Mocha's Story

by Mocha Star

Chapter 19

“Heart, what’re you doing here?” I asked rubbing my forehead.

“W-w-w, please don’t be mad, sire,” she whimpered.

“Heart, don’t call me ‘sire’, I’m not that important. Just,” I groaned as the cart lurched forward as the mules took the last couple paces to a small bush growing in the path. Heart’s eyes filled with fear and she scrambled out of her hiding place and she leapt at me. I caught her and stumbled back, but didn’t fall this time, I held her close as she trembled in my fore… in my arms.

I frowned at the thought of having to take care of two mares of the same age but, I made a huge mistake and looked down to Heart. She was terrified for some reason, and she’d ridden all this way with that terror just to be with me, or us. She moved her ears around the area then she looked to me.

The fear washed away in an instant and she cuddled into my chest with a whimper.

“Ah, damnit,” I said under my breath, “c’mon, Lom. Mules, eat up and move on.”

The mules grunted and the cart lurched forward and quickly traveled to the base of the hill where the bushes were. Covered with berries and vibrant leaves even Lom took to them quickly. Even Heart looked over and showed an interest.

“Hungry, Heart? Go get some,” I encouraged. She trembled and hugged my arms tightly for a few seconds. I jogged over and knelt down, leaning her into reach of the bushes. She leaned out and bit a leaf, chewed it slowly, then went crazy getting out of my arms and her face into the bush.

They were certainly enjoying themselves. They cleared the path in ten minutes, the mules chewing through the branches and vines like they were licorice and my friends not even waiting to savor the flavor, just gorging themselves. I watched in awe until the end of it as they argued over the last few bites.

I intervened when Lom and a mule almost came to biting over the bites of berries on a bush. I let the mule have the berries and Lom was upset, quite upset. She gave me that look every female knows that screams ‘hate’. But, they needed the energy to haul more than her little frame did. She was healthy enough.

We got back on the trail with a good pace, I had my canteen full of water and an opal gem that was enchanted which tripled the fill for four uses. Which would have been perfect if I could use magic at the time. But I didn’t know it needed magic to refill the thing, so I contently drained my first canteen.

The next hour Lom was mad at me, refusing to speak to me. I was mad at the salesmare for selling me something I couldn’t use. And Heart was just being cute holding a fast trot to keep up with me, stay beside me like a loyal puppy. She stayed opposite the cart, it seemed the squeak sounded different to pony ears.

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“More like a groan mixed with a scream. A sound she remembered too well; she’d made the same noise when she was being punished in that damned cellar by her…” I grit my teeth and the grinding sound was audible. She looked at me with a thinge of regret in her eyes.

“I really hate that mare, and if I ever met her I’d have smacked her to next tuesday without a second thought for what she did to my daughter,” I seethed.

“Your, daughter?”

I felt my heart ache at my admission. “She was as close to a daughter as I could have ever had. She,” I stopped to choke back a sob at the memory of her first smile, “she was and will always be my Heart,” I strained out. I felt a tear stream down my muzzle and I didn’t wipe it away.

“I swore I would never would I wipe a tear away that was for her. I’d let them dry into my coat, into my skin. She’d never leave my memory. Not even after I die. She’s the first one I want to see if the afterlife exists.”

The mare looked to me with tears forming herself. “That’s the saddest thing ever. H-how did she…”

I took a shaky breath in and shook my head. “Not yet. I can’t tell it twice in the same year, if not longer. It hurts too much to live again and again. Just, let’s go on.”

Comments

[DragonInquisitor]

Short but cute chapter
I am looking forward to find out what happened to Heart even if it's very sad or brutal. (I am so emotional) ^^;
Anyway can't wait for the next chapter :)

[Mocha Star]

6603900

The next few chapters will be shorter since I'm sort on time, but only for a few days