Falls

Seelie’s new companion didn’t seem particularly talkative at first, but that didn’t phase the sociable youngling. She was just as content to chatter to a silent audience, and would have kept talking regardless of the stormcloud-gray boy’s response. But when she gave her name, he finally answered with his own — and the spotted bay did a little dance of excitement, her hooves tip-tapping on the ground. “Toland,” she repeated through a mouthful of the grullo’s mane, tasting the syllables that felt strange on her tongue. Weird name or not, at least she had made herself a friend in this new place. Maybe even one who would know all the best secret places to show her.

And I wasn’t very graceful, huh? Her ears flipped forward. Releasing her hold on the pale hairs to stare at Toland, she tilted her head gently to one side. “But did you have fun?” Seelie asked in a somewhat-impatient tone, as if questioning why trivial things like grace even factored into someone’s considerations. She went back to picking out a particularly stubborn twig, unweaving it from his silver mane with gentle tugs, and continuing her speech through occasional mouthfuls. “I could help you make a better home for birds, but probably not in your hair. Even though I think it’d be fun to have one as a friend, and take them with you everywhere.”

Her eyes misted over for a moment until she finally pulled the stick free, uttering a soft hah! of victory as it dropped to the ground. Then she stepped back, pink lips pulling into the briefest of frowns while she considered her new friend. “All better,” the pintaloosa pronounced after looking him over. There were still a few smaller leaves stuck in his hair, but nothing that a swim or a good rain wouldn’t take care of. And no one would notice the bits of bark that had become tangled in while she’d tugged and maneuvered to get that last twig out. Well, probably.

“Hey, do you live here?” Seelie asked suddenly, her eyes darting back to the Falls. She’d never known water could do that, and wondered if it might be the same elsewhere in this place. “And do all your rivers fall up like that? How d’you know that the water won’t all leak up into the sky, and leave you with nothing to drink?” She frowned with sudden concern, scooting forward to slake her own thirst in the pool just in case. Then she turned to look at Toland with beads of water dripping from her white whiskers, wondering what his answer would be.