1852 words
This was not what she wanted to do today. Not today. But it was exactly what she was being made to do. Catnip had told her twin sister she'd be departing for a day or two to generally check out the Soquili in the area they were in and that she'd need to look after herself -- and while looking after herself was usually relatively easy for Chamomile, they didn't typically go through heavily occupied areas, per se. They'd sideglance them, but enter then? Catnip was usually far more sensitive to her sister's fears and anxieties to do that, the diminutive mare being a quiet, shy, fearful, flighty little creature on her regular days -- but on good days with her twin present, she could be cheerful and pleasant; however, at this moment, she was not left in a good scenario for her to be courageous and friendly. No, the mare was dead in the middle of unavoidably populated lands, and Chamomile had to suck up all one ounce of courage she had...To get something to eat. Catnip had apologized profusely but was indeed forced to try braving strangers just to feed herself. There wasn't even a herd nearby. It was a bloody forest. And she liked woods! The pair blended into them well, minus their bright white-blue wings, and it usually wasn't so busy, but this forest lay close to a crop of precarious rocks pockmarked with caves and on top of strangers... What if there were Shifters? Shifters! A Shifter would eat her! The mere idea made her start trembling, but unfortunately, Chamomile needed to eat. The mare's eyes peered at the open space filled with Soquili milling about and shook her head. No, she couldn't go into that crowd, not alone. Social Anxiety prohibited her from daring by herself, so the gentle mare turned and crept for the swamps. This area was quieter and calmer, and even if the grasses might not be as good, it was functional, and the mare studied her options before dipping her snout into the long grasses to pluck some blooming bits of clover when a voice interrupted her - it was a low, growling rumble, albeit calm, but definitely... Interrupted. "Hmm. Not normal for a little one to enter my territory so unafraid." Chamomile's head flicked to look around before what seemed like a rock - No, stones weren't purple - Moved. A pair of gleaming eyes looked out at her as it shook a bit, and Chamomile began to back away from the predator before it transformed from a great bear boulder... Into a Soquili. Chamomile froze at the sight of the Shifter, not sighting the charm on the creature's front leg, even as the Shifter mare shook herself off, visibly unphased, before turning a relaxed look on Chamomile, who, at this point, was terrified, frozen in place as the massive bear shifter ambled over and stuck her face in Chamomile's, expression coolly analytical. "Thorn. If you're looking for something you plant eaters find palatable, you will do better a bit further in the forest with the other folk. Y'know. Other Soquili?" Thorn wasn't lashing out -- she was just surprised someone not local was sniffing around Obviously Not-Safe Caves as she saw it. Was the mare sick? Thorn hoped not. She didn't feel like dealing with Soquili sick in her space, she'd have to play babysitter and find one of the unicorns or forest healers to help her. However, the tiny mare was frozen in fear, and Thorn made a thoughtful face after a moment. Oh! Right. She was a big bad, intimidating Shifter, and the charm the Angeni had left her with was incredibly subtle against her brilliant purple fur. In her bear form, at least it stood out. Thorn had to remember that sometimes others wouldn't clue the charm in before taking her at face value. Thorn gently raised a foot to nudge the tiny mare, "Hello?" Chamomile reacted immediately, jumping three feet back, it seemed, before huddling, making small, frightened noises more like a foal than a grown mare, and again Thorn's brow knitted together in concern. Lovely. She had a pipsqueak and a chicken on her paws. Fantastic. Babysitting. "You know if I wanted to eat you by now, I would, right? You were kind of in easy reach. "Thorn drawled. Chamomile, for her part, drew back, even more, eyes wide in fear as Thorn frowned, finally plodding closer. "Huh. You really are a chicken." "Please don't kill me." Chamomile whimpered, at last, closing her eyes and huddling low. "I just wanted something to eat. Please, don't hurt me... Please..." Chamomile huddled, and again Thorn could do nothing but stare. "Seriously? You plant chewers wouldn't like the plants in my area. Some complained about the grass and flowers being bug-infested or something. Unless it's one of those bird-beaked weirdos. You don't look like a bird, though. Why don't you go try the forest?" Thorn wasn't letting up, and Chamomile's eyes were still wide in terror, her tiny body lowered to the ground as she trembled. "But there are so many other Soquili there..." Chamomile offered feebly. Thorn eyed her critically, trying to figure the small creature out on the spot. Thorn continued her scrutinous gaze for several minutes, considering her options. She supposed she could wash her claws of it and pawn the coward off on some other poor sap - No, that would be unfair of her. That meant she had to contend with a tiny mare that seemed convinced she was a monster coming to eat her because she didn't seem to see Thorn's charm. Wait, did the mare even know what a charm