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99 Diamonds [ Full Body +20 | Colored +5 | Shading +5 | Detailed BG +15 | x2 Herd Member +10 | Story +34 ]

◄ PREVIOUS: The Birds and The Bees | NEXT: A Lesson in Kindness Part 2 ►

RANDOM EVENT

For a good half hour, Jasper had heard nothing but the whining of a young bear. It seemed to have been following him, waiting for him to respond.

A) Pay attention to it
B) Continue ignoring it

It had been about a month since Blair had joined Jasper’s little herd. It felt strange to have another horse hanging around; he’d gotten so used to it being just him and Lillian for so long that he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. Blair seemed to be the quiet type too, not speaking much and often lagging behind when they traveled. Jasper was concerned that she perhaps she didn’t really want to be with them, but he was too afraid to approach her about it just yet. Maybe she just needed time to adjust.

Lillian strode up beside the mahogany stallion, sensing his uneasiness. She had been less moody in the last few days and even seemed to have a skip in her step like she used to. Her and Jasper’s bond had grown stronger as well; they could tell when the other was upset just by a look. She gave him a swift smile as their eyes met, walking shoulder to shoulder.

”You’ve got grumpy face again.” She said, voice low so Blair wouldn’t hear. ”Worried about our new friend?” Jasper didn’t hide the half smile.

”A little bit. She hasn’t really talked much, at least not to me.” He admitted. He just wanted to get to know Blair, but he didn’t want to push friendship on her. ”You two seem like you’re getting along though.”

”I understand. Blair’s had it rough, she just needs time. She’ll come around eventually.” Lillian reassured him. ”And in the meantime, you’ve still got me!” She added, playfully nipping at his cheek. Jasper chuckled and gave her a frisky nudge with his head.

”And I’m glad I do.” Jasper replied wholeheartedly. Lillian gushed at his appreciation.

”I’ll talk to Blair. Maybe I can help her to open up some.” Lillian suggested. She still felt a little jealous of Jasper’s fascination with the new mare, but she also felt for her. Lillian wanted Blair to see Jasper the way she saw him; a kind, compassionate stallion- not like the ones who threw her away. She wanted Blair to feel at home with them.

Jasper smiled at Lillian. He was still surprised that she had been the one to persuade Blair to join them. He could have sworn she hated her, but he was starting to think he wasn’t very good at reading a mares emotions, so he decided not to question it.

”That would be great. I don’t want her to feel like she’s trapped with us. You’ll make sure have she understands she can leave whenever she wants, right?” Jasper glanced at Lillian, his smile faltering as his expression morphed into concern.

”Of course!” Lillian nodded. ”But, I’ll also make sure that she knows she is definitely wanted.” She gave a little wink and Jasper smiled again. The sable mare slowed her pace until she was in tow with her roan counterpart.

The two mares had been chatting for a little while, following behind Jasper, when he suddenly stopped and raised his head. His ears flipped in all directions and his eyes scanned the area.

”What’s wrong?” Lillian asked. But as soon as she did, she heard a tiny whimper, like that of a pup or a kit. All three horses tensed; someone was calling for their mother. Regardless of what animal it was or who it belonged to, it was dangerous to stay. Jasper turned to the mares and caught their gazes. They understood.

”Come on.” The red stallion ushered them forward, taking his place at the rear of their little group. For a while they walked again in silence, listening and doing their best to remain quiet and stealthy. But soon, the whimpering caught up with them. Jasper picked up his pace into a trot, nudging the girls to do the same, but the whimpering still did not cease. Jasper was beginning to think that whatever it was was following them for some reason. Coming to a halt, he lifted his head once more.

”What are you doing?” Blair whispered angrily. Jasper shushed her and turned toward the sounds. He squinted and searched the ground until he caught a glimpse of something brown and fuzzy in the grass making it’s way toward them. As it came closer, Jasper closed the gap between them until he could tell exactly what it was. Lifting it’s tiny head to stare up at the red stallion was a small bear cub. It whimpered again and sat back on it’s haunches, looking quite innocent and helpless. Curious, Lillian approached.

”A bear!” Lillian gasped, staggering backward. Her eyes searched the surroundings wildly. If there was a cub, there was an angry mother not too far behind. She gulped.

”What!?” Blair stepped forward, her eyes dropping to the tiny creatures form. He cowered under her scrutinizing gaze. She snorted and pinned her ears back. ”I bet you’re one of Eleazar’s cubs, aren’t you?” She interrogated him. He merely whimpered again.

”Hey, don’t scare him. He’s just a cub.” Jasper said. ”He probably got separated from his mom.” He turned to the cub for verification. ”Is that what happened?” The cub nodded, eyes darting between the two horses.

