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”Someone needs to tell Uncle Percy. And...dad…” Lyra said, breaking the silence.

Raphtalia stayed quiet, her head hanging low as she fought to control her breathing. Ariadne stood beside her, eyes still wide and hollow, unseeing. Reese wasn’t much better, but finally, her mouth opened.

”Y-yeah. They deserve to know. Do we...do we know where they are>” she said softly, voice hoarse.

”No. But...I’ll find them.” Lyra said, holding her chin up and out defiantly.

It had only been days since Breigo’s death. A dark, hungry cloud hung over the whole herd, sapping their strength and wills. Everyone was shell-shocked to varying degrees, some much worse than others. But of course, none were as distraught and broken as Aloine.

At first, Raphtalia had attempted to comfort her mother, but she was met with harsh resistance. She had given into her own despair and hadn’t spoken in a day now. Ariadne did her best to be strong for her half-sister, but her own feelings were in utter turmoil. Of course, her mother, Sabriel, didn’t help.

”No use crying over such things.” the strange mare had said, even though her own eyes looked far away.

”Alright. I’m going to tell Faramir I’m leaving. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Lyra said softly, for once her grumpy demeanor nowhere to be seen.

Faramir stood off by himself in a very small copse of trees. Orange and red leaves littered the ground at his hooves and he found himself lost in their colors like a trance. Red...so red...like blood-

”Faramir.”

His head snapped up and he looked wildly over his shoulder at Lyra.

”Y-yes?” he croaked.

”I’m going to find my Uncle Perseus’ herd to...to tell him what happened.” Lyra said, voice cracking.

Faramir nodded vaguely. ”Yes...yes that makes sense.” he said softly. ”Take someone with you...not safe alone.”

Lyra nodded before pausing. Hesitant, she stepped up to Faramir and gave him a gentle nuzzle on his forehead. He didn’t seem to notice, but the crease between his brows eased.

Lyra trotted back to the rest of the herd and found her grandmother, Windfola.

”Windfola...will you come with me to find dad and Uncle Percy?” she asked gently.

Windfola’s head slowly turned toward Lyra. Her eyes were sunken in and bloodshot. Everyone knew she mourned nearly as badly as Aloine in her lost, unrequited love.

”Yes...it would be nice to see Jensen.” she said quietly, trying to offer a smile for her grand-foal.

Before they set off, Lyra stole a glance in Aloine’s direction. The mare stood accompanied by the strange new mare, whose name they had learned was Aisling. No one knew anything about this mare except that she was present during...what happened. Since then, she had been glued to Aloine’s side and she was the only one whose presence the mare tolerated. Lyra sighed and turned away, loping toward the east with Windfola.

~~~~~~~

A few days later, Perseus was laughing jovially with Jason and Denna.

”That’s not a good joke at all.” he said in between giggles.

”Then why are you laughing?” his Lieutenant smirked.

”Pfft. Because of how bad it was.” Denna said with a shake of her head.

Lark and Starling approached the three friends, their stomachs swaying beneath them as they walked.

”I scent mares heading this way.” Lark said, tossing her head in the direction the scents were coming from.

”Yeah, and I dunno but...something feels weird.” Starling added, pawing at the ground. ”Like...ominous.”

Percy titled his head at this. ”Ominous? I’m sure they’re just weary travelers.” he said with a smile, trying to comfort the obviously shaken mare.

Starling attempted a smile before heading back to the main herd with Lark.

”Jace, you stay here. I’m going to see if I can meet them halfway.” Percy said as he trotted off.

It wasn’t long before Percy caught the mares’ scents and his eyes widened. They both smelled shockingly familiar. Could it be…?

As he crested the ridge, he looked down into the valley to see the two mares approaching. They both looked exhausted and bedraggled and definitely familiar.

”Lyra!” Percy called happily as he raced to meet them.

His niece lifted her head and looked up, crying out at the sight of him. The two met and embraced, having been so long since seeing one another.

”My you’ve grown! Jensen would be so proud. And Windfola! It’s so good to see you, too.” Percy said beaming.

His smile faded slowly at their silence and obvious distress. ”Is everything...ok?” he asked.

”Is my father around? I w-want to tell you both together.” Lyra said with a gulp/.

Percy’s ears fell and he slumped. ”No...I haven’t seen him in...a very long time.” he sighed, looking away. ”I’m sorry, but he left the herd seasons ago.”

Lyra’s face was shocked. ”He...he left his herd?” she whispered.

Percy nodded. ”Yes...he did. No one knows where he’s gone, either. I’m very sorry.” Percy repeated.

Lyra shook her head and glanced at Windfola, who looked crushed all over again.

”My son…” she said softly, looking away.

”Uncle...there’s...something I have to tell you.” Lyra plucked up her courage and gritted her teeth. ”Grandpa...Breigo...is dead.”

Percy’s jaw dropped and it felt as though his stomach had leapt into his throat and dropped to the ground at the same time. The world seemed to spin and his head ached. He couldn’t grasp what Lyra had just told him.

”No…” he murmured, voice soft. ”No. Not father.” he shook his head, trying to clear it and also deny what she had said.

”There was an accident. A mudslide.” Lyra finished quickly, wanting this over.

A choked sound escaped Percy’s lips and he took a step away from the two mares. Jaw working, he gaped multiple times before words finally came out.

”You both must be exhausted...come with me back to my herd.”

