Ithillún gasped as she heard her father say had better not, and backtracked the conversation, trying to remember what had been said. They were going to push her in? Oh no, they better not! She did not think her parents would push her in - it was too cold! She was just thankful that Daddy nixed that idea, though the wink she saw his reflection do in the river was less than comforting. Her mouth frowned, wondering if he had actually been considering it for a moment. But that would be mean, and Daddy's not mean... Whatever, it did not matter - it had been decided against.
Paying attention once more to her parents, she nodded. "Okay, I promise," she replied to her mother, and dug her hooves in a little deeper to the river muck as she leaned down to take a drink right then. What time was better now, when they had just reminded her? Her ears flicked back, listening to her father as she took a long, cool draft. The river tasted just as it always did, but there was a sort of different taste to it, like the way grass tasted after dew had formed on it in the night. Her thoughts turned back to the conversation as she sucked up the water, doing her best not to slurp, because that was rude. Mommy was dehydrated? That sounded irresponsible of her, and Mommy was the most responsible person Lún had ever met. "Dried up and thirsty?" she parroted, wondering if there had ever been a day recently that that had happened. She could not remember one - maybe Mommy had learned her lesson?
She was about to ask Daddy to tell her more when something about her reflection struck her as odd, and she tilted her head, trying to figure out what it was as her reflection mirrored her movements. Were her eyes...? Were they glowing? That was so cool! It was strange that she had not noticed before... But maybe she had failed to notice because Mommy had them too? And if she was used to seeing them, it would probably be harder for her to notice them on herself. "Mommy, my eyes glow, too!" she exclaimed happily, grinning back at her mother. "But they're yellow, like yours, Daddy!" Oh, this was the best night of her life. Why had she not come down to the river sooner? This was great! But... what were those things on her chest? She squinted in the dim light that her eyes and the flowers cast on the water, trying to make the markings out. "Do I have monsters on me?" she gasped, dismayed as she backpedaled away from the water, trying to look down at her chest. They were there, outlined in bright blue. Get them off, get them off! her mind sang in panic, and she whimpered out loud.
