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

“Are we gonna leave the Forest now, mama?” Kestrel, now a yearling just a season shy of two, was looking more and more like a young horse rather than a foal with each passing day. His voice was changing somewhat, deeper than the squeaky youthfulness it had been before.

“Why would we do that?” Talya asked, tilting her head as she glanced quizzically at her son.

“Well…” Kestrel started slowly, frowned at his mother, and continued, “With Persephone gone, she said we can go to the Prairie to be safe with her friend.”

Talya looked at him blankly, as though she didn’t comprehend what he was talking about. Kestrel suppressed the urge to sigh.

“The Forest Goddess.” He clarified, using the name she had always chosen to refer to Persephone with.

“Gone?” She echoed, starting to frown.

“Mama…” Kestrel had known his mother would take the news of Persephone leaving rather hard, but he also knew there was no telling how his mother was going to react to news she didn’t like. Most often she would forget about it completely, leaving Kestrel to dance around his words and figure out exactly what to say to his mother. He didn’t want another leader to come into the Forest and take advantage of her, which he knew would be too easy for a cruel-minded horse to do. Worse yet, a new horse may decide to drive him away from her side and keep Talya for himself. Kestrel could not and would not allow himself to be separated from his mother. But he was young and no match for a grown horse.

Talya started walking again, dropping her pale pink nose to the ground, pushing at a few snowdrifts. She giggled when she lifted her head and the flakes of snow stayed stuck to her lips. She turned her face toward him and snorted, blowing the little chips of ice at him, which made her giggle more.

Kestrel decided to try again, his voice remaining level and calm. “Mama, let's go to the Prairie. Or… we could go find dad in the Lagoon?”

Especially with his mother’s sides already swelling with the promise of a new foal. Another full sibling for Kestrel would be born this upcoming spring. Kestrel knew his father would keep Talya safe, even if the Lagoon wasn’t the ideal place for her to live.

Her ears flicked back. “I don’t want to go to the Prairie, or to the Lagoon. I like the Forest. I want to stay here.”

“I know, Mama. But I don’t know if we’re safe here anymore.”

“We’re always safe in the Forest.” Talya said, “the Forest Goddess will protect us. Stop worrying so much, Kestrel! You’re not being very fun!” She moved the few steps in the gap between them and playfully nipped at his face, making him pull his head away and dance a few nimble steps from her.

“Mama, please,” he tried again, but Talya was already turning away from him and poking at the naked twigs of a bush that’d lost its leaves in autumn. She gave no indication that she heard his plea, continuing to poke about and make her own little discoveries. Kestrel watched her a little sadly, feeling lost at what to do. Should he leave her here alone and go to the Lagoon to tell his father what was happening and what he was worried about? What if something happened to her while he was gone?

He sighed and started walking with her, not wanting her to get too far without him near. His questions remained unanswered, but he knew he needed to do something soon. It was only a matter of time before a new horse came into the Forest and claimed it as their own.