Psalm of the Druid Priestess

by Hope Caster

Fluttering Dream

The sun was past its peak and Discord still sat in his cave waiting patiently. Well as patiently as he could. It had to be four, maybe five by his estimates, and still no sign of a certain yellow Pegasus. She was late, too late if he were being honest. Discord began to run through each possibility as to why.

Most made him want to grab his bow and rush out into the forest in a bid to find her. She could be hurt, accosted, lost, or maybe it was her father. Fluttershy did have a bad habit of adoring critters for too long. If she returned home too late, then there was a chance, a very good chance, that she was confined to her room for a short while, a few days at most. He eyes his bow, as a sinking feeling in his stomach began to fade. That was it. That had to be it.

She was in her room, pouting in a very kind and gentle way, talking to her pet rabbit, and likely complaining about her brother. The thought of her safe did not keep his heart from sinking. He could count the days he didn't see Fluttershy on one hand, and the thought of not seeing her days in a row? It was almost foreign concept to him.

Letting out a sigh, Discord decided to look on the bright side of things. He would now be able to hunt unimpeded for at least two or three days. Maybe he would be able to stake out a watering hole, catch a few boars or maybe a manticore if he was careful enough. They were dangerous pray, but a grown one would provide him enough meat to last a few nights, even if it was a bit gamey. Come to think of it, it tasted like richer pork when roasted correctly. Reminding himself of the feast he could have, Discord approached his bow and quiver and cleaned the cobwebs off of them.

As he slung his equipment over his shoulder, there suddenly came a call.

“Discord, are you up yet? I brought some lunch!” There was a pause. "Or dinner!" she called.

Fluttershy!? Dammt she was just late! He thought to himself. What was she going to think when she saw him? His eyes looked down at his pendent. She wouldn’t see him, not like this anyway. Discord quickly grabbed his crystal and snapped his fingers. In a small flash of light, the bow and quiver were back where they belonged, covered in cobwebs, leaning against the far wall. And with that snap, most of his stamina left him, leaving him weak and weary. He stumbled for a moment before stealing himself.

His bed, he just had to make it to his bed. If he could make it to his bed, he’d be home free. Taking pained steps as his vision went blurry, Discord fell on top of his cot, breathing heavily and keeping his eyes closed. It looked like he was sleeping all this time. Genius if he’d say so himself.

“Discord?” Fluttershy asked coming into the cave. She saw him in bed and tilted her head to the side. “Discord, it’s so late in the day! How are you still sleeping?”

“Wha- Oh, Fluttershy, you’re early. I was having such a wonderful dream!” He said stretching himself out. I had a dream that I was not in intense pain from warping reality to put a bow back in its place so you wouldn’t know I hunt forest critters every day to feed myself. Pork is the best when its med-rare by the way. I know that because I’ve killed and eaten so many boars.

“This entire time though?” She squinted her eyes for a short bit only for them to go wide. “You looked drained! Pale even. Is everything okay? Are you sick?” She began to feel his forehead. He was burning up. “Poor thing,” she said, giving him a hug.

Little did she know that this was a side effect of him using his magic and over exerting himself.

“It’s nothing!” He said. "Just need some rest, water and a small snack."

“Discord, you’re sick! You need rest, medicine! I shouldn’t have taken so long. I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, it’s quite alright, nothing to be sorry about. I’m just tired. Not sick, tired.” Discord could feel his body tense as Fluttershy moved closer. There came a fragrance that he could smell too clearly. It twisted his stomach into knots, even though he knew that it likely came from the flowering vines she had woven into her hair. It was a pleasant distraction from his aching body.

“You sound just like my father when he’s sick,” Fluttershy muttered, adjusting the blanket over Discord’s lower body. She began to stroke his head in a bid to calm him as he shifted and turned slightly red. Discord would be a lair if he’d said that he didn’t like the attention. “Oh, You must be starving! I wish I made soup. Do you think you can hold down solids?”

“Of course, because I’m not sick, just a little warm and tired.” Discord said, groaning as he tried to lift himself up. That did not help his case, not one bit.

Fluttershy quickly laid out all the food in front of him. To his shame, mostly because he had drained himself, he ate everything; every last bit of food, and Fluttershy didn’t seem to mind that she was left with nothing. She even spent a few minutes scouring the edge of his home and found various leaves that she brewed into a tea.

“Drink this,” She said, pouring the brew into a small cup, “it should help with the fever, and maybe even settle your stomach.”

“Thank you, but I cannot stress this enough, I’m not sick, I’m just tired.”

