Featured Characters: Ewelen, Amir, Hina (NPC)

Featured Location: Kaleidoscope Plains

"I yield!" Ewelen called, breathless as she laughed, "I yield! Good gods above, you're a lot faster than you seem."

"Well, I was the fastest foal in my herd growing up," the donkey snickered, flashing the mare a charming grin. Her pace slowed as she reached him, soft laughter bubbling up from her chest once more. Her mane shook out with the gentle movement of her head, bumping against the donkey's side as she fell into step with him. The burro grunted softly, and bumped her back--his weight hardly throwing her off balance. Still, giggles erupted from them as they began to wander, once more, through the Kaleidoscope Plains. Ewelen's eyes darted around once more, taking in the scenery. The sun was setting, hanging low in the sky, and casting mango-hued colors across the bushes, the sparse trees, and the distant Reda Peaks.

More animals had joined, and the feast's offerings had only increased. A mountain of its own, as colorful as the rocks that covered Reda. Fruits, grasses, nuts, berries--it looked delectable, though Ewelen wasn't all that hungry.

"I owe you a dance, yes?" she sweetly questioned, brows raising as she looked at the donkey beside her. His lips grew into a cheeky smile, ears perking and eyes alight, "Indeed, you do! But, when the time comes for it. For now…I won't keep you, if you wish to mingle with others."

"And miss out on conversation with you? A wasted evening," Ewelen cooed. The donkey's large ears pivoted to the back of his neck, offering a sheepish smile, "Awfully flattering. Might I get your name, then?"

"Ewelen," she returned, "And yours?"

"Call me Amir," he smiled.

"Amir…it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Amir," she greeted. He easily returned the smile, head bowing a touch, "Likewise, Miss Ewelen. Shall we find a place to relax, then?"

"I think so, yes," Ewelen agreed, before her head inclined towards him, "Unless you feel like competing, again."

"I think I'll pass, if just to enjoy my single victory for now," Amir laughed. He took the lead, as they weaved through the crowd and the bushes; butterflies startling from their resting and fluttering up into the air, before finding a new place to settle back. It earned a moment of awe every single time, Ewelen hesitating for just a few seconds to admire the colors. Shimmering, glittery wings--each butterfly having a unique patterning, color, and tint. Dots, ovals, star-like structures, even ones that looked like eyes at a first glance.

They were all so mesmerizing.

It was as her gaze fell upon something else, covered in butterflies and seeming to enjoy the same kind of beauty, that her gait completely stalled out. Almost crystalline in appearance, a small filly was curled up near some bushes. They were on the outskirts now, away from the primary gathering. Amir had seemed to want privacy, and clearly someone else before them had sought it out for a different reason.

Her coat shimmered with an iridescence, hints of blues and greens, and even oranges catching the fading sunlight with every heave of her sides. She was weak, Ewelen could see it.

"Ewelen? Are you okay?" Amir asked, on his way back over to the mare after having noticed she was no longer trotting alongside him. It took him only a moment, though, his own eyes to fall upon the frail filly, so adorned in butterflies.

There was a quiet that fell between them, as they watched--until the filly's light blue eyes found them. They were glassy, and pale as a full moon. Ewelen couldn't stop the shy, nervous smile towards the filly; her heart was aching. She knew what fate belied this little one, and yet… Amir was the one to move first. His steps were calm, confident--as confident as they had been minutes before when he'd approached her. Ewelen's gaze followed him, as he neared the filly. She could hear the mutterings shared between them, but the filly's eyes did seem to perk up a little bit.

After, Amir's head turned towards Ewelen, and he motioned her over with it, "Come, Ewelen. I've told this young lady we'd sit with her through the night."

"What about our dance?"

Amir gave her a rather pointed look, and Ewelen's head bowed in mild embarrassment and shame. The filly wouldn't last that long. She would be gone by the time the dancing came about.

"What's your name, darling?" Amir then asked--Ewelen creeping closer and into earshot. She offered the white filly a sad smile. Crystalline eyes lifted towards Amir and her, and the filly whispered, "Hina.."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Hina," Ewelen murmured, head lowering to gently sniff at the filly, "Where's your mama?"

"Mmm...left…for food," she whispered, head bumping into and against Ewelen's muzzle. The poor filly was already so cold. Her brows furrowed gently, before willing herself to pull away from the filly--just for a time, however. Careful where she placed her hooves, she settled down as close as she could before managing to shuffle even closer.

"Well, we'll stay until mama comes back, then," she murmured, brown eyes flickering up towards Amir. He offered a solemn smile towards Ewelen, and a gentle dip of his head in agreement.

"I'm Amir, little Hina," he spoke softly, his head lowering down to greet the filly properly. Hina lifted her tiny head to meet Amir's, her pink nostrils flaring and twitching at the scents. Her body, pressed against Ewelen's side, was chilly to the touch. Her mom hadn't been here for likely hours--and she wouldn't come back. Had Ewelen been in her hooves, she likely would have done the same.

The heartbreak was just too much to bear--too suffocating to look into her dying foal's face and pretend everything was okay.

It wasn't. It wouldn't be.

"Come, Hina, rest," Ewelen murmured, "Close your eyes, and I shall tell you the story of the Moon-daughter.