~~~~

The next day, the news still didn’t seem real. Percy had dark hollows under his eyes from being awake all night. All the mares of the herd offered their condolences. Denna mourned with him, having seen Breigo as a surrogate father, never having known her own. Jason did his best to comfort her, but knew she needed her space right now.

”I’m going to go back with Windfola and Lyra.” Percy said groggily. ”I’m going to see if their lead needs help during this...time…”

”No. I’ll go.” Jason said, making up his mind. ”The herd needs to here, Perseus. I’ll go back with them and help as best I can.

Percy didn’t have the energy to argue, just hung his head and nodded. He didn’t think he could face his old family. Not with so many new faces and without his father there…

”Thank you.” he managed to say.

Jason nodded, stepping up to wrap his neck around Percy’s in a quick embrace. He turned to Denna and nuzzled her cheek lovingly. ”I’ll be back before you have a chance to miss me.” he said with a small smile.

Denna sniffled and nodded, nuzzling him back.

Without further goodbyes, Jason left with Windfola and Lyra, leaving heavy hearts to mend behind him.

Description
”Someone needs to tell Uncle Percy. And...dad…” Lyra said, breaking the silence.

Raphtalia stayed quiet, her head hanging low as she fought to control her breathing. Ariadne stood beside her, eyes still wide and hollow, unseeing. Reese wasn’t much better, but finally, her mouth opened.

”Y-yeah. They deserve to know. Do we...do we know where they are>” she said softly, voice hoarse.

”No. But...I’ll find them.” Lyra said, holding her chin up and out defiantly.

It had only been days since Breigo’s death. A dark, hungry cloud hung over the whole herd, sapping their strength and wills. Everyone was shell-shocked to varying degrees, some much worse than others. But of course, none were as distraught and broken as Aloine.

At first, Raphtalia had attempted to comfort her mother, but she was met with harsh resistance. She had given into her own despair and hadn’t spoken in a day now. Ariadne did her best to be strong for her half-sister, but her own feelings were in utter turmoil. Of course, her mother, Sabriel, didn’t help.

”No use crying over such things.” the strange mare had said, even though her own eyes looked far away.

”Alright. I’m going to tell Faramir I’m leaving. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Lyra said softly, for once her grumpy demeanor nowhere to be seen.

Faramir stood off by himself in a very small copse of trees. Orange and red leaves littered the ground at his hooves and he found himself lost in their colors like a trance. Red...so red...like blood-

”Faramir.”

His head snapped up and he looked wildly over his shoulder at Lyra.

”Y-yes?” he croaked.

”I’m going to find my Uncle Perseus’ herd to...to tell him what happened.” Lyra said, voice cracking.

Faramir nodded vaguely. ”Yes...yes that makes sense.” he said softly. ”Take someone with you...not safe alone.”

Lyra nodded before pausing. Hesitant, she stepped up to Faramir and gave him a gentle nuzzle on his forehead. He didn’t seem to notice, but the crease between his brows eased.

Lyra trotted back to the rest of the herd and found her grandmother, Windfola.

”Windfola...will you come with me to find dad and Uncle Percy?” she asked gently.

Windfola’s head slowly turned toward Lyra. Her eyes were sunken in and bloodshot. Everyone knew she mourned nearly as badly as Aloine in her lost, unrequited love.

