingly familiar.
“Mama,” Echo murmured softly into her mother’s thick mane, pressing close in an effort to both give and seek reassurance. “I love you. Please be safe.” And then she pulled back, turning her attention to her son, letting Rowena go to the aid of Dances With Wolves. Echo felt the comforting warmth of her mother vanish, and moments later, twitched her ears as she heard Rowena returning. Was something wrong? The tightening sensation in her chest confirmed the truth.
The stranger, a mare that Echo had never met, struck out at her, snapping and shouting. Echo squealed in terror, completely helpless and immensely afraid for the wellbeing of her son. “Please don’t hurt him!” the blind mare sobbed, shying away, gasping as she heard tiny Eastwise bleat in fear. The mare seemed to have moved off, but the sounds of a fight breaking out spurred Echo into action. Though she couldn’t see, she’d do her best to guide him away from danger. “Hush my boy, stay close to me.” And brave as she tried to be, Echo couldn’t quite keep the tremble from her voice.
So it was that, if any of those engaging in the conflict in the clearing happened to be watchful in that moment, they would see the white-speckled bay mare, illuminated by the moonlight filtering through a break in the crowd, slowly and steadily weaving her way through the Forest to safety, a young colt following doggedly at her heels. If any were to come searching for them, they’d find mother and son huddled together at the edge of the Forest, troubled hearts soothed by the sounds of the ocean, far from the clamour of conflict.
echo & eastwise
night passes by, taking the stars so far away |