we drank moonbeams from oily skies
T
he buckskin nodded, agreeing to taking on Velaris easily enough. Doubt lay in the shadow of the brindle's heart; she wondered if he truly meant what he said or if he was just doing what Zevulun wanted. It was a little jarring for Vervain to feel like she couldn't trust what her family said. Despite the hesitation within her, she did smile more like her old self when Castillon spoke again:
“Plus, this little one is pretty stinkin’ cute, maybe she can help me give Aura baby fever.” She remembered the white-striped bay mare fondly and was sure Aura had been the other figure in the distance when the trio had first arrived.
It warmed Vervain to see her daughter mostly undaunted now by all the new faces and beaming up at her uncle. The filly's dark, fluffy knob of tail wiggled excitedly as the stallion mentioned orchards; they had featured in the stories Vervain told her when going to sleep. The pale-faced girl smiled widely up at her mother, her bright eyes wordlessly asking to go. The dark mare lowered her head to lip at her daughter's cheek and face, small little kisses as her own mother had given her.
Of course you can go, sweetheart,
she murmured lovingly.
Raising her head, Vervain turned to her brother. The concern flickered back into her eyes.
Please make sure she minds the roots, Cas. I know some of them are trickier than others.
The smoky black filly danced forward, boldly pushing her nose forward first to Zevulun and then Castillon. She barely waited a moment for them to react to her before she moved on to her grandmother. Daire and Velaris reciprocated smiles before the older mare lowered her head to snuffle the filly's wisp of forelock.
"You're as lovely as your mother, darling," the mare doted. Vervain could hear the tendrils of emotion her mother could not completely hold back. Worry and shame whispered in her mind, forcing some of her smile to fade. Vervain's ears splayed slightly, her lips pressing together once more before she began ushering her daughter forward.
Why don't you guys go on now? There's only so much daylight,"
she reminded her daughter with her same playful tone.