PERSEPHONE

Persephone held Arkana’s wide-eyed gaze as she waited, patient yet apprehensive, for the girl’s answer to her question. She could feel the tension in the air around her, palpable and intense – she could only imagine how painful it felt on the other side. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Arkana nodded.

Persephone felt both a rush of relief and a surge of anxiety hit her at once. She was glad that the unspoken question had finally been directly addressed, and yet this answer opened up a whole host of other questions and potential problems, and – as Persephone could only assume Arkana was more than well aware – there was of course telling Evren.

But that was something to consider in a moment. For now, Persephone pushed away those thoughts and did her best to focus on the young girl in front of her. She listened without interruption, her expression soft, until Arkana managed to choke out the confession she wanted to make. It was a lot to process. And the way she spoke of her mother, it was clear she already considered addressing her one of her biggest problems.

“Oh, Arkana…” Persephone sighed, her voice softer than it ever usually was. She stepped closer to her, and reached out, attempting to comfort her with a muzzle running along her neck.

She was quiet a moment, both giving Arkana a moment to collect herself again, and herself a moment to compose her words. So she didn’t know who the father was. That was something else to unpack. Persephone did not judge her – ordinarily, she didn’t care who or how many lovers anyone had – but she couldn’t help but acknowledge it was likely to make the situation even more difficult. She was young, and she would need support, and, more importantly, she would not need the drama of multiple potential fathers.

When she thought they were both ready, she pulled back again to look at her.

“It’s going to be okay,” she began. “It doesn’t matter who he is, unless you want it to. You can’t change anything now. You have us, and you have the Forest – I won’t pretend it will be easy for you, but you will keep moving forward.”

She paused a moment, searching Arkana’s face for clues as to how well her advice was being received. Then there was the question of Evren, of course.

“If you really want me to, I can talk to your mother. But I know she would rather hear it from you.”

all of your demons will wither away

mixed, bay varnish roan, 14.3hh