[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft]Scar Tissue wasn't the kind of buck who'd ever thought he'd be in love - largely because he wasn't the kind of buck who'd ever thought he'd find it. He was quiet, and shy; he kept to himself. He had a head full of thoughts - fears - he couldn't say, and so he didn't say much. He was nervous, and skittish. He kept to himself.

And then he met a doe with nightingale's eyes.

This was their third clutch together, and if it wasn't love - well, it was precious to him, whatever it was.

And so he crept out of his hiding places to seek a blessing.

Because - three times.

It was high time.

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright]Beauty Past Compare had been busy tossing her hair at anyone who would even vaguely look over after being BlessedTM by the Motherfather, but also had started to think that perhaps she should balance her good-bad meter by trying to do her Motherfather-given duty. Sometimes, she had heard, a Swamp-touched kin could just tell that someone needed help. It seemed somewhat invasive, this instinct, and all the more she found a gossipy interest in it.
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However, Beauty was beginning to tire of the legwork involved in trying to do her Motherfather-given duty, and even her loving companions (that she dragged along) Snowy, Bottom and Long Bottom were getting rather whiny about the whole affair.

As she counter-whined them, she suddenly felt an impulse to look over.

Well, it was a buck and he certainly wasn't pregnant, but there was no harm in investigating, was there?

So she trotted over, dogs in tow, and said, "yoo hoo," in her pleasantly sexy voice.

The dog was alright. The doe was...alright. But the...others...especially the one with lots of little legs.

It was happening. He was seeing things again.

Scar Tissue backed away into the bushes until there was nothing to be seen of him, except perhaps his bright pink horns.

Beauty was immediately terribly indignant because she used her pleasantly sexy voice. Who was this buck who thought he could slight her like this?! She stomped right up to the bushes - yes, the ones with a peek of his bright pink horns.

"What's wrong?" she said, in her pleasantly sexy voice, which now had a tone of menace and a hint of threat.

"Oh no," came the voice from the bushes, "they're talking to me."

"And you would do well to answer," she said both sniffily and aggressively, the indignation washing over her soft face. Her dogs looked at each other, before Long Bottom started to snuffle into the bushes' leaves.

"Yes, right," he said, rather hollowly as the monstrous nightmare creature began to snuffle around his legs, "well, there's not a lot wrong other than all these horrific hallucinations right now, actually. For once, it's more what's right.

"There's this wonderful doe, and - well, we're having babies again for the third time. Isn't that magical?

"It's just too bad I'm still losing my mind."

"Horrific hallucinations?!" her voice rose in impressive octaves, which drove her dogs a little deeper into the bush - and her as well, for Beauty's head shoved straight into the bush and yanked the buck right out in her jaws.

"Your 'wonderful doe' wouldn't have a patch on Beauty Pa -" and she stopped, because she was good now, and the Motherfather was watching all the time.

"How dare you speak ill of my pups," she settled on, growling a little, "they're just friendly. Congratulations on your babies. Whaddya want for a blessing."

"They're dogs?"

Scar Tissue squinted at the horrifying creatures with some incredulity, the shock of that revelation causing him to momentarily discard the trauma of his violent evacuation from the bush.

Well.

The little white one looked like a dog.

He supposed he could...

...sort of see...

...how the little brown one might look like...

...a bipedal dog...with backward paws.

And a beak.

And...

...the long one...

He had to stop looking.

Wait.

What was that she said?

"A blessing?" he repeated, strongly repressing the memory of having looked at the multi-legged creature much too closely, "you are a Legendary?!"

Beauty was watching him peer at her dogs rather primly and grimly, waiting for an untoward phrase or two, but he seemed...wise? enough to avoid it as he finally looked away from Longbottom. That would do.

Then he had to go and question her legendary credentials. Ah! How one suffered for their swampgod!

"Glowing eyes, Motherfather-blessed luscious hair, and all this natural Beauty Past Compare?" she gestured at herself, irate, but forebearingly calm.

"Yes???" Well, perhaps not so calm, "you'd best figure out what you'd like for your third time 'round before this offer expires."

"Yesma'am!"

Scar Tissue was a bundle of neuroses and ills, but he was not stupid - if a Legendary was going to accost him so quickly into his journey, he was absolutely going to avail himself of her services, then quickly turn tail and run home to nurse a nervous breakdown over the terrible things he had seen this day.

"Please, could you bless them with happiness and health; with none of my ailments, but all their mother's grace. I humbly thank you.

"And your hair," he thought fit to meekly add a compliment, "is really luscious."

She listened carefully, as she had learnt to do, and smiled her cute little bunny-doggy smile at his conclusion.

"Thank you," she accepted gracefully, with satisfaction.

She shook out her hooves. The very first time! She would've been nervous, but she had done this so many times before, and even for the Motherfather! No recital would have been more important than that one. He probably didn't deserve half as much as she had given the Motherfather. She was a professional though, so no shortcuts. Her first blessing would be as excellent as any of her performances. (But if it weren't, at least there was only one witness.)

First, the ululations spilled out of her mouth (a wee warmup), then her rich voice called out to the Motherfather in joyous, warbling praise:

"oh, Motherfather, oh, heed this stupid buck's plea!
Oh, heed thy children's plea,
for they do propagate, not one, but thrice, verily!
For their children in clutch three,
let them be hale and hearty and happy,
just like Mother, not like...he!

Aaaaiiiieeeeeee"

Then she fell to the ground dramatically, and extended one, lone, reaching leg up to the sky. A brilliant finish!

At first, he was afraid she might have been having a seizure, but it quickly became clear the blessing had been done.

"Thank you - thank you so much! That was..." he hesitated just a moment, "astounding. I shall never forget it.

"Nor your kindness," he hastily added, "may you and your...dogs...have a good day!"

And then he quickly ran home to have that nervous breakdown.

Beauty Past Compare decided she was happy enough with his awed gratitude, and rose to her feet, dogs crowding her heels once more. As much as it ended happily, she felt she was not of the disposition to chase blessing candidates, given her vaulted role in the Swamp. It would perhaps behoove her more to find a lovely little patch of land to lounge in, and let others call in and ask for her favour. Surely that would be a more graceful way to bless.

It was with these little thoughts that she wandered away to scout potential locations, her pets trailing - some more than others, behind her.

END