Sunny Rain was left to her own device as she stayed in her state apathy on the bed. She did not know what to think or feel anymore, she just wanted the pain to go away. The physical pain and soreness of her body went away on its own. It was the pain on the inside that just would not go away.
She did not even ask why anymore. There was no answer. She never got one, she never found one and was just left to suffer in silence. All she wanted was to know why and now that was pointless too. Do not ask questions without any answer.
He had entered the room some time ago to place the usual bowl of food on the floor. She did not get up to see what he had brought her. She did not feel hungry. Whenever she thought of food she simply felt sick and doubted she could keep any of it in for long.
Time stood still. Mostly because she refused to keep track of it by watching the travel of the beam of light on the floor to the wall anymore. It did not change anything to sit and guess what time it was and only get reminded of the time passing by outside and all the things she missed out on.
Letting time pass by without her.
***
He started to worry about the state of the pegasus under his care. She just lied there all day and night, refusing to move besides the occasional shift of position. Her wings staying unfolded with their pathetically shortened feathers, hanging down her sides onto the mattress. She even did not eat the food he had brought her.
What was up with her now? If it was not one thing then it was another, aggravating the griffon. She would eat when she became hungry enough, he was sure of it. No need to waste more food, she would have to do with what he had put out for her.
He would find himself checking on her though, standing in the doorway to the bedroom and watch her sleep. Ponies were so small and delicate. She seemed even smaller now after he had clipped her wings. Thin too. From being disgustingly eager for food she had turned to simply ignore the generous offering he had placed on the floor.
The griffon slowly stepped into the room, making sure to close the door behind him. Stepping quietly over towards the bed he had allowed the pegasus to have while he slept in front of the fireplace in the other room. He knew every floorboard in his hut and could move without a single creek. He had done it times before, moving close to the sleeping mare for a look, to observe her rest and his her back rose and fell with her breathing. Looking so fragile.
It was in her sleep she looked the most peaceful, when she was quiet and still – causing no noise or bothersome trouble. The times he checked on her while she was awake he had noticed how empty her eyes were, not even looking up to acknowledge him anymore. No fear.
He had thought he would like that. No fear or aggression, no disapproving frown and none of those annoying sounds forming words. He had enough of that in his life. Yet… he did not like how she seemed like a corpse when she was awake, her eyes so dead. Then he could just as well had left her for dead out in the woods. Or kill her now before the last of the meat on her bones would disappear to her chosen hunger.
He had no problems raising his talons to harm and punish her but leaving her to die or actually killing her with his own claws did not sit well with him. He had never killed a pony before. Maybe hurt a few until they understood he wanted his mountain to himself without their neighbourly bothering of his peace and quiet. He thought he would be happy to be left alone and forgotten on this green, lone mountain. Yet he still just felt as irritated every day. Even when far away from others, ponies or fellow griffons, did he feel bothered. Perhaps more peaceful and less angry but definitely still bothered.
What did it take to feel… good?
Maybe company he had thought. But that was such a terrible bother. Then a pegasus fell into the woods near his hut. Alone. Small and harmless, a pathetic thing whom would have died had he turned his back on her.
He had no idea still what he had been thinking that day. Things just began unfolding from then off. He made clear rules for her to follow and she would be allowed to stay. Out there she would die on her own. All she had to do was to follow the rules. Why was that so hard to understand?
The big griffon had moved to sit on the bed, next to the pony. Looking her over, watching her sleep. She could be such a heavy sleeper. She did nothing but sleep, even when she appeared awake. It bothered him for some reason. She was not running amok or being noisy like in the beginning. Yet this bothered him too. Had he hoped for another kind of company than this dead doll?
Hesitatingly he raised a taloned hand and reached it out for the sleeping pony. A gentle touch of her back. A light flinching of her wings in response. Was she awake? It could be so hard to tell when she refused to react to his presence.
On an impulse he suddenly grabbed the pony around her sides and lifted her up. She yelped, a surprised noise and a light kicking of her hooves. Then she was still again even before she could feel a frown from him. He picked her up and put her on his lap. Holding her he had felt it. Ribs. Bones right under the soft coat. How often did a pony need to eat? He ate when he felt hungry and fed her when she had been good and had no food in her room. He had not fed her since last time, the bowl still left to itself on the floor.
His hand ran over her sides and chest again. Not even the hares he caught outside during winter would feel this skinny and meatless. If he caught one in this state he would simply throw it away again. No point in killing it if it had no flesh on it for his meals.
The pegasus shivered with a low whine from her throat. Not high enough a sound to truly grind him yet it still did not sit well with him. She did not more, did not look at him or shift her position.
With a decision the griffon stood up on his hind legs, holding the pegasus firmly in his arms. Causing another whimper from her. Leaving the bedroom with her as silently as he had entered it.