[Bless] New Flowers for the Garden [Breathtaking/Real Big Fish]

[Ruriska]

Breathtaking wasn’t surprised to realize she was pregnant. Not after the time she had enjoyed attention of the handsome purple buck that had wooed her so thoroughly. She even missed him and wondered that if she went back to find him would he want to continue their relationship.

But before she sought him out, she first found her mother, and as they tended to the older doe’s garden together, pulling weeds in the gentle sun and chatting idly, Breathtaking let slip that she was expecting.

“Oh!” Pleasant exclaimed with eyes wide and filled with delight. “How wonderful!”

Breathtaking dipped her head in a shy smile. It was rather wonderful.

“We shall have to prepare! A new soft bed, lots of food and if we’re lucky we’ll find a legendary to bless them. You’re going to be such a good mother.”

Oh right, a blessing? Breathtaking wasn’t too keen on travelling far but it would be worth it to ensure her pregnancy went well. She looked round the flower garden that Pleasant had planted as she raised her own foals, fondness in her heart.

Her children would be happy here, she was certain of it. Just like she had been.

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Fish spotted them from a mile away, two tiny pastel dots just glowing with excitement. She rolled in the thermal, her eagle-shape such fun to occupy. The dive wasn’t steep, but it was long, and it gave her time to think. Two does, both in the throes of preparing. One older, one younger. Probably not a couple? She certainly wasn’t going to make any assumptions.

The great bird landed and watched them for a moment, judging their reaction. It was a shame they weren’t on the water- normally she asked those she blessed to go fishing with her. Although… perhaps these two would be willing to… travel, just a little. There was a stream not far from here, at least as the eagle flew.

Oh, right. Eagle. Shaking her feathers, she exploded into her native Totoma-shape. “So, who am I congratulating?”

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

It wasn’t unusual for birds of many different species to visit Pleasant's garden but this was the first time either of them had seen anything quite so impressive as an eagle.

“Do you see that?” Asked Breathtaking, quite breathless. “Isn’t it lovely?”

“Oh it’s simply gorgeous!” Pleasant replied.

And then- “Ah!” they yelled in unison as the eagle turned into a rather large Totoma right in the middle of Pleasant's pansies.

It took them both a moment to recover, with Pleasant managing to find words first, a stumbling, “h-her, my daughter!"

"Me?" Breathtaking looked bemused.

Pleasant beamed, previous experience having clued her in to who this newcomer must be. "Yes, how lucky you are! A legendary has arrived just for you."

"Ooooh! Yes, I'm the one!"

Both does were smiling now and looking expectantly at the Totoma.

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Oh they were sweet things, sweet precious things, the both of them. A mischievous thought entered Fish’s head. You could learn so much about a new parent from the way they fished with you– what they were like, what dreams they had, and most importantly, what their children would need. But perhaps the response to a gussied-up fish story of an invitation would tell her all she needed to know here.

“Tell me,” she said sternly. “Would you be willing to undertake a perilous journey with me, traversing hills and forests, fighting our way through swarms of stinging insects, all for the sake of the lives within? Would you dare to leave this peaceful place and face down the uncertainty of the wild, if it meant protecting those you carry? Would you face crashing rapids, ford the wildest rivers, and fight your way through rain and sleet and dark of light if it meant prosperity for your young ones? Though the journey may be long and treacherous, would you undertake it?”

She stared down at them- not to make them feel small, but she was enormous and looked down on literally everyone she knew. “Well, would you?”

[Ruriska]

As the Totoma spoke, both smiles had slowly faded away, replaced instead by concerned frowns. Pleasant seemed particularly stricken but Breathtaking was quiet as she contemplated what the enormous Legendary was asking of her.

Breathtaking was very much a flower that liked to stay rooted. Yes, it was nice to wander away now and again to meet new kin but she preferred to stay close to home where everything was quiet and safe. She didn’t like being tired or hungry or sore.

However... what she preferred was secondary to ensuring her unborn offspring started off their lives in the very best way possible. And surely some of her Kiokote genetics would help her push through the worst of it. Supposedly they were meant to be good at running, not that she’d ever run a day in her life.

She looked up sombrely and answered, “I would, I will.”

“Don’t worry,” Pleasant assured her daughter, though her brow was creased with worry. “I’ll come with you.”

They shared a glance and then Breathtaking looked back at the Totoma once more, her head lifted determinedly. “When do we start?” 

@Scaramouche Fandango

[Scaramouche Fandango]

“Excellent!” she boomed. The obvious love between mother and daughter was touching, and it was encouraging to see just how far these two were willing to go. “Very good! I’m glad you’re willing to go so far! I definitely won’t have to bless these little ones for willpower or tenacity… or courage. They’ll get all that from you. Now, come with me- our perilous journey will take us… oh, about a quarter mile, to that creek to the east. We’re going to go get some fish, and then we’ll hang them to dry so that you’ll have ready access to protein during the early days. Eggs take a lot of energy to make, and you’ll need all the protein you can get.” She chuckled, touching her nose to both Kiokote does in turn. “What I can do for them- and for you- is to bless for plenty. In the days that follow, they’ll never go hungry. Now come on, let’s go fishing.”

[Ruriska]

Breathtaking didn’t feel particularly courageous but she was determined and she was proud to receive praise from the large and powerful Totoma. She steeled herself mentally for the great journey that she was about to undertake, a hard and arduous trek to... the creek?

“Oh,” she said.

Beside her, Pleasant let out a long, relieved breath.

“No perilous journey?” She questioned as their noses touched, the great Totoma towering over her. It took time for her brain to reprocess and let herself relax when just moments before she’d been ready to set off on what would have been a very uncomfortable trip. 

Finally she chuckled. “To be fair, I’m not very good at fishing, so it might be just as hard as the long journey. But I look forward to learning. Thank you. Knowing my children will grow up without hunger is the greatest gift of all.”

“Such a lovely blessing,” Pleasant sighed happily.

“My name is Breathtaking,” she finally introduced herself. “And this is my mother Pleasant. And yes, let’s go fishing!”

@Scaramouche Fandango

[Scaramouche Fandango]

“I’m Real Big Fish,” she said, finally introducing herself as well. “Now let’s go get some!”