Meadow

Though her feelings of gratitude towards the nameless stallion were genuine, Iris’s mistrust of the opposite gender remained unchanged at its core. She witnessed enough in her time spent with the brute who had abducted her mother to know that sometimes a sweet mannerism was nothing more than a mask worn to hide a monster. And there was a small, gnarled place inside of her that hated all stallions for what Lilika had suffered, for what she had suffered. This twisted piece of her wanted nothing more than to herd Eve away from their companion, an instinct that was born as much of fear as it was contempt. The older mare hadn’t believed her family could ever be pieced back together, and now that it seemed possible, she was terrified that it would simply be torn apart again.

But the words that Eve spoke to the stranger were true - they did owe their reunion to him. That Roheryn was so empathetic only served to increase Iris’s confusion - and her concern. Was it a ploy to earn their trust, or did the cream-and-gold stallion truly mean what he said? Warring within herself, Gnome’s elder daughter could only nod a silent agreement with her sister’s apologetic speech, the signs of her inner struggle visible only in the downward curve of her lips. Even if she could overcome Gnome’s lessons on courtesy to urge Eve to depart with her, she knew the younger mare would never listen. Her sister had always had a mind very much her own, and if anything was more successful at manipulating Iris than the elder one was at influencing her.

Speaking of Eve’s single-minded determination, the blanketed roan was having none of Iris’s careful distance. Bridging the gap of years with a couple steps, she nudged her sibling’s shoulder in a gesture that finally convinced Iris that she was not dreaming. I’m here. We’re here. Iris’s deep brown eyes fell closed, and the breath whooshed from her lungs in a gentle sigh of comfort.

How was it that the younger of Lilika’s daughters had ended up the wiser? Iris didn’t know, she did know that she would have given everything she’d ever known - and everything that could ever be - to stay locked in this moment forever. Because later, she knew, the questions would be asked, and the faults of her character brought to light. Right now, she could feel that Iris still loved her the same that she had when they were children. And she knew that her affections were likewise unchanged. But once they had shared of the bitter dregs life had served both of them, could it ever be the same?

Iris didn’t know the answer, and it scared her more than the possibility that they might be wrenched apart by another’s hand.

As her sister moved closer and their brown bodies melded, however, the older mare decided to put such concerns aside, and live in the moment. She turned her head to tug affectionately at Eve’s forelock as she’d done in what seemed a previous life, then faced their nameless companion once again. She hoped that he could forgive her for her silence - any words that she might have spoken had fled far from her thoughts. Good thing her sister had always been the talker. Iris, one the other hand, had always been more reserved - like their mother. And the trials she’d endured had only led her to wall herself off even further.

Why leave her heart open when there were those who’d crush it for the simple pleasure of witnessing her pain?


Iris
mare .. 9 years .. brown sabino blanket .. mutt .. 16.1 hands
Gnome x Lilika