was? Oh, for the love of-- did Thorn have to explain it? Immediately her nose wrinkled, earning a frightened whimper from Chamomile before Thorn looked away, weighing her options. "D'you even know what charms are, runt?" If the bear shifter had to explain, she swore to the gods she would scream. Or roar. A roar would be fun, at least. "N-no, ma'am." Chamomile responded quietly, her different-colored eyes blinking nervously. Immediately Thorn shut her eyes in frustration and sighed loudly before irritation pulled a rumbling, snarling roar from her. The area vibrated, and Chamomile startled, backing away in fear before Thorn growled and shook her head, raising a giant paw so the charm was directly in Chamomile's face, preventing escape. "This rock you can barely see," Thorn began, "is made by an Angeni. It means I'm not going to eat you." Thorn pulled her paw back, grumbling dismally as the tiny mare blinked, calculating this information. The faint gleam of the charm was impossible to miss, but the Pixie was still petrified. Today was becoming the absolute worst! She just wanted to eat, and now she'd upset a Shifter. Catnip wasn't here, and she was so scared and - and - Chamomile began to cry pitifully. Thorn regarded her a moment, unsympathetic. She didn't know how to handle something this scared, so she finally sighed slowly, made a face, and moved, snorting in the weeping mare's face with a distinct irritation. "You stop that. Don't be a chicken." Thorn scolded. "I mean, really. This kind of thing is exactly why the uncharmed creatures wouldn't hesitate to eat a tiny morsel like you." Thorn snapped, and all Chamomile did was cry more. Thorn couldn't roll her eyes hard enough, huffing in irritation before headbutting the mare roughly in the side. "Stop that. Seriously. You're scaring the prey away." "I...I...I don't... I..." Chamomile couldn't form the words she wanted to say, and Thorn made a noise of frustration. "You're being noisy and annoying. Extremely. Stop it. I'm not going to slaughter you." Thorn furrowed her brows, nosing Chamomile upright on her hooves before snorting. "Don't be such a chicken; the world's not out to get you." "But I'm scared!" Chamomile protested. Thorn observed her again. "Most of you plant-eaters get frightened. There are folks out there who'd think you're terrifyin'. Seriously, you are such a chicken." Thorn shook her head. "How do you live?" "N...Normally I'm with my twin sister...." Chamomile admitted. "She's the brave one." "Oh, I see." That did make sense. Thorn still wasn't feeling much sympathy, though. "And obviously, she thinks you can handle a few plant eaters. But instead, you entered a shifter's territory. Brilliantly done." Was... Was Thorn mocking her? Chamomile wanted to cry again, but at best, what she could muster was a teary, angry look. This elicited a look of delight from Thorn. Finally! Some spirit! Thorn liked spirit! "Oh, are you sore at me?" Thorn asked. "Oh, how terrifying, a tiny little thing like you. So scary." Thorn laughed in amusement, even when Chamomile finally lashed out in her upset state and kicked her in the paw. Thorn yelped in surprise, but she was laughing too hard to immediately speak, and for a moment, Chamomile looked stunned with herself. Oh no. Had she just kicked a Shifter? Even a so-called Charmed shifter? She kicked a Shifter! For a moment, Chamomile wasn't sure how to process this information. However, Thorn stood upright, still chuckling mirthfully, before grinning, rows of sharp teeth bared in amusement. "Oh, good, even a chicken can fight back. Good. Do that." Thorn praised. Chamomile blinked, struck dumb. "What? You aren't..." Chamomile was confused. "Mad?" but Thorn shook her head. "No. I'm fine with it. Even other bears bite. I like guts. Guts are more fun than sobbing into nothing because the world is out to get you." Thorn shrugged a shoulder, Chamomile blinking numbly again. Thorn wasn't angry? What? Chamomile made a confused noise before blinking again at Thorn, head tilting as her explosive fear finally gave way to curiosity. Thorn caught her look, however, and shook her head. "No. Let me rephrase that. Most Shifters would be annoyed. I prefer being kicked over crying. I mean, us Bears. We don't do some things so well. Or maybe it's just me? Hmm..." A half-shrug before Thorn approached Chamomile slowly. "It still takes a lot of nerve to kick a Shifter. So how's this: I'll take you to a good spot myself. Keep an eye on things around the woods." Thorn offered. Chamomile blinked, realizing Thorn was trying to be friendly and looked thoughtful before nodding slowly. "I'm Thorn."
"Umm... Chamomile." The mare was introduced finally, still amazed she'd even kicked the larger mare. Thorn blinked, visibly impressed by her name, and nodded, moving beside the tiny mare in a friendly manner. "Huh. That's a nice name. Chamomile. Well, come on, don't need you dying of fright like a little mouse now, and kicking me is adventure enough. Come on, then. I'll... Maybe there'll be deer. These days, little pains are avoiding the caves, and eating mice is revolting." Thorn swayed as the charmed pure Shifter moved to walk with Chamomile towards the meadows where most other Soquili were, and Chamomile couldn't help but smile, just a little, to herself. She braved a Shifter, and... Did she make a friend?... Maybe. And a friend... That sounded not scary at all.