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 Posted: Thu Feb 29, 2024 3:41 am
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Posted: Thu Feb 29, 2024 5:27 am
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Appletini 
Appletini pawed at the ground somewhat nervously, a faint line of tension running through her body like a coiled spring. Cloudberry had told her to wait here – but waiting was hard. Her ears strained out, listening of any hints of other people. Anyone approaching. The sound of hoofbeats. The faint whisperings of a distant conversation. Anything. But she was met with silence. Only the usual forest sounds – wind rustling through the leaves, birds chirping, the skittering of some small rodent in the underbrush. She let out a heavy sigh. Patience had never been her strong suit – and today was no small day for her.
Cloudberry Glace Puff 
“Rhode, I really need to speak with you. It’s important.” Cloudberry’s voice shook just a little bit. Keeping this secret had been a heavy burden for all these months – but it was time to come clean. And hope that this meant Rhode wouldn’t hate her.
Rhode 
The stallion pushed an ear back, giving his so-called self-titled ‘best friend’ a shifty glance. It was never good when Cloud used her serious voice. He huffed, wondering what he’d done wrong this time. After all – he was a cursed, useless burden on the world – he didn’t deserve friends. He wasn’t entirely sure why Cloud still followed him around. Not that he didn’t appreciate the company – he just didn’t understand why or what she saw in him. But it had been years and he’d never managed to shake her. “What?” The hand on the end of his tail gave him a warning poke, telling him to behave. Damn thing was a pain in his arse (literally), and part of his curse. It was fully sentient and certainly didn’t listen to him.
Cloudberry Glace Puff
Oh no – he seemed like he was in an extra mood today. Rhode was difficult at the best of times, but Cloudberry had taken him under her wing as a foal and the two had been inseparable ever since. Someone had to look out for that great big grump, after all. “There’s…” Her words caught in her throat. Damn it! She was normally really good at talking to him. Then again, usually she didn’t feel this much guilt over something she’d done… “There’s something you really need to know.”
Rhode
Okay. Now she was really freaking him out. “You don’t normally beat around the bush this much.” He said warily, confused by her behaviour. “Come on Cloud, you’ve always been straight with me about everything in the past.” Was something seriously wrong? Had he done something bad? What kind of question was that – he’d always done something bad. But Cloud didn’t usually take that out on him…
Appletini
Faint voices in the distance reached her ear. Appletini’s ears perked up as a sudden droplet of nervous sweat formed on her neck. Oh no – was it time? Was that them? She shifted nervously, unsure how to act. Nonchalant? She could do nonchalant, right? She tried to lean against the trunk of the nearest tree – unaware that to any observer she was the least nonchalant creature to ever have walked this earth at that moment.
Cloudberry Glace Puff
Cloudberry took a beep breath. Okay. Time to come clean. “Look – I found something out a while ago. I wanted to tell you right away, I swear. It’s just… you were in such a dark place then, Rhode. I was worried and I thought that this… might have been too much for you.”
Rhode
Dread rose in Rhode. It was something bad. And it was almost definitely his fault. Especially if Cloud couldn’t tell him.
Cloudberry Glace Puff
“Okay. I don’t know how to say this so. I’ll just say it straight up.” She steadied her nerve, her eyes catching his as she gave him an intense stare. “You’re a father, Rhode.”
Rhode
The words bounced around in his brain as the world around him slowly came to a halt. He tried to process what she had just said. Cogs ticked within his head, creaking to a sluggish pace, before falling into scattered pieces. N-no. How could it be? How could he have done this? He was cursed, he… Panic shot through him. He’d already killed his mother, when she gave birth to him. That was his curse. He brought nothing but death. He was going to have kids? Had the mare already died? He couldn’t be responsible for bringing any more such evil into the world. His tail didn’t even move – just as shocked as Rhode. Usually it would give him a good smack in such a situation. But not this time. It just hung there limply for a moment, before gently gesturing at Cloud to go on.
