Our Forever

Chapter 19: Secrets

Morningstar eagerly lead the way to where her sire seemed to go to a lot with her mother to have "secret talks" that Morningstar wasn't even supposed to know about. "Hey Blackleaf, How did you get your name?" Spiderangel asked with open curiosity and suspicion. Morningstar gave her sister a stern glance. Spiderangel had no right to be suspicious of Blackleaf. He seemed innocent enough to Morningstar. Blackleaf answered anyway after a brief pause. "Actually, I was named after Morningleaf. My father admires her a great deal." He winced, as if saying that about his sire hurt him. "Ah yes, that reminds me. Who are your parents?" Spiderangel asked with even more suspicion. Blackleaf faltered at the question but regained his wings quickly. Morningstar decided to help him and end this. "Spiderangel, stop making him uncomfortable. Can't you see he's tired?" Morningstar said. Blackleaf gave her a grateful look and she smiled in return. "Oh, I wasn't trying to make him uncomfortable," she said with a fake shocked expression. "unless, of coarse, he has something to hide. But of coarse I'm sure he doesn't." She gave Blackleaf a look with a meaning that Morningstar couldn't make out. But Blackleaf seemed to, because he looked away quickly. Morningstar tried to figure out what the look had meant, but in a few moments they were flying into the glade. "This is the place! Everybody land!" Morningstar said cheerfully. Sure enough, once she had landed and steadied herself Morningstar saw Star and Morningleaf standing together deep in conversation on the other side of the glade. "Mother!" Morningstar called. "Father! There is a new refugee that wishes to speak with you!" Her parents' heads shot up with alarm in unison. When they saw it was only their fillies and a young colt and they had heard nothing, they exchanged smiles and came over. "So, I'm assuming you know who I am. (Not to sound braggy!) What's your name?" Morningleaf asked in a kind voice. Blackleaf pawed the ground nervously, although Morningstar had no idea why. "Actually, I think you may know who I am too. I'm Blackleaf. I came here seeking refuge." Morningleaf gasped and Star pinned his ears at this news. "Why did you come here? What do you want?" Star Asked almost fiercely. Morningstar had never seen her sire so angry before, and it frightened her. "Father, don't be angry. Blackleaf said he wants to be part of our Herd and he thinks his parents are mean." Morningstar said, without realizing how meaningful the parent part would be. Morningleaf seemed relieved, but not anywhere near as much as Star. "Oh, okay. That changes things. Sorry if I scared you there Blackleaf." Blackleaf released a breath he had apparently been holding in. "It's okay. I'm sorry I startled you like that with my identity." Star laughed. "I think I'm going to like you. I wouldn't have expected that a few minutes ago." He said with a grin at Blackleaf. Morningleaf spoke to her two fillies. "Morningstar, Spiderangel, do you mind leaving for a moment? Daddy and I want to ask Blackleaf a few boring questions." Morningstar shrugged. "Okay Mommy." So after waiting outside the glade for a few minutes, the trio finally emerged from the ring of trees. Morningstar was at her father's side in an instant. "Can I play with Blackleaf Daddy?" Star hesitated, then smiled I'm reluctant defeat. "Go right ahead." "Thank you!" Morningstar said sweetly before taking Blackleaf's wing and hiding behind a bush out of ear-shot of Spiderangel. "What are we doing back here?" Blackleaf asked. "Have you ever heard of the game "exchange-the-secrets"?" Morningstar asked instead of answering. "No, I haven't. Well, that's probably because I'm not allowed to play games at home- I mean, where I used to live." His wings slumped for the whole last part. Morningstar gasped. "You weren't allowed to play games?" Blackleaf's face got so sad that Morningstar decided to change the topic slightly. "Well then, I guess this one will be your first! Here are the rules: one of us asks the other to tell a secret of that one's choosing, and the other has to tell it. We go back and forth until we have told five secrets each. Do you want me to go first so you get it?" "Um, sure." Blackleaf said nervously. Morningstar had a perfect thing in mind. "Blackleaf, what's your biggest secret?"