PERSEPHONE

Persephone’s ears flicked as the sound of twigs cracking announced the approach of another. She turned her head, and her dark lips split into a warm smile as she saw Arkana, basked in the warm glow of the setting winter sun. Persephone thought of Evren’s daughters as extensions of her own in many ways, and it always sparked a memory of pleasure inside her when she looked on Arkana and saw the almost mirror-image of her mother.

It was one of nature’s strange little jokes, she thought, that herself and Evren chose the same man to father their children, and yet both their daughters had been born as miniatures of their own image.

“Arkana,” she greeted her warmly.

She hadn’t seen or heard from Arkana at all that day, which was not unheard of – the girl had taken to travelling frequently as of late – but was a little unusual if she had been lurking around the Forest, as she would usually bump into or hear her and the other children at least once or twice throughout the day when they were home. She greeted her in return, pressing her muzzle to the youngster’s with a contented sigh.

Arkana seemed uncharacteristically quiet, uncertain almost as she came forward and began to speak. Persephone tilted her head, listening, a little concerned.

“I’m doing well, thank you,” she replied simply, brushing past the pleasantries as she sensed that there were some heavier questions to come, judging by Arkana’s tone and body language.

“You know that you can talk to me about anything, Arkana,” she continued, her tone earnest but as gentle as she could make it, attempting to be sensitive. “What’s troubling you? You seem quiet.”

all of your demons will wither away

mixed, bay varnish roan, 14.3hh