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There’s a shriek, a familiar shriek and Affyria takes off in a mad dash towards the sound. When she comes to a clearing she can see Seirixori’s horns locked with a goat’s. She’s too far away to get in quickly and as she draws back her arrow, seconds from releasing it, when Seirixori lets out another shriek.
Affyria lowers the bow as laughter billows out of Seirixori. Affyria lets out a heavy breath, using a nearby tree to catch herself as she sags in relief. After she takes her moment to collect herself, Affyria quietly makes her way to her daughter.
“Dear heart, what are you doing to this poor goat?”
“Mama!” Seirixori yells in excitement, “We’re playing! She’s got horns like mine!” The goat rears back and goes in for another headbutt, Seirixori does the same and they smack into each other before Affyria can stop them.
Seirixori’s peeling laughter, while it fills her heart with infinite warmth, does nothing to stop the fear of her child getting hurt. “Dear heart, you’re going to get hurt.”
“I’m okay, Mama!” Seir says, trying to be serious but a deer comes from behind one of the trees and bumps into Seir and she bursts into more giggles. “Macha!”
“Macha?”
“Yes! This is Macha,” Seir points to the young buck who’s scratching her horns along Seirixori’s. “And this,” Seir pats the goat who has been chewing on Seir’s shirt this whole time, “is Penelope!”
“Really? And how do you know this, my beautiful girl?”
Seir giggles again as Macha starts to lick her face, “They told me! They’re my friends and I play with them all the time! Sometimes Kerval comes too, but I don’t know where he is today.”
“Kerval?” Affyria asks, as she sits across from her daughter, moving as slow as she dares to try and not scare the animals.
Seirixori leans over, like she’s about to reveal the biggest secret, “He’s a dragon.” she whispers and this time tries to keep her face serious.
“A dragon?” Affyria acts scandalized, delighted at how Seirixori’s eyes light up at thinking she’s tricked her mother.
“Not really, Mama! He’s just a lizard. He wants to be a dragon though. Can I be a dragon? That would be cool. Do dragons get horns? I don’t want to be one if I can’t have them. You said mine were your favorite and they make me the best. Macha and Penelope like them too! And and there’s this bat—” Seirixori continues on, prattling about more of her forest friends.
Affyria can’t keep the smile off her face as she listens to her daughter, letting her guard down for just a moment to enjoy what she’s sacrificed a lot to keep.