”So what?” Blair countered. ”He may just be a cub now, but he has a mother who would love to have us for dinner. And not only that, but he’ll grow up to be just like her. Just like Eleazar.” She spat, glaring down at the cub. Lillian whimpered behind them and Jasper briefly glanced at her. She was shaking ever so slightly.

”Blair’s right, Jasper! We have to go. It’s being so loud, it’s mom is probably close already.” Lillian pleaded as she looked around again.

Jasper felt torn; he knew what the mares were saying was true. It was dangerous to hang around a bear cub when the mother was surely not far. Female bears were notoriously aggressive when they felt their young were threatened. Even so, as Jasper turned to look down at the poor creature, he felt compassion wash over him.

”You’re right, I know.” He started, eyes still on the helpless cub’s form. His big green eyes were glossy, like he was on the verge of tears. ”But I still can’t just leave him here. I have to help him.” Lillian’s jaw popped open in shock and Blair stomped her hoof, startling the little cub.

”Are you insane?” Blair seethed. ”Do you want to get eaten?”

Jasper finally looked up at the roan mare; she didn’t trust him at all. He hated to admit it, but it hurt really bad to see that look in her eyes. That he was stupid and childish. But it also sparked something in him; like he needed to prove it to her that he wasn’t. Furrowing his brow he steeled himself.

”No, obviously I don’t want to be eaten.” He said firmly. ”But I also don’t want him to be eaten either. Which is what will probably happen if he doesn’t find his mom.”

”So? One less bear in the world is alright with me. Don’t you think so too, Lillian?” Blair turned to the sable mare. She looked torn.

”I mean...” Lillian hesitated. She didn’t like the idea of a cub being killed by another predator, but she also couldn’t repress the fear of bears she had. She also didn’t like being put on the spot like that. ”I-I...I guess?” It was more a question than a statement.

”See? You’ve been outvoted. Time to go.” Blair said smugly. However, Jasper wasn’t about to let it go that easily. He’d had to overcome a lot to gain the confidence he had at this point, and even now he still wasn’t very confident in himself. But one thing he was absolutely certain of was kindness. He took in a deep breath to calm himself and looked Blair levely in the eye.

”No.”

”Excuse me?” Blair squinted at him, but he ignored her and turned to Lillian.

”Lillian, if this was our child-” Jasper stopped short, his voice going funny. It was the first time either one of them had acknowledged that Lillian could be pregnant and it caught them both off guard. Her face flushed and she felt butterflies in her stomach. He continued, with more confidence this time, ”If this was our child, what would you want? I mean, I know we’re not bears, but forget about it being a bear- just think about it being someone’s child.” He knew it didn’t really make sense, but he paused and gave her time to process it.

”If this was our child, and someone found it, just like we’re finding it now, wouldn’t you want them to help it instead of leaving it alone?” Jasper finally got to his point. She seemed to grasp what he was saying and furrowed her brows. Her eyes drifted from Jasper to the cub. His big green eyes caught hers and in them, she didn’t see a giant, horse-eating grizzly bear, but instead, a defenseless child, scared and alone. The fear she felt diminished, though the thought of the angry mother still apparent in the back of her mind. Her answer to his question was obvious, and the look on her face gave it away.

Blair scoffed. ”I can’t believe this.” She shook her head. ”We’re going to die because you want to help out some stupid cub.”

Jasper turned to Blair, finally recognizing her presence again. ”Maybe. But maybe, he’ll remember what we did for him, and he won’t be like Eleazar. Maybe he’ll be kind to horses.” Jasper knew it was a gamble and he could see the disappointment and distrust on Blair’s face. It ate at him, but he shook it away. He didn’t have time to dwell on that. Turning back to the cub, who looked downright scared out of his mind, Jasper tried to sound as tender as possible.

”Now, can you tell me which way you last saw your mom, little guy?” Jasper asked softly. At first, the cub didn’t answer, but then finally, he seemed to find his voice.

”Uh-uhm..” He stuttered. ”This way...I think.”

word count: 1782

Jasper , Lillian , & Blair

wow ok so i actually had to finish this with my MOUSE since my tablet is on the fritz 8'D i can't believe i used to do art with a mouse holy crap i applaud everyone who still does that. it's a pain in the ass

also YAY LILLIAN IS SHOWING look at that lil baby bump she got! i'm so looking forward to drawing her all big and plump <3 although technically i think it's a bit early for her to be showing but I COULDN'T RESIST

lets see who recognizes that bears design

All art & Characters © MatrixPotato

Reference for Blair

Reference for Lillian
Do not take, use, reupload, etc.
my work without my prior
written permission.

