[B] Future at present. (Merry Berry x Peep) -fin-

[Mima]

Well, of course she had to be a little nervous. Could she even be considered sentient if she wasn't? It was one of the most vulnerable times in anyone's life.

That was normal for a first time mother, she'd been told. To be both excited and a bit scared at the same time. Of course, she wasn't exactly sure if she was ready to be a mother, mentally. Physically, she had found enough stuff of various types to fill up the rocky outcropping she had chosen as her temporary place of rest. She'd done so almost immediately upon both realizing and accepting her current state. Dried berries and fish lined one wall, and interesting items like pretty rocks and intricately carved bark pieces rested against the other, just things to keep her busy and content without needing to go out.

It was comfortable. It had everything she could want.

But at the same time...

It was a bit boring, wasn't it?

She wasn't quite sure why she had decided to wander out. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, either. Maybe she could go back and see that fortuneteller once more, and get a read on what was soon to happen? ...No, she'd just seen her, it was doubtful her fortune would change much.

Regardless, she was as filled with wanderlust as always, begging the world to throw something or anything at her to take her mind off things. Or maybe put her mind on things? She could never tell. She left it up to fate.

[Ruriska]

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... ncert3.png[/imgleft]

Fate led her down a particular path and another Acha met her there, prancing over happily, a branch laden with ripe red berries held in her mouth. Peep smiled around her offering and gave a muffled 'herro'.

@Mima 

[Mima]

[imgleft]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... thers2.png[/imgleft]Well, if this was what that fate had to offer...

It could have been a lot worse.

“Hello,” she chimed back, with a gentle dip of her head to the other Acha- something she did out of habit, and probably also respect. In the back of her mind, she did pick up on the faintest hints of symbolism with regards to the berries, but said nothing- only shifting a bit on her hooves as she raised her head again. “And good day to you.”

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

Peep also nodded her head, and then continued the motion down, placing the berries at Merry's hooves.

"For you," she said, giving the other Acha a knowing look. "And your babies. These berries are good for you all."

@Mima

[Mima]

Merry stepped back a bit, pausing to peer at the branch of berries that had been offered to her. As a gift from some kind of kindly spiritual messenger, she was almost tempted to keep them as a curiosity and reminder of her experience- Almost. Well, she could keep the branch they were on, anyway.

“Thank you,” she chimed, a bit sheepishly- “I think I may need all the help that I can get.” Not that she really wanted to admit to that. But what the fortuneteller’s tunes had told her... They implied she’d do better to at least start opening up about her insecurities. Even if it was a little awkward.

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

Mouth now free of its burden, Peep smiled and said, “Oh I wouldn’t be so sure. I think you would do just fine, but just to make sure I’m here to help, in any way you need.”

The Acha was small even for their kind but her presence was large and all-encompassing, like a warm hug. "Tell me what you're worried about most."

@Mima

[Mima]

If she had been on edge before, the weight on her shoulders had lifted just a little now. Though still clearly nervous, something about the dainty Acha's presence before her really did put her somewhat at ease. Her posture relaxed itself a bit as she hooked the branches around one of her horns. "And thanks for the reassurance," she said with another nod.

With a deep breath in and out as she ran through her many thoughts, Merry tried to figure out where she could even start with listing all of her little anxieties about motherhood. "Well, you know... 'Am I really cut out to be a mother?' and all that. I think I'll be alright providing my children with things like food and shelter, but I'm more worried if I can provide them support and values, stuff like that.

"Folks say I'm a bit of an eccentric, and they're probably right. I mean, it's my own fault for being that way." She dug a hoof into the ground, not really drawing anything so much as fidgeting. "And when it comes to myself, I don't let that bother me. I'm okay with being that way. But I don't know if it's really right to be raising foals on my own while still going out and having adventures, and most of all what I would do if they aren't happy with me doing that."

Of course, this was probably an unusual sentiment for an Acha, since most of them were content to spend their time doing whatever they wanted as long as it made them happy. And for the most part, that was true- Merry was absolutely the sort to live her life how she wanted to live it, and the opinions of other kin on that front meant little to her. But it was different when it came to children that she was going to be responsible for- she didn't want to end up neglecting their needs, or stifling their own senses of self. Probably because whenever she thought of it, her mind immediately went to what it would have been like if it had happened to her as a foal.

It was probably too existential a question for any one person to help her with, but that wasn't really the point.

She just wanted to get it off her chest.

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

Throughout the long release of thoughts, Peep remained a quiet comforting presence. Occasionally she nodded or hummed, all the while focused intently on what the doe had to say. There were many fears new mothers harboured and they were all important to work through.

When the doe was finished, Peep spoke, knowing that this was something Merry would have to sort out on her own but hoping to at least help push her thoughts into the right direction.

“The kin that you are, whether some consider you eccentric or strange or different, is wonderful and your children will see that. Be there for them with love and support, speak to them, they will tell you what they’re missing, if anything. Share with them your adventures, spark in them a joy for life. Take each day at a time. You’ll do fine. I know it in my heart.”

Peep’s first clutch had been terrifying. How was she to care for five children on her own, four of them Totoma? They’d needed so much and she’d been bone-weary and exhausted. But at the end of each day, no matter the struggle, she could look at their sleepy faces and it was worth it.

“If you have any need, The Mothers Club will help. We can watch them for you while you travel,” she offered. “But that is for the future. For now, I will bless them. With healthy bodies and open minds ready to see the very best in others.”

@Mima

[Mima]

Merry paused a good long while after Peep spoke, clearly having thoughts of her own. Another problem of hers- she thought too fast, sometimes it seemed like she was thinking so many things at once that they wouldn't all fit in her poor little brain, so they ended up tumbling out of her mouth before she could really mull over what the ramifications were. She would need to work on that, but maybe not now.

Peep was right, though- she probably didn't need to worry as much about her kids thinking of her as strange, because, well... they'd be growing up with her, now wouldn't they? So they'd probably just get so used to her they'd think of all of her quirks as pretty normal. Though... She did wonder how they'd feel about other kin after dealing with her for so long, in that case.

Out of respect, she dipped her head again- for a slightly longer amount of time than the last- as Peep conferred her blessing. "Thank you, again. Assuming it crosses my mind when the time comes," she chuckled lightly despite herself, "I will be sure to find you there, and bring you something I've found on my travels as a proper thanks." A thing, and a story. Those were what she could offer, and so she would.

"But for now," she lifted her head to meet the other Acha's gaze again, a bit wistful at the brevity of their encounter, "I think I had ought to get back to getting things ready for them. Just because I should learn to accept the future as it comes at me doesn't mean I can't prepare myself for things I know for certain are on their way." She needed to find that middle ground- so she could prepare for children, but she could never really be prepared for the specifics of any single child. She would just have to take them as they were.

They'd tell her their dreams and who they were, and she'd move on from there. There was no need to waste too much of Peep's time right now with more of the same.

"With any luck," she glanced over her shoulder back at Peep as she started making her leave, "I'll be seeing you again sometime. We can always talk then, if it suits you."