Head Over Heels

by FoolAmongTheStars

iv. The Language of Herbs

Stygian was one of the oldest ponies in the village, he wasn't particularly proud of carrying the title.

In his years of mentoring promising wizards, he had seen just about everything: from the most promising to the most incompetent. This year wasn't any different, there was a group of young colts that were quite talented, heeding his lessons and actually trying to do the work, others floundered with the tasks that were given and the rest just plainly didn't care. The latter he sent to Rock Hoof the second they acted up. He wasn't there to babysit anyone's brat.

That day he was going over a lesson on the making of enhancing poultice. As the old unicorn talked his eyes went over the young faces staring up at him, lingering slightly on one with yellow fur and white markings. This one, Sunburst if he remembers correctly, was one of the floundering ones, but he showed a lot of promise, all he needed was confidence and a little guidance to truly shine...

With barely a sound, Starlight slipped past the oak wood that marked the entrance to Stygian’s hut. The old wizard glanced up from the lesson she was interrupting and arched a brow. This again? It wasn't the first time the nine-year-old filly had snuck in to watch his students, and for as long as Sunburst was in Sire’s Hollow, he doubted it would be the last.

The armful of sticks she carried was far too green to burn, not that Stygian had much need for a fire, considering it was August, and the heat was stifling. Her excuses grow flimsier by the day. Rolling his eyes, the wizard waved her towards the woodpile. With a gentle smile that was so like her mother's, she accepted his invitation and tiptoed towards the corner. There's no harm done, and he'll be gone with the summer.

Stygian didn't comment when Starlight chose a seat against the wall instead of ducking back out once her so-called errand was completed. At least with her here, he's less likely to botch this poultice. Learning was learning, no matter who the teacher happened to be... and the colt needed all the help he could get.

---

Starlight wasn't quite sure why old Stygian turned a blind eye to her meddling, but she wasn't complaining. Maybe it’s because he wants Sunburst to stay, too, she reasoned.

When the young wizard-in-training reached for the wrong herb, she coughed; Sunburst glanced her way, and she shook her head. He tentatively reached for the next bowl, and she frowned. His brow creased in concentration before he let his hoof drift over the shallow basket containing the proper leaves, and she brightened. He does okay if he stops to think.

---

With the class dismissed the group of young ponies piled out of Stygian's house in a commotion of laughs and stomping hooves. The last two to exited did so in a much calmer canter, walking with no destination in particular. Sunburst did most of the talking while Starlight was more than happy to listen, as it gave her an excuse to look at this face, even if her mind drifted when most of what he was talking about went overhead.

Sunburst gave the filly’s shoulder a friendly poke. "How do you know so much about potions?"

Startled from her reverie, she spoke the first thing that came to mind, which was the truth. "Mother was an herbalist."

"Is she...?"

"This way," she invited, leading him towards a sheltered meadow above the village. Under the spreading branches of an ancient tree that stood before the mouth of a cave, moss-covered stones formed neat rows that stretched back into the encroaching forest. One grave was newer—and dearer—than the rest. With a sidelong glance at the colt by her side, Starlight’s heart whispered its secrets to the mother she missed. This is the one. His name is Sunburst.

Author's Note:

Like I said earlier: this is a small stories with small chapters. The good news is that the shorter the chapters the faster I can post, so is the case of the next two chapters which I plan to upload during the week.
If you like this story leave a comment! Let me know what you think!

Comments

[Justanotherstory26]

It's pretty good so far.

[howard035]

I love old Stygian rolling his eyes internally at young love.

[FoolAmongTheStars]

9649298
He's too old for this crap