Colette waited until the last of the foals had gathered before she stepped out from behind the curtain of trees. She smiled widely at all of the small faces and her eyes glittered in anticipation. This was her favorite part of the Summer Farewell festival - storytelling. The older, though only by a few seasons, mare knew that this year’s story would keep her audience entertained. “Are you ready for a tale?” She raised her voice enthusiastically.
Most of the kids were ready and they promptly yelled out. “Alright, settle down then. It’s a long one…”
“Long ago, there once was a herd in this here valley. The leader and her mate were expecting and all three babies were safely curled in their baskets or so they thought. One night when the parents-to-be were sleeping a malevolent shifter appeared at the edge of their peaceful meadow. Its dark eyes watched the sleeping family for a moment before setting its eyes upon one basket in particular…”
The foals all leaned in intently, eager to hear what was next. A few gasped when she had introduced the shifter. She tried to hide her smirk. Shifters were always a good bogeyman for little ones.
“That basket glowed in the moonlight. It beckoned the shifter. And slowly they crept forward. With one clawed paw they pushed the lid away to peer inside,” Colette gestured with her hoof to help illustrate the oral story. “Inside lay a small filly with body and hair as white as the moon. Where the moonlight touched she would glisten and glow. The foal’s mother stirred and started to wake as the shifter grasped the tiny foal in its fanged maw. She yelled out and leapt to her feet but the shifter was far quicker! The shifter dashed into the edge of trees never to be seen again.”
“Oh no!” A small colt cried. Another looked ready to burst into tears.
“Ah but don’t worry little ones, our story does not end there.” She waited for the kids to settle again, “The herd had searched for days, moons, and seasons but could not find a trace of their lost foal. Most feared the worst but the dam and sire were certain she was still out there, they would not lose hope.”
She stepped back to motion towards the snowy caps in the far distance behind her. “High up in the mountains, stowed away in a small cavern with little light, is where the shifter had taken the small one. Her unique glow saved her from becoming a snack, though now she was more of a pet. Some would say that was a worse fate. The little foal grew up mostly alone with little to whittle her days away with. If it weren’t for her tiny cave lizard companion she would have surely lost her mind. The shifter would only allow her to leave on nights of nearly full moonlight, just to watch her glow. With each passing moon, she grew sadder. The young mare, simply known as Moon, would sigh and chat with her reptile companion every day. The words were always the same; when would she leave, could she leave, and where would she go. The shifter fed her, and kept her safe…”
Some of the kids in the crowd shook their heads and disagreed with Moon. Colette continued, “This continued for another season until a young stallion wandered up the mountain side. He had been trying to catch up to his herd but lost his way. He nearly kept on walking except that a small white glimmer peeked out from a small crevice. He approaches the cavern and peers inside. The small lizard scurries further into the cave where Moon hid quietly. She didn’t dare make a peep. Hello? He called. Nothing. He turned to resume his journey but then something stopped him dead in his tracks. It was the shifter!”
“Oh no!” A few kids in the audience gasped.
“The shifter dropped the collection of berries and grasses it had gathered. Its fanged mouth turned into a ragged snarl. It lunged towards the soquili…” Her eyes darted between each of the kids. Some were absolutely enthralled and others were hiding behind their friends, but all were listening. “The stallion was fit and ready for a fight! He quickly dodged. The shifter turned its back on the cave, positioning itself between the soquili and Moon’s home, and growled. The newcomer tried to reason with them. Woah, he said. I’m not here to fight! I’m lost. He kept repeating himself until finally the shifter stopped growling. It was not accustomed to speaking, its language was slow and stuttered. Must…protect…”
She watched as every single one of the foals looked at her in confusion. “That’s right,” she told them. “Don’t judge too quickly. The shifter had taken the foal when it felt a strange emotion stir within it, a connection it would describe. It felt the need to protect the small filly. Though this one was a bit misguided...”
“But how?” A larger colt stood up. “Shifters are pure evil.”
“They can be,” She emphasized the can. “Just like you or me, we do not fit one alignment, at least not entirely.”
“An angeni charm also helps! Now let me finish the story, we’re nearly there.” She quipped and gave the colt a wink.
“The gem was as white as Moon. Perhaps that was why the misguided shifter had taken such a keen interest. The young mare left the cavern and stepped into the moonlight between the two. Both watched her in silence as her long locks began to glisten. Then a wind encircled her, lifting her up into the night sky transforming her into a beacon of light that would meld into the full moon’s own brilliance. And then she became the moon.”
Word Count: 973