Description

99 Diamonds [ Full Body +20 | Colored +5 | Shading +5 | Detailed BG +15 | x2 Herd Member +10 | Story +34 ]

◄ PREVIOUS: The Birds and The Bees | NEXT: A Lesson in Kindness Part 2 ►

RANDOM EVENT

For a good half hour, Jasper had heard nothing but the whining of a young bear. It seemed to have been following him, waiting for him to respond.

A) Pay attention to it
B) Continue ignoring it

It had been about a month since Blair had joined Jasper’s little herd. It felt strange to have another horse hanging around; he’d gotten so used to it being just him and Lillian for so long that he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. Blair seemed to be the quiet type too, not speaking much and often lagging behind when they traveled. Jasper was concerned that she perhaps she didn’t really want to be with them, but he was too afraid to approach her about it just yet. Maybe she just needed time to adjust.

Lillian strode up beside the mahogany stallion, sensing his uneasiness. She had been less moody in the last few days and even seemed to have a skip in her step like she used to. Her and Jasper’s bond had grown stronger as well; they could tell when the other was upset just by a look. She gave him a swift smile as their eyes met, walking shoulder to shoulder.

”You’ve got grumpy face again.” She said, voice low so Blair wouldn’t hear. ”Worried about our new friend?” Jasper didn’t hide the half smile.

”A little bit. She hasn’t really talked much, at least not to me.” He admitted. He just wanted to get to know Blair, but he didn’t want to push friendship on her. ”You two seem like you’re getting along though.”

”I understand. Blair’s had it rough, she just needs time. She’ll come around eventually.” Lillian reassured him. ”And in the meantime, you’ve still got me!” She added, playfully nipping at his cheek. Jasper chuckled and gave her a frisky nudge with his head.

”And I’m glad I do.” Jasper replied wholeheartedly. Lillian gushed at his appreciation.

”I’ll talk to Blair. Maybe I can help her to open up some.” Lillian suggested. She still felt a little jealous of Jasper’s fascination with the new mare, but she also felt for her. Lillian wanted Blair to see Jasper the way she saw him; a kind, compassionate stallion- not like the ones who threw her away. She wanted Blair to feel at home with them.

Jasper smiled at Lillian. He was still surprised that she had been the one to persuade Blair to join them. He could have sworn she hated her, but he was starting to think he wasn’t very good at reading a mares emotions, so he decided not to question it.

”That would be great. I don’t want her to feel like she’s trapped with us. You’ll make sure have she understands she can leave whenever she wants, right?” Jasper glanced at Lillian, his smile faltering as his expression morphed into concern.

”Of course!” Lillian nodded. ”But, I’ll also make sure that she knows she is definitely wanted.” She gave a little wink and Jasper smiled again. The sable mare slowed her pace until she was in tow with her roan counterpart.

The two mares had been chatting for a little while, following behind Jasper, when he suddenly stopped and raised his head. His ears flipped in all directions and his eyes scanned the area.

”What’s wrong?” Lillian asked. But as soon as she did, she heard a tiny whimper, like that of a pup or a kit. All three horses tensed; someone was calling for their mother. Regardless of what animal it was or who it belonged to, it was dangerous to stay. Jasper turned to the mares and caught their gazes. They understood.

”Come on.” The red stallion ushered them forward, taking his place at the rear of their little group. For a while they walked again in silence, listening and doing their best to remain quiet and stealthy. But soon, the whimpering caught up with them. Jasper picked up his pace into a trot, nudging the girls to do the same, but the whimpering still did not cease. Jasper was beginning to think that whatever it was was following them for some reason. Coming to a halt, he lifted his head once more.

”What are you doing?” Blair whispered angrily. Jasper shushed her and turned toward the sounds. He squinted and searched the ground until he caught a glimpse of something brown and fuzzy in the grass making it’s way toward them. As it came closer, Jasper closed the gap between them until he could tell exactly what it was. Lifting it’s tiny head to stare up at the red stallion was a small bear cub. It whimpered again and sat back on it’s haunches, looking quite innocent and helpless. Curious, Lillian approached.

”A bear!” Lillian gasped, staggering backward. Her eyes searched the surroundings wildly. If there was a cub, there was an angry mother not too far behind. She gulped.

”What!?” Blair stepped forward, her eyes dropping to the tiny creatures form. He cowered under her scrutinizing gaze. She snorted and pinned her ears back. ”I bet you’re one of Eleazar’s cubs, aren’t you?” She interrogated him. He merely whimpered again.

”Hey, don’t scare him. He’s just a cub.” Jasper said. ”He probably got separated from his mom.” He turned to the cub for verification. ”Is that what happened?” The cub nodded, eyes darting between the two horses.