“I know.” She rolled her eyes and adjusted his covers over him. She looked towards the sun and watched as it slowly made it’s way towards the horizon. Maybe just fifteen more minutes and then she would head home. And soon, even those fifteen minutes faded. Fluttershy let out a sigh.

“Is something the matter?” Discord asked, sitting up in his bed, a small portion of strength returning to him.

Fluttershy looked down and away. “I need to leave, that’s what’s the matter.”

“So soon?” He asked. “It’s hardly been an hour!”

“I was late getting home yesterday. If I’m not home before sundown, I won’t be able to leave home for a week.”

“I see,” he said looking downwards. It was like that old saying that everyone in his home country: All good things must come to an end. And a visit from Fluttershy, was a very good thing. He let out a soft sigh, something that Fluttershy had no trouble hearing.

“I promise I’ll come back tomorrow. Until then, just stay in bed and rest.” She wrapped him in a hug before saying, “I’m so sorry, Discord.”

“Oh, think nothing of it!” Discord urged her. “Even if I was sick, I’ve been sick before and your mother never worried. She would just laugh as I milked it for attention.”

That brought a smile to her face, a very small half smile. Fluttershy stroked the side of his face gently, lingering for just a moment before turning away and leaving.

When she was out of ear shot. Discord let out a groan of frustration. He played the short meeting back in his head moment by moment and felt nothing but shame. “What were you thinking?” He said to himself. “‘Oh, you look drained Discord, is there something wrong? Being the nicest, most caring mare in the world, I care about you more than anything! How can I help?’” he said, mimicking Fluttershy’s voice poorly. “Why don’t you just let me eat everything, leaving you with not only nothing, but also allowing you to scavenge plants for an admittedly delicious, nutritious tea? That should help! Thank you, that will be all!” He clapped twice as if he were dismissing a servant. “How am I going to make it up to her? That’s right, I’m not going to, because I’m a lying bum in a cave!”

Discord shifted in his bed and muttered curses against himself. He lay his head on his pillow and closed his eyes. Though his belly was full, he was still too tired to do much of anything. Not that he wanted to do anything. Fluttershty leaving so soon brought him a great deal of sorrow, especially since she was worrying about him. He would show her tomorrow that he was fine, and after a long rest, he would be fine. Maybe he would even grow a pair and let her tell Zephyr and Gentle Breeze about him so that she could stay without being yelled at or punished if she was late coming home. Or at least they would know where she went.

But that could wait until tomorrow. He would see her again tomorrow. She probably wouldn’t be able to stay long again, but they would have tomorrow, and the next day and all the days to follow. It would just be him and Fluttershy.

He closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber. Or so he thought. He awoke not too long after, laying in a familiar patch of land in his home country. The sun was shining, the meadow was as green as he remembered, and all around them, the flowers bloomed as their scents lingered in the air. The light was warm, the breeze was cool, and- Them, why was there a them? He looked down. Around his body were the arms of Fluttershy.

His heart began to flutter a bit as he looked down at her, her form rising and falling as she took small breaths. He put an arm around her and began to stroke her shoulder. She let out small coos, and shifted an inch, before looking up at him, her eyes glistening from behind her hair. She smiled and rested her head on his chest.

“Morning,” she said, smiling at him.

That smile. He adored that smile. Discord shifted some and cupped the side of her face with his talon, stroking her cheek with his thumb. She seemed to hum gently as his eyelids lowered and she wrapped an arm (Leg? For-leg? Discord was often unsure of what to call it in some circumstances) and a wing around him.

“Did you have something to tell me? You looked like you had something on your mind today.”

He did. He had something obvious to tell her. Seeing her bathed in the sun’s light made his heart quiver. The shimmer of her eyes made his throat dry and her gentle touch sent a shiver of excitement and anxiety down his spine. What else could he say, other than that he-

Discord’s eyes snapped open as he shot up from his bed. His heart was pounding, his ears were burning, his stomach was queasy, and his cheeks seared his hands upon touching them. The worst part? He was drenched in sweat. His covers were a bit moist and he was unable to find a comfortable spot without feeling a chill somewhere on his body. This was not strange, especially when he had a dream that shook him a bit. Breathing heavily, he dragged himself to one of his food stores and ate the last remainders of his rations and went to the pond. He gulped down water, like he had just exited the desert lands of Anugypt.

He rested on the bank of the pond, playing back the dream in his mind. It was certainly an experience. Such an experience. Yet there were parts that were fuzzy all the same. What did he want to say to Fluttershy? In the dream, it had been clear as day. Now, it was like a disturbed pool, blurry and distorted. Perhaps one day he would remember, but until then he would put the thought aside and rest.