“she smells like lemongrass and sleep
she tastes like apple juice and peach”

Sabran’s eyes widened in fascination as her sister began to speak. The exciting rush of Arkana’s tongue had her enraptured before the story had even really begun. Her lips parted in shock at the mention of a stallion, even as innocent a mind as Sabran’s unable to resist jumping to conclusions before Arkana could correct herself.

Sabran stifled a laugh in her attempt to remain quiet. Evren was almost as much of a parent-figure to Sabran as she was to her blood children, and Sabran could imagine exactly how much trouble Arkana would be in if she found out.

With pricked ears and tilted head, Sabran lapped up each detail of her sister’s story. It was so far removed from something she would have considered doing, that it was like a fun, vicarious fairy-tale. She felt a confused mixture of something close to jealousy and relief that she wasn’t the one involved.

At the mention of her mother, Sabran gave a nod, glancing behind her nervously as if Evren might appear and catch her in a lie. As much as the young girl didn’t like to rock the boat, even she had respect for a sisterly covenant. Besides, Eadaz especially would never let her hear the end of it if she tattled to someone’s mother.

“She checked in. I said I thought you’d gone to visit Dad, I don’t think she questioned it,” she explained, before quickly turning the conversation back to Arkana’s tale.

“But, woooah! Kaiju?” She tested the exotic name on her lips, an edge of airy wonderment in her voice. “What did you talk about? Weren’t you scared? Do you like him? Are you gonna see him again?”

SABRAN
mixed ☽ bay varnish roan ☾ 14.3hh