Falls

I DON'T WORRY,
WORRYING DON'T AGREE
THINGS THAT BOTHER YOU, NEVER BOTHER ME!

“Uhhh…” What did count as cheating? Talya had only ever played this game with herself and it was difficult (and a bit pointless) to cheat on yourself. But he was looking at her for answers – he was actually paying attention to her, not pinning his ears and driving her away – so Talya felt silly if she didn’t give him any. “No pushing and shoving if we both see something first. We’ll figure out who gets it if that happens.” She nodded. That sounded like a good one, right? “We’re going to play a good, clean game here.” Another affirmative nod, this time accompanied by a little stomp of her hoof for good measure. “Oh! And no hiding stuff if you see it so I can’t find it.” Well, that would just be rude, wouldn’t it? “Just grab what you find and go!”

Those sounded like pretty good rules made up on the fly, didn’t they? Said with enough confidence and they seemed like they’d always been in place.

Talya’s pale ears flicked forward and she watched her new friend come up with two of the three treasures they could find. Her blue eyes were alight with excitement, though she couldn’t help but giggle as he compared the size of their feet. “Haha yeah, you do have big feet!” She agreed, though not meanly, lifting one of her front hooves between them as though to show how much daintier hers were.

She set it down as he asked her what their third and final item should be. “You’re very good at this.” She proclaimed. “You’ve come up with very good things! Hmmm…” Talya trailed off, turning her head this way and that, peering all over the open expanse of the Falls to decide what their third and last treasure should be. A stick, a pinecone… and….

Well, they were at the Falls. They should get something near the water, right? Talya frowned thoughtfully and glanced toward the distant river.

“The third treasure will be a rock from the river. But it has to at least have two colors on it, and you have to find it in the water, not on the bank.” She had seen a few stones that were red with ribbons of white, or black with speckles and knew there’d be a few to choose from. “Any size!” She decided.

Talya picked up her hooves and danced off to the side to swing her haunches so she could stand beside him, rather than in front of him. Playfully she reached out and grabbed at his mane, though she didn’t tug very hard. She giggled as she let his hair drop. “You ready, fellow treasure hunter?”