Golden hues were focused dully on the unchanging dirt path beneath her hooves, though her mouth was twisted upwards in a soft smile at the soft footfalls of the young one behind her. Aquene's life as of late was a mixture of melancholy and joy, with the birth of her foals and subsequent experience of motherhood... but she couldn't help but wish for the completion of her family, despite the infinite love she felt for her daughter and two sons. Though simply looking at them at times was painful, nothing could dilute the motherly love, even if their family was not whole.
Lifting her lowered head to gaze upon the quiet filly trailing silently behind her, a soft, proud smile adorned her maw. Cetra looked astonishingly like her father, with only a hint of her own sunset hues mixed in. Nanaki was so proud, but furious with the stallion that had disappeared after the birth of her baskets without a word to their kin. She could only hope that, if Belial ever chose to return, he could reconcile with her father... Nanaki was very forgiving, if time had told her anything.
Now, though... she sought her mother's guidance and love. No one else could provide the kind of support she needed and trusted in experiences of parenting.
The winged filly followed closely at her mother's heels, glancing around curiously as the scenery changed. She was slightly tense, nervous about meeting the grandmother her own mother had always spoken highly of- the picture of beauty, grace, and kindness. Cetra trusted her grandfather and mother implicitly, but she was still wary that perhaps this new mare wouldn't consider her worthy, wouldn't consider her beautiful enough or graceful enough. She had taken to following in Nanaki's footsteps as best she could- perhaps that way, someday she could protect her mother from the pain that always seemed to follow her around like a dark cloud.
A soft sigh escaped her mouth at the thought, and her mind unwillingly drifted towards her estranged father. Honor told her that she could not rightly hate him for being absent, since she didn't understand the situation completely... but she couldn't help but harbor a small amount of resentment for him. Aquene had assured her that Belial was not a bad person, that he did love them... but she could not explain his continued absence in their lives.
Cetra could only hope that the rest of her family would not be so distant.
