Une Nuit Étoilée

All you had ever known was this. The lush grass covering everything from the hills to the woods. The wide open sky above your head, the sound of the wind rustling the leaves in the trees. The safety of your herd, every pony a member of your little family. Your cousins; other foals you played with from sunrise to sunset. Your mother’s smell, warm and comforting. From time to time, strange upright creatures with spindly legs - people, humans your herdmates would call them - would come and offer you sweet morsels. They would call you Étoile. This was all you had ever known, and you were happy.

Each day, the sun would peek over the horizon and would make its way slowly across the sky only to lay down again once its course was complete. Your play would get quieter in the dark of night, as the excitement of every day made your young body grow tired and heavy. Days passed, growing shorter and bringing a chill on the breeze. Seasons changed. The trees went from imposing and green to barren, twisted sticks. Sometimes, cold and airy white rain would fall and sprinkle the ground - snow, you learned. 

Your body changed too; you became bigger and stronger, and your soft baby coat shed away. From it, lighter, glossy hair grew. Your mane and tail grew longer. You thought you were nearly as pale as the moon - maybe one day you would fly high enough to run with the stars you were named after. Your mother said you looked just like your father. 

But one day, everything changed. The people came again, and you trotted up to the pasture’s fence with your tail held high in greeting. However rather than handing you the expected treats like they always had before, they passed a long rope over your face. They wrenched you away from your little corner of paradise. You called and called for your mother. You could hear her respond at first, until her voice gradually grew fainter. The humans hushed you and stroked your neck gently as they led you away, but you were unconsolable. 

The two people brought you to a new pasture. A row of curious ponies gathered around as you were brought inside and released from your bindings. As soon as the humans moved away, the other teddies all came closer to sniff at you. Getting excited, it was not long before they coaxed you into joining them in a happy gallop around the meadow. Your new herdmates were all older than you, but they were kind. In the days that followed, a few of your cousins - only the other colts - were brought to join your new group as well. You were still sad to be without your mother, but glad you were not alone. 

You stayed with the group of bachelors for some time. Of all the others, your coat was the brightest. The humans returned every once in a while just like they had done before. They seemed to like your creamy fur patched in white. You were a bit wary of them after the last time, but they did not try to take you away from your friends again. Sometimes, they would entice you with treats and put the same string over your face, only to pamper you then let you go. They usually did the same with the other youngest members of your group - catching, brushing, releasing. Other times, they would lead you out of the pasture in pairs and walk you up a long path before returning you to your pastures.  You were unsure of their motives, but their antics appeared harmless enough.

Several months later, a strange woman came and stood outside of the paddock with the two humans you were used to seeing. Her long mane was as fiery as the sunset. With your herdmates in tow, you calmly walked up to the people to investigate. The lady beamed at you as you passed your neck over the fence. She offered you her palm, in which sat a brown ball that smelled heavenly. One of your smaller friends stretched his lip to grab at it, but with a stomp and your ears pinned you snatched the treat from the human’s grasp first. The sweetness was nearly overwhelming as you chewed - never had you tasted something quite like it! 

‘’Looks like he’s got some sass!’’ the lady chuckled, petting your nose . ‘’That he does! Lately it seems like Étoile has become the boss of the group’’, one of the familiar humans replied. With no more delicacy in sight and your curiosity satisfied, your and your group’s interest in the newcomer drifted off and you all returned to grazing while the three continued to exchange words. Eventually, the red-maned human followed one of yours into the meadow, a rope in hand. They pulled it over your head and brought you to the fence where they tied the other end of it. The lady picked up a brush and stroked your pale coat in long, pleasant strokes. You felt your eyes growing heavy. Then, you watched as she combed your tail before weaving a blue ribbon in it.

‘’For tradition’s sake’’ she said with a smile. Then, she untied the string from the wooden post and led you out of the pasture. The two other humans followed. You had a feeling that your life was about to shift again…