when the angels break their wings they crash and stumble
just like we struggle

They’d had a fight that morning – Dock and Dickere had. A lot of it had been Dickere begging Dock to speak to her, to tell her what she had done wrong. A lot of it had been Dock pinning her ears and trying to get away from Dickere rather than face the frightened creature her sister had become. Dock didn’t have an answer for Dickere; she didn’t have an answer for anyone. Every issue that Dickere had been harboring inside came out between shuddered gasps, but Dock hadn’t answered a single one. It had been Hickere who had to step in physically, drawing herself as a block between the two and turning her attention onto Dickere. “Let’s give her some space, Dickere.” It was said calmly, without Hickere’s normal flare for excitable antics. Her black nose pressed to her sister’s dark skin and gently, calmly, she walked Dickere away and stood with her as she cried.

Now it was the afternoon. The tears had long since dried and it was just Hickere and Dickere, lingering near the herd and watching the shadows of the clearing for when Dock would return. She always remained paces away from the herd and would step away if any but her sisters dared to come near, but she was there. “She hasn’t come back yet, Hickere.” Dickere’s voice was soft, tense.

“We can’t keep babying her.” Hickere said, sternness creeping on her tone.

“Why did I say such awful things?”

“Hush.” Chided Hickere, reaching forward to brush her muzzle over her sister’s coat. “You said what Dock needed to hear. It’s like you said that Lyden said. This is going to change all three of us. She’ll come around, Dickere.” Hickere had never been terribly close to Dock, but they were still sisters. She could sense that Dock was frightened. Hickere had nearly been raided away and that had been somewhat of a scare that made her nervous for a week following, searching every shadow for that unknown brute that Braylen had removed. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk.” She suggested, bumping her muzzle against Dickere again and giving her a lopsided smile.

The sisters walked toward the shadows of the forest, their hooves crunching on the icy winter floor. The tension eased slowly from Dickere’s body. Hickere was right, Dock would come around eventually.

“Did you hear that?” Asked Hickere, stopping and flicking her ear, a frown working its way over her features.

“Hear what?” Dickere had been so drawn into her mind she hadn’t been paying attention.

“This way. I heard a voice.” Turning, Hickere walked around the wide circumference of a pine tree whose needle covered branches were weighed down with piled of white snow. She stopped at the very edge of a clearing the moment she noticed two figures, both a pretty gold splashed with white.

“I saw one of them with Lyden,” said Dickere, frowning. She’d never gotten her name.

Hickere smiled and stepped forward; always happy to get to know any that lingered within the Forest. “Hello!” She called out in her cheerful, sing-song voice. “I’m Hickere; this is my sister, Dickere.” She nodded toward Dickere, who’d walked up with a smile and bobbed her head in greeting. “I hope you don’t mind the intrusion? We were walking nearby and heard someone was over here.”