Hip-bumping his door open, Calder shoved his way into his room after fiddling with his keys before using his hoof to kick it shut. The past few days had been some of the worst ever. It was one thing to feel lonely, something that wasn’t new to him in any regard, but it was strange to feel that it was worse compared to the company he sometimes, rarely had. I twisted his insides with uncertainty. He had spent days debating going over to Christof’s room or just bothering Barth again, and even wondered about leaving a passive little note on groanspring. It was his sheer will that kept him from doing so, but it didn’t keep him from thinking about it.

It was why a note that he had a package had been so well timed. He was missing home more and more, never being away on his own, and after the island incident, he thought of them even more. The receive such a large and HEAVY package made him very interested and excited. Already images of fresh, Fall carrots danced in his mind, even though they were hard to come by where he lived. Giddy, he wasted no time in tearing the box apart.

Lid tore off, he looked with a wide smile and then his face and ears dropped.

Flopping down to sit on his rump, Calder frowned as he pulled out a book. It wasn’t even books he liked. Devoid of smut and racey characters, he looked at a worn, beaten book and flipped it open before quickly shutting it and looking away. “Ugh. Kelpie.” He was just past beginner level and looking at a full page of the symbols left him cringing. What the HECK were his parents thinking sending him this? That wasn’t the worst of it. There were MORE books. Each one he pulled out with different faces to show is dislike from a stuck out tongue to a curled upper lip. Ew. Gross. He cracked a rather thick one open and felt his eyes shrivel up. “It’s so tiny!” He whined, dropping the heavy tomb next to him.

To add to confusion, he reached it and pulled out a…a…..well, he had no idea what it was. At a glance, it looked like a heavy, doll. It was about the side of an older child to young teenager. It was made out of sewn pieces, and feeling inside, made of bones to give the body some lifelike feel and weight and then filled with….sand?

Frowning, he looked at the patchwork doll with its button eyes and sewn mouth before plopping it on the other side not cluttered with books, surprised to see it sat up without toppling over.

Looking in, he saw a smaller package and opened it, finding a tin, 2 jars of treats, and a letter. MUCH BETTER!

Taking the tin and jars, he set them aside with much more glee than the other items, and sniffed the envelope. Flowers, thick moss, and the smell of boiled fish. Home.

Trying not to tear up then and there, he opened the envelope open.


Letter From Home
Our Dearest Son,

We hope you are enjoying school and making lots of friends. I know calling would be well and good, but you know how bad our phone is. I hope that the one we gave you is working well? I felt it was good to give you a small treat, and send some home cooking along the way. I found you a new scarf and hope you will use it. I’m sure the one you have now is in tatters.


Calder rolled his eyes before looking into the box and pulling out a new scarf. Despite it all, he smiled and smelled it. Handmade and in precious plaid. Smiling, he took off his own scarf and set to put the new one on. Alone, he didn’t mind sprucing up a bit. Once the old one was of, he pulled out a long, silver necklace from inside his old scarf and started to slip it inside the fabric of the new scarf.


Letter From Home
While I know you are enjoying yourself and getting used to your own studies in school, your mother…”


There was some scribbling before more was added.


Letter From Home
Your mother and I felt that it was best that you get a head start on your own studies as well so that you are not overwhelmed all at once. We have gathered as many books as we can for your studies that you can digest in your free time. In addition, we know that you are growing up and that means you also need to learn to cope with a rider. We have sent you a training dumb for you to use in private. Do not be afraid of it. We all had one just like it when growing up, and you are growing up. My sweet boy. Going to school and learning to run on your own four hooves. …


The hand writing changed to more sharp, sloppy writing. Calder guessed his dad had gotten too emotional and had to step away, leaving his mother to take over.


Letter From Home
Make sure to study hard and take both your studies in school and with our own history seriously. Grow, enjoy yourself, but keep focused. You are growing into your own stallion now. You have to take responsibility and stand strong. The clans are not kind when it comes to testing. They certainly weren’t to me, and they will be even harder on you.


Take care of yourself and send letters when you can. I sent some tea for you in case that vile food they serve you isn’t any good.

From Wild Waters, Run Free,

Mom and Dad.


Calder sat and looked over to the patchwork training dummy with a frown, before reaching over and knocking it over. “I don’t WANT to study!!!” He cried and looked over at the now fallen doll. “…and I don’t want a stupid rider doll.”

Huffing, Calder kicked the now empty box away before looking over at the tins and opening them and popping some carrot chews in his mouth. HHHHHHHmmmm! It was so good!

That he could deal with. Rising up, he took his tin and moved to sit in his bath tub, leaving his work and the dumb doll on the floor.