Wingbeats

2: Probable Pegasus

It was all I could do to not squeal in terror and go running off like a ninny. I forced myself to stand perfectly still and attempt to reason with the situation, which as a six month old filly, my mind held about two rational options. It was real, or surely it was just a dream brought on by some seriously bad hay.

I kicked myself. The pain registered sharply, but I didn't wake up- definitely not a dream then.

But how could this be possible?! Pegasi didn't exist! They were mythical! ...right?

Trembling with confused terror, I approached the little creature. It was a boy upon further examination (button it, when one needs to figure things out quickly, they go for the obvious! And it's not like horses had a taboo on it or anything), definitely a boy and his wings were so tiny I was sure that if the keepers were to come back they wouldn't have noticed his them.

I would have to alert them to the mythological mayhem existing in my corral, but just as I made up my mind to squeal for help, the little pegasus did something strange, he looked up at me with deep brown eyes from his spot the ground.

"Angel, don't leave." His voice was soft, warm and tender as he tried to wriggle himself over to me.

Somehow, this little guy knew who I was, and, as scared of him as my instincts said I should be, I felt drawn to protect him. It was almost as if he was my little brother, which was odd since I didn't even know my own real identity, but somehow I knew deep in my gut that he was a part of it.

Right then and there I decided it would be my job to raise him and take care of him. No one would touch him as long as I was around.

...

The next morning I instructed my new little brother to tuck his wings in tight against his sides and keep out of sight of my caretakers. My gut told me

they shouldn't know about his existence, and I followed it.

I carried on the day as usual, and when nightfall came I lay down next to him, letting him snuggle into my ribs. Even though all was peaceful, and the keepers hadn't seemed too worried about the little guy, I felt extremely uneasy and I had a hard time drifting off. My dreams were normal enough once I was asleep but I woke at probably two in the morning to feel my little brother shivering, his eyes wide in fear.

"That's them over there," a gruff voice murmured and I looked up to see two men staring directly at us over the fence; one of them was staring right at my back, transfixed and I turned my neck to look at what was so mesmerizing to him upon my spine.

I found, to my shock, a pair of gleaming white down wings that had never been there before.

I would later learn that female pegasi gained their wings exactly six months after birth as opposed to males, who were born with theirs. Once that six month mark passed, both genders had the exact same wing development.

Odd, but not really if one considers that we're discussing pegasi who are mythical to begin with.

I squealed in shock, but apparently the men hadn't heard my scream as a plea for help, because one of them raised a gun and fired twice. Presently, I felt a sharp pain in my neck and by the time the drugs took affect I had started to get up, but it was too late, my little brother snorted and his eyes rolled up as head flopped to the ground. I was about to scream again but before I knew it my mind lost all focus and I sank slowly into unconsciousness.

"Bag' em," one of the men said as I lost my grip on what was going on "testing begins tomorrow, and the lab workers want them ready." His words sent one more jolt of fear racing through my veins before I passed out.