Three anonymous shapes obscured in heavy rain. They struggle out the storm and find a cave. A raised roof of dull slated grey, long forgotten stones. The mother didn’t pack towels so for a while they remain soaked and exhausted. Meagre light rationed through the raindrops. Finally they lose showers of water in to the cave. Luna would shake out water, and Hayden would shriek in delight. Luna would smile for a moment then frown.
“Elle?”
“Yes Luna?”
“We need to make a fire”
“You have any ideas?”
Luna stares at her hooves. Elle chuckles and slowly drops her pack.
“Didn’t think so. Luckily you have me. Come on”
“Come on what? What would like us to do?”
“Just be patient. Just do what I say for few minutes. Take off the canvas and hold it in your mouth”
Elle kneels down and takes out a flask. The smell of berries would wisp out. The sides are coloured in its redness. She feels around the sides, feels the dryness. Satisfied she would then take the canvas that Luna holds. Drapes it around herself. The shotgun is held in one hand at the loader. She tries to tidy up Hayden’s hair even if she knows it’s futile. She settles for leaning down and stroking water out of his eyes.
“You stay here with Luna okay?”
“Why mama?”
“I don’t want you getting wet again. You could get sick.
“Really ma?”
“Yeah. You don’t know now, but our bodies are fragile. Especially yours Hayden. You’re young. You need to be warm”
She would lean down again to his height. Her hands would grasp his thin shoulders. Her fingers flaying out in a handful of him. A handful so young and tiny she’s silent for a few seconds.
“Why do you worry so much ma?”
“That’s what mom’s do”
“That means I’m a mom too”
“Really? Why are you a mom Hayden?”
“Because I worry about you. I really worry.”
She would reach over and hug him. she’d whisper to him. Words furrowed into the young ones ears.
“Oh Hayden don’t worry. Don’t worry. Yeah?”
“Okay ma”
“Okay”
When she stands the canvas is rearranged around her. She steps to the mouth of the cave. A torrent outside, water vertical and unchallenged.
“Thank you for looking after him Luna”
“I didn’t agree to this”
“I know. I’ll be back soon”
Another pause. The quartered silence of it.
“I’m going to set the containers outside and fill them up. Okay. See you soon Luna”
Elle steps outside. The curled canvas bouncing raindrops into the drowned world outside the cave.
“When do you think she’s coming back?”
“I don’t know little one”
Hayden seems colder and hardened. A smooth face made in helplessness and frustration. He looks older. Luna remembers his face seen on hers. In equestria she’d hide herself away with that face staring out at a night strangled in moonlight and bruised with shadow. Alone with dangerous thoughts. She remembered trotting through canterlot loathing those slumbering houses. The sky filled with wonders dead and forgotten. She had screamed out at the city and nothing answered.
“Why are you sad little one?”
“I’m not”
“You are. I can see it on your face”
“How do you know?”
“I know”
Luna shuffles over to the boy awkwardly. She puts a wing around him and inspects the cave’s roof. Eyes refuse to see the child. Hayden absently puts an arm around her neck. His eyes follow his mother shrouded by drops of rain. She’s engulfed far-off inside the storm.
“Is it because you’re sad?”
“Pardon?”
“Is that why you put your wing around me? How you knew I was sad? It’s because you’re sad as well right Luna? Right?”
“Hush little one”
“Why?”
“Because”
“Because what?”
“Because”
A silence stretched out. The pair would watch water fall then erupt across the ground. Scratchy earth caved in and soaking. A storm's voice loud and unrepentant. Luna moves to gather the containers. Hayden grips her tighter.
“Don’t leave”
Luna is put off by his weak words. She’s also touched. She can only feel fondness for this ungainly creature. Unkempt hair on a scalp, glowing in stunted light. His fingers curled in her hair trying to grasp more of her. A rush of guardianship and fidelity so sudden it possesses her. Suddenly she wants to protect this young animal. Save it from this world’s travesties because in a way she would be saving herself.
“It’s because I don’t want you to be like me”
“What?”
“I don’t want you to be like me”
“Why Luna?”
“I’m really angry. Really upset. I suppose it’s like sadness but it’s more harmful. It fills you up here. Right here, where you would feel your heart pump”
“Here on my chest Luna?”
“Yes I think so little one. Don’t fill it up with bad things. Don’t be like me”
“Why?”
“Because then you do bad things”
He still grasps her. His fingers would soften from claws into gentleness. She could abandon this child. Leave him lost in the language of storms. Wondering out alone and calling out. She imagined him caged in the falling water, his muscles fading into nothingness. So young. It unfurls a massive responsibility on to her, that she could choose this boy’s life or death. The feeling of this more powerful than any magic in the world.
“I can’t see you being angry and upset. It reminds me of bad happenings. Do you understand little one?”
“I don’t think so”
“Just don’t worry little one”
“Okay Luna”
How old was he? How old was anyone? We’re all too old and too young.
“Luna?”
“Yes little one?”
“What should I fill my heart with?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know”
“Can you guess?”
“No. I can’t guess. Sorry little one”
Hayden lets go of her. She would gather the drums and bottles that carried water. Her limbs tracing lines underneath dark hair and charcoaled flesh. Gathering and dragging. They are all arranged outside the cave mouth to fill with the restless water falling. Drops would spit and foam on the surface of itself.