”Yes...it would be nice to see Jensen.” she said quietly, trying to offer a smile for her grand-foal.

Before they set off, Lyra stole a glance in Aloine’s direction. The mare stood accompanied by the strange new mare, whose name they had learned was Aisling. No one knew anything about this mare except that she was present during...what happened. Since then, she had been glued to Aloine’s side and she was the only one whose presence the mare tolerated. Lyra sighed and turned away, loping toward the east with Windfola.

~~~~~~~

A few days later, Perseus was laughing jovially with Jason and Denna.

”That’s not a good joke at all.” he said in between giggles.

”Then why are you laughing?” his Lieutenant smirked.

”Pfft. Because of how bad it was.” Denna said with a shake of her head.

Lark and Starling approached the three friends, their stomachs swaying beneath them as they walked.

”I scent mares heading this way.” Lark said, tossing her head in the direction the scents were coming from.

”Yeah, and I dunno but...something feels weird.” Starling added, pawing at the ground. ”Like...ominous.”

Percy titled his head at this. ”Ominous? I’m sure they’re just weary travelers.” he said with a smile, trying to comfort the obviously shaken mare.

Starling attempted a smile before heading back to the main herd with Lark.

”Jace, you stay here. I’m going to see if I can meet them halfway.” Percy said as he trotted off.

It wasn’t long before Percy caught the mares’ scents and his eyes widened. They both smelled shockingly familiar. Could it be…?

As he crested the ridge, he looked down into the valley to see the two mares approaching. They both looked exhausted and bedraggled and definitely familiar.

”Lyra!” Percy called happily as he raced to meet them.

His niece lifted her head and looked up, crying out at the sight of him. The two met and embraced, having been so long since seeing one another.

”My you’ve grown! Jensen would be so proud. And Windfola! It’s so good to see you, too.” Percy said beaming.

His smile faded slowly at their silence and obvious distress. ”Is everything...ok?” he asked.

”Is my father around? I w-want to tell you both together.” Lyra said with a gulp/.

Percy’s ears fell and he slumped. ”No...I haven’t seen him in...a very long time.” he sighed, looking away. ”I’m sorry, but he left the herd seasons ago.”

Lyra’s face was shocked. ”He...he left his herd?” she whispered.

Percy nodded. ”Yes...he did. No one knows where he’s gone, either. I’m very sorry.” Percy repeated.

Lyra shook her head and glanced at Windfola, who looked crushed all over again.

”My son…” she said softly, looking away.

”Uncle...there’s...something I have to tell you.” Lyra plucked up her courage and gritted her teeth. ”Grandpa...Breigo...is dead.”

Percy’s jaw dropped and it felt as though his stomach had leapt into his throat and dropped to the ground at the same time. The world seemed to spin and his head ached. He couldn’t grasp what Lyra had just told him.

”No…” he murmured, voice soft. ”No. Not father.” he shook his head, trying to clear it and also deny what she had said.

”There was an accident. A mudslide.” Lyra finished quickly, wanting this over.

A choked sound escaped Percy’s lips and he took a step away from the two mares. Jaw working, he gaped multiple times before words finally came out.

”You both must be exhausted...come with me back to my herd.”

~~~~

The next day, the news still didn’t seem real. Percy had dark hollows under his eyes from being awake all night. All the mares of the herd offered their condolences. Denna mourned with him, having seen Breigo as a surrogate father, never having known her own. Jason did his best to comfort her, but knew she needed her space right now.

”I’m going to go back with Windfola and Lyra.” Percy said groggily. ”I’m going to see if their lead needs help during this...time…”

”No. I’ll go.” Jason said, making up his mind. ”The herd needs to here, Perseus. I’ll go back with them and help as best I can.

Percy didn’t have the energy to argue, just hung his head and nodded. He didn’t think he could face his old family. Not with so many new faces and without his father there…

”Thank you.” he managed to say.

Jason nodded, stepping up to wrap his neck around Percy’s in a quick embrace. He turned to Denna and nuzzled her cheek lovingly. ”I’ll be back before you have a chance to miss me.” he said with a small smile.

Denna sniffled and nodded, nuzzling him back.

Without further goodbyes, Jason left with Windfola and Lyra, leaving heavy hearts to mend behind him.