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The New Year was meant to be a holiday celebrating newfound hope, renewal, and looking forward to a fresh start. However, for Maggie, this holiday season had been anything but joyful. A time intended for friends and family, filled with cheer and laughter, had instead devolved into a tear-filled nightmare, leaving her fleeing her family’s home in shame and fear—not of them, but for them.

Fear for them about the danger she posed to them.

It had all started over a petty argument between her and her sister regarding a pair of legcuffs inherited from their grandmother’s collection. Both wanted to wear them to their family’s wintertime celebration feast held with their herd, but neither was willing to compromise on finding another accessory. In hindsight, it seemed trivial and foolish, but the spat escalated into a full-blown shouting match as they fought over who deserved to wear the legcuffs more.

As tempers flared and the disagreement intensified, Maggie’s rage finally snapped, and she lashed out physically at her sister. The normally soft-spoken and known for never being able to hurt a fly gentle giant lunged forward to grab the legcuffs from her sister. In one fell swoop, Maggie managed to rip the cuffs from Sena’s grasp, knocking her much smaller sibling right onto the floor with a sickening crunch coming from one of Sena’s legs.

It took only a brief lapse of control, a mere second, but the damage was done before Maggie could stop herself. The sharp yelp of pain that Sena let out cut into Maggie’s anger like a knife, instantly dissolving it.

Their parents rushed into the room to check on the commotion, their bewilderment and flood of questions overwhelming Maggie instantly as they tried to understand what had happened, not expecting that she could have been the culprit behind the attack. Anxiety welled up in her chest as a searing hot pain bubbled up through her neck right into her face. What had she done? What had she DONE!? Her breathing became labored as she stood there, frozen, watching in absolute horror and worry. Tears poured down her cheeks as she struggled with the flood of emotions she was feeling right now. The sight of poor Sena crumpled on the ground in pain was too much for Maggie. She had done this; she had hurt her baby sister! She…she was a monster.

So, she ran.

Where was she running to? Where would she go? What was the plan? Those thoughts didn’t concern her at that moment. All she knew was that she had to get away from her family; she had to escape from Sena; she had to keep them safe… from herself.

In her flurry of tears and panic, Maggie paid no attention to where she was going or how much noise she made trampling through the forest at breakneck speed, unaware that she wasn’t alone in her self-misery.

The sweet, excited voice of Aith hit her like a brick, dragging her back to reality. Sliding to a stop, Maggie’s ears pinned back tightly against her head. The full scope of her situation crashed over her; she was far from home, she had no idea where she was, and she had hurt her sister…

And she wasn’t alone. The spirits were particularly cruel today.

“He-hello?” she called tentatively, her voice cracking through heavy wheezing as she struggled to catch her breath. “I won’t harm you if you won’t harm me,” she followed up, relying on the de-escalation training her grandfather had drilled into her.

“I’m sorry if I’m intruding on your home. I’m just…” Pausing for a moment, she sniffled, one of her wings coming up to wipe her tear-stained face as she peered around, trying to locate the source of the voice in the dense thicket of trees. “very, very lost, and I’ve had a really bad night. I really don’t want any trouble. If you need me to go that’s fine just point the way out please.”

(WC: 664 words)

Maggie’s ears flattened at the comforting voice that replied. Inside, her instincts screamed for caution; she was alone, lost, and frightened in a dark forest devoid of any help. Yet, the mare's presence felt strangely soothing. The voice had a warm, smooth, almost maternal quality, reminiscent of her great-grandmother.

Her wings instinctively shielded her eyes from the sudden burst of light. Squinting in pain, she struggled to make out the silhouette of a tall figure surrounded by a soft halo of candlelight.

One… two… three… four wings? Oh! She was an Angeni, just like her.

Whew, thank goodness she didn’t run into a shifter or Kalona. However, in her eyes, it would have been a fitting punishment for her at that moment.

“M-magnolia D-de Luxure,” she responded timidly as she lowered her wing back down, folding it over her chest almost in a self-hug. “Though…most just call me Maggie.”

Shifting on her back hooves, Maggie’s eyes lowered to the ground, avoiding the older Angeni’s gaze. “Thank you, I don’t want to impose but I’m lost and I think I’m far away from…” Sucking in a deep breath, she chewed on her lower lip. Did she even have a home anymore? Could she? Would she be welcomed back after assaulting her sister? She had no idea. “Some food and a place to get out of the w-weather would be really nice, if you have enough to spare.”

A night to calm her nerves and devise a game plan for what perhaps was the start of the rest of her life? She heard Angenis were from the heavens, but now she knew that story had to be true because this one certainly had heavenly timing!

But, as her grandfather said nothing in life is free, and you had to try to earn your keep. “I can um h-help you finish putting up your light strings in exchange if that would be acceptable?” She offered tentatively, not sure if her assistance would really be a fair exchange for the room and board that she was graciously being offered. But given that she had no money or items to trade her own labor was the best currency she could offer.

(WC: 366)

Setting up the lights felt surprisingly soothing. Unbeknownst to her, she was engaging in a well-known grounding technique to prevent a panic attack: allowing herself to focus on a more pressing task helped her escape the fight-or-flight response triggered by her earlier argument with her sister. Although it took a while, her heart rate decreased, her breathing steadied, and the tears on her cheeks eventually dried. At last, she was in a rational state of mind to converse with the cheerful mare.

“They do look lovely,” she agreed with a gentle smile, stepping back to appreciate their handiwork. The twinkling glow of the orbs against the snow created a stunning display of lights that shimmered in various colors, depending on the angle. It was truly a sight to behold! “I never realized others hung lights to celebrate the New Year. My family does the same! We put up lights for the summer solstice, but they usually ask me to use these incredible beetles that glow from their abdomens.” Maggie's expression soften to a frown as the heaviness of her situation returned. She likely would never experience another solstice celebration with her family again.

Thankfully, Aithghen was right there to snap her out of her doom-and-gloom from taking back over.

Shaking her head softly to refocus herself Maggie once again forced an even smile to mask the anxiety gnawing at the back of her mind. “No favors are owed, ma’am. Thank you for the invite and your hospitality,” She replied with a dismissive wave of her wing.

She was in no position to argue against following the mare through the snow. Truthfully, regardless of whether this was a scheme to lure her back to a cave and devour her, Maggie was far too tired to fight her impending doom. The adrenaline of her frantic flight off the mountain and run through the woods had long worn off, leaving only exhaustion in its place. Every inch of her body ached and felt as though it weighed three times as much as it normally did. All she wanted to do at this point was eat and then sleep for probably the next month.

However, it would be quite impolite to the wonderful mare who had graciously invited her into her home not to be an entertaining guest, at the very least.

“Do you live by yourself, ma’am?” she asked as they trotted along. “I haven’t noticed anyone else coming by since we’ve been out here.”

(WC: 412)