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Description
It was a cold and dreary day. A light rain misted from the gray sky and left a sheen of wet on everything, including the horses. Since news of Percy’s father’s death, a shadow of grief had been hanging over them. No one really knew what to do or say, but it felt wrong to be happy at a time like this. Everyone was holding their breath and waiting.

”Should someone try to talk to him?” Starling said softly, glancing over to where Percy stood by himself.

”I dunno...I don’t want to be the one to do it, though.” Lark muttered back.

”I’ll go say something.” Pigeon said, plucking up her courage.

The other mares watched her go, uneasily, as she approached the stallion.

”Perseus…?” Pigeon tried, craning her neck around to see him.

He didn’t respond.

Pigeon glanced back at the other mares who made motions for her to try again. Pigeon gulped and turned back to Percy.

”Uhm...h-how are you?” she asked, feeling unbelievably awkward.

Percy snorted and finally turned his head to look at her. His eyes were bloodshot and empty. They made Pigeon shiver.

”I’m...not fine…” Percy sighed, head drooping even further.

”We’re, uh, we’re all worried about you…” Pigeon mumbled, looking down at her hooves.

Percy’s ears twitched forward as he looked around Pigeon at the rest of the gathered mares, who pretended to be doing something else instead of watching and listening to his conversation.

Percy’s ears drooped and he turned around and walked toward the gathered mares, Pigeon in tow.

”I’m...sorry to have worried you all.” he said awkwardly. ”I...I don’t know what to do.”

The mares rushed to gather around the stallion and offered nuzzles and hugs, some of them tugging at his mane or chewing at his forelock in comfort. Many voices offered condolences and words of sympathy at the same time. Percy was completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support for him. His face crumpled and a sob worked its way out of his chest as he let himself break down. The mares all cooed and sshed him as he shook, offering comfort any way they could. After a long while, Percy was able to pull himself together, sniffling and hiccuping.

”I...I...thank you. All of you.” he croaked out, throat tight.

”You were very close with your father?” asked Sparrow softly.

Percy nodded. ”Yes. I haven’t seen him since I left the herd, but he taught me everything I know. He showed me how to be a true stallion. And...I miss him.”

”Well, he must’ve been a very fine stallion indeed to raise you.” Crow said with a nod.

The other mares rushed to agree, showering Percy with endless praise. He felt his cheeks heating up and a small smile tugged at his lips.

”Really, I can’t thank you all enough.” Percy said with a lopsided smile. ”I couldn’t ask for a better herd.”

”Well we have a great stallion!” Pigeon piped in to shouts of agreement.

”I’ve only been here a short time, but I can tell you all really love each other.” Peregrine said gently with a small smile.

She had joined the herd only days before Lyra and Windfola arrived with the news of Breigo’s death. So far, she had kept to herself, but Percy was glad to see her start opening up.

”Daddy, are you gonna be ok?”

Percy blinked in surprise and looked down to see little Dhole standing next to Crane, looking up at him with a creased brow. Percy smiled warmly and bent his neck down to nuzzle his son.

”Yes, I’m going to be alright.” he said reassuringly.

”You’d better be.” Magpie said with a snort. ”Quail and I just got comfortable.”

The mares and Percy shared a laugh at this.

”Why don’t we all try to find somewhere out of this rain for a while?” Heron suggested, looking up at the sky with a glare.

The herd mumbled in agreement as they all moved off to stand under the protection of some nearby trees. As if on cue, the misting rain slowly began to fade until the day became a bit less gloomy. The sun was even trying to show it’s face through the clouds. Percy looked up at the sky and tried to smile. He had to believe his father was running among the stars now and looking down upon him. Maybe he was even lecturing the sun about how it was its duty to shine and warm the ground below. Percy snorted at the thought.

Description
It was a cold and dreary day. A light rain misted from the gray sky and left a sheen of wet on everything, including the horses. Since news of Percy’s father’s death, a shadow of grief had been hanging over them. No one really knew what to do or say, but it felt wrong to be happy at a time like this. Everyone was holding their breath and waiting.

”Should someone try to talk to him?” Starling said softly, glancing over to where Percy stood by himself.

”I dunno...I don’t want to be the one to do it, though.” Lark muttered back.

”I’ll go say something.” Pigeon said, plucking up her courage.

The other mares watched her go, uneasily, as she approached the stallion.

”Perseus…?” Pigeon tried, craning her neck around to see him.

He didn’t respond.

Pigeon glanced back at the other mares who made motions for her to try again. Pigeon gulped and turned back to Percy.

”Uhm...h-how are you?” she asked, feeling unbelievably awkward.

Percy snorted and finally turned his head to look at her. His eyes were bloodshot and empty. They made Pigeon shiver.

”I’m...not fine…” Percy sighed, head drooping even further.

”We’re, uh, we’re all worried about you…” Pigeon mumbled, looking down at her hooves.

Percy’s ears twitched forward as he looked around Pigeon at the rest of the gathered mares, who pretended to be doing something else instead of watching and listening to his conversation.

Percy’s ears drooped and he turned around and walked toward the gathered mares, Pigeon in tow.

”I’m...sorry to have worried you all.” he said awkwardly. ”I...I don’t know what to do.”

The mares rushed to gather around the stallion and offered nuzzles and hugs, some of them tugging at his mane or chewing at his forelock in comfort. Many voices offered condolences and words of sympathy at the same time. Percy was completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support for him. His face crumpled and a sob worked its way out of his chest as he let himself break down. The mares all cooed and sshed him as he shook, offering comfort any way they could. After a long while, Percy was able to pull himself together, sniffling and hiccuping.

”I...I...thank you. All of you.” he croaked out, throat tight.

”You were very close with your father?” asked Sparrow softly.

Percy nodded. ”Yes. I haven’t seen him since I left the herd, but he taught me everything I know. He showed me how to be a true stallion. And...I miss him.”

”Well, he must’ve been a very fine stallion indeed to raise you.” Crow said with a nod.

The other mares rushed to agree, showering Percy with endless praise. He felt his cheeks heating up and a small smile tugged at his lips.

”Really, I can’t thank you all enough.” Percy said with a lopsided smile. ”I couldn’t ask for a better herd.”

”Well we have a great stallion!” Pigeon piped in to shouts of agreement.

”I’ve only been here a short time, but I can tell you all really love each other.” Peregrine said gently with a small smile.

She had joined the herd only days before Lyra and Windfola arrived with the news of Breigo’s death. So far, she had kept to herself, but Percy was glad to see her start opening up.

”Daddy, are you gonna be ok?”

Percy blinked in surprise and looked down to see little Dhole standing next to Crane, looking up at him with a creased brow. Percy smiled warmly and bent his neck down to nuzzle his son.

”Yes, I’m going to be alright.” he said reassuringly.

”You’d better be.” Magpie said with a snort. ”Quail and I just got comfortable.”

The mares and Percy shared a laugh at this.

”Why don’t we all try to find somewhere out of this rain for a while?” Heron suggested, looking up at the sky with a glare.

The herd mumbled in agreement as they all moved off to stand under the protection of some nearby trees. As if on cue, the misting rain slowly began to fade until the day became a bit less gloomy. The sun was even trying to show it’s face through the clouds. Percy looked up at the sky and tried to smile. He had to believe his father was running among the stars now and looking down upon him. Maybe he was even lecturing the sun about how it was its duty to shine and warm the ground below. Percy snorted at the thought.