”So what?” Blair countered. ”He may just be a cub now, but he has a mother who would love to have us for dinner. And not only that, but he’ll grow up to be just like her. Just like Eleazar.” She spat, glaring down at the cub. Lillian whimpered behind them and Jasper briefly glanced at her. She was shaking ever so slightly.

”Blair’s right, Jasper! We have to go. It’s being so loud, it’s mom is probably close already.” Lillian pleaded as she looked around again.

Jasper felt torn; he knew what the mares were saying was true. It was dangerous to hang around a bear cub when the mother was surely not far. Female bears were notoriously aggressive when they felt their young were threatened. Even so, as Jasper turned to look down at the poor creature, he felt compassion wash over him.

”You’re right, I know.” He started, eyes still on the helpless cub’s form. His big green eyes were glossy, like he was on the verge of tears. ”But I still can’t just leave him here. I have to help him.” Lillian’s jaw popped open in shock and Blair stomped her hoof, startling the little cub.

”Are you insane?” Blair seethed. ”Do you want to get eaten?”

Jasper finally looked up at the roan mare; she didn’t trust him at all. He hated to admit it, but it hurt really bad to see that look in her eyes. That he was stupid and childish. But it also sparked something in him; like he needed to prove it to her that he wasn’t. Furrowing his brow he steeled himself.

”No, obviously I don’t want to be eaten.” He said firmly. ”But I also don’t want him to be eaten either. Which is what will probably happen if he doesn’t find his mom.”

”So? One less bear in the world is alright with me. Don’t you think so too, Lillian?” Blair turned to the sable mare. She looked torn.

”I mean...” Lillian hesitated. She didn’t like the idea of a cub being killed by another predator, but she also couldn’t repress the fear of bears she had. She also didn’t like being put on the spot like that. ”I-I...I guess?” It was more a question than a statement.

”See? You’ve been outvoted. Time to go.” Blair said smugly. However, Jasper wasn’t about to let it go that easily. He’d had to overcome a lot to gain the confidence he had at this point, and even now he still wasn’t very confident in himself. But one thing he was absolutely certain of was kindness. He took in a deep breath to calm himself and looked Blair levely in the eye.

”No.”

”Excuse me?” Blair squinted at him, but he ignored her and turned to Lillian.

”Lillian, if this was our child-” Jasper stopped short, his voice going funny. It was the first time either one of them had acknowledged that Lillian could be pregnant and it caught them both off guard. Her face flushed and she felt butterflies in her stomach. He continued, with more confidence this time, ”If this was our child, what would you want? I mean, I know we’re not bears, but forget about it being a bear- just think about it being someone’s child.” He knew it didn’t really make sense, but he paused and gave her time to process it.

”If this was our child, and someone found it, just like we’re finding it now, wouldn’t you want them to help it instead of leaving it alone?” Jasper finally got to his point. She seemed to grasp what he was saying and furrowed her brows. Her eyes drifted from Jasper to the cub. His big green eyes caught hers and in them, she didn’t see a giant, horse-eating grizzly bear, but instead, a defenseless child, scared and alone. The fear she felt diminished, though the thought of the angry mother still apparent in the back of her mind. Her answer to his question was obvious, and the look on her face gave it away.

Blair scoffed. ”I can’t believe this.” She shook her head. ”We’re going to die because you want to help out some stupid cub.”

Jasper turned to Blair, finally recognizing her presence again. ”Maybe. But maybe, he’ll remember what we did for him, and he won’t be like Eleazar. Maybe he’ll be kind to horses.” Jasper knew it was a gamble and he could see the disappointment and distrust on Blair’s face. It ate at him, but he shook it away. He didn’t have time to dwell on that. Turning back to the cub, who looked downright scared out of his mind, Jasper tried to sound as tender as possible.

”Now, can you tell me which way you last saw your mom, little guy?” Jasper asked softly. At first, the cub didn’t answer, but then finally, he seemed to find his voice.

”Uh-uhm..” He stuttered. ”This way...I think.”

word count: 1782

Jasper , Lillian , & Blair

wow ok so i actually had to finish this with my MOUSE since my tablet is on the fritz 8'D i can't believe i used to do art with a mouse holy crap i applaud everyone who still does that. it's a pain in the ass

also YAY LILLIAN IS SHOWING look at that lil baby bump she got! i'm so looking forward to drawing her all big and plump <3 although technically i think it's a bit early for her to be showing but I COULDN'T RESIST

lets see who recognizes that bears design

All art & Characters © MatrixPotato

Reference for Blair

Reference for Lillian
Do not take, use, reupload, etc.
my work without my prior
written permission.