Cloudberry Glace Puff
Cloud saw the fear in his eyes and wondered if she’d made a mistake. But it was too late now. The words just jumbled out of her mouth. “It was a while ago – you met with this mare. Midori. I know you sometimes have things with mares – I didn’t think anything of it, honest. I wasn’t trying to be a creep! I just bumped into her a while later and uhh, well. She was pregnant. She told me they were yours. Kids. Three kids, Rhode. You have three kids.”
Rhode
“No. No no no no no.” Wait. Have? They were alive? And what about Midori? Was he responsible for killing her too? He’d liked Midori – the mare had been warm and pleasant. A spark of happiness for one day. But she had been too good for him. He had left, as he always had. Though with no hard feelings. He hadn’t felt like she wanted to spend forever with him, after all. “Midori, is she…?” Fear coursed through him. “Did she… live?”
Cloudberry Glace Puff
Cloudberry looked at him in sudden confusion. Live? Why would he think…? Wait. His reaction suddenly clicked into place. He wasn’t afraid that he’d had kids – he was afraid he’d ‘cursed’ them? She had never believed that Rhode was cursed. Certainly the spirits had played a role in his strange mutations, but that hadn’t been what had killed his mother. He just couldn’t see it yet. “Oh, Rhode. Of course. No, she’s fine. They’re all healthy. How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t a curse, or a burden?”
Rhode
Strange relief washed over him. Followed by a whole new kind of terror. Wait. He was… a father? Three whole kids? And Cloud had known for ages? For a moment he felt betrayed, but then he saw the guilt on her face. How long had she kept this secret from him? “I-…” He was lost for words for a moment. He had kids. Live kids. “A-are they… good, like Midori? Or… like me….” He gestured at his tail.
Cloudberry Glace Puff
“They’re a good mix of both of you, and perfect to boot. Rhode, I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Please, please don’t hate me.”
Rhode
“Hate you?” He looked at her in surprise. He’d never understood why she followed his miserable self around, or why she wouldn’t leave him alone. But never once in his life had he hated Cloud – she was one of the few good things that had stuck around in his life. She’d always been there for him. “Look. I’m not a good person. Things around me always get hurt.” In fact, maybe him not being around had protected them from him. “Really, not knowing me is the best thing for them. I’d only hurt them.”
Cloudberry Glace Puff
Cloud pressed an ear back. “Now don’t you tell me that. Even a lousy father –” she caught herself, “And to clarify – I don’t think you would be a lousy father – if you got your head out of your self-absorbed arse for one day – but even a lousy one is better than no father. Didn’t you regret your father leaving you?”
Rhode
Rhode shrugged, “I killed my mother. Of course he left. I don’t deserve anything good.”
Cloudberry Glace Puff
“Rhode. You were a foal. She got sick. It’s not your fault. It’s never been your fault.”
Rhode
He didn’t want to argue about his family again. He tapped his hooves nervously against the ground. He had kids. It was like the whole world around him had been turned upside down all of a sudden. He took a shaky breath. “Thank you for telling me.”
Cloudberry Glace Puff
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” She gently brushed her flank against his.
Rhode
His body shook slightly – part with fear, part with other emotions he couldn’t put the words to. “No, you’re right. I was…” The last year had been a dark one. He had lashed out at everything and everyone around him. His world was misery and darkness. “I was in a bad place. I don’t know how I would have reacted… badly. I think.” Cloud had always been too good for him – protecting him. And maybe protecting his kids – from him. “Tell me about them.”
Cloudberry Glace Puff
Cloud took another shaky breath. “Actually, there’s one more thing I have to tell you. There’s someone you should-”
Appletini
“Hi, dad.” She suddenly interjected, stepping out from behind her tree. Appletini had heard them from a short distance away and had decided to creep closer. Oh, screw nonchalant she had decided. After all, how often do you get to meet your dad for the first time? Her eyes opened wide – taking him in. A gruff looking stallion. Grey all over, looking so much like her brother. Her eyes roamed across him, taking in all the familiar features – and yet he was a stranger to her. Her nerves rose once more, but she bit them down and flashed him a giant, sheepish smile. Her gaze settled in surprise at the heart shaped markings on his cheek – identical to her own.
Cloudberry Glace Puff
“Rhode, this is Appletini. Your daughter.”
Appletini
“You can call me ‘Tini’.” |
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