Please Wonder
Kayson smiled as he brought Jasmine along. He'd left the other two kiddos home; Roman was with them, and Jason and Jackson were still sleeping. He gently snuggled Jasmine close as he walked towards the cobbled fence that separated them from the wild herd of horses; some were gone, already claimed. He smiled.
"What are we doing, mama?" Jasmine asked it quietly, looking up towards Kayson for a moment, staring at the ponies with wide-eyed curiosity. She smiled a little, seeing the mare that had given her snuggles a few days ago. "Are we going to take the pretty pony home?" She asked cheerily, looking up towards her mother. Kayson laughed quietly, snuggling his baby into his chest for a moment before shaking his head, gently setting her onto the cobbled fence, his hand going in front of her and behind her to prevent her from falling.
"We're going to see if she'll let us tie a new ribbon into her mane, you see where her mane is empty?" Kayson gently explained, pointing towards the mare and trying to show his daughter where the mare was grazing with the herd. She moved slowly, keeping her head to the ground. He released a small whistle, and the mare raised her head, staring at them, her ears perking forward with curiosity. She definitely seemed to recognize the young five-year-old child, who seemed to vibrate at being acknowledged.
"So I get to tie the ribbon into her hair this time?!" Jasmine gasped out, her whole body seeming to puff up with the excited inhale she took, an almost squeal escaping her as she reached for the ribbon in her mother's pocket, having seen it earlier. "Please! Mama, I'll be extra extra nice to the pony if you'll let me tie it in her hair, I promise, from the toppest and bottomest of my heart!" Jasmine almost cried, her eyes sparkling as she got the chance to possibly take part in a tradition, one that she didn't quite understand, but there was a little bit there; she knew that she might not get the pony now, that she understood, but it was fun, and she might get a pony!
"Yes, I'm going to let you tie the ribbon; you have to let her come to us first." Kayson gently explained, snuggling his daughter close as they watched Wonderland Romance stare at them, seemingly weighing whether to come over. Jasmine just beamed, staring at the pony with wide eyes. Wonderland Romance eventually started to make her way over, stopping a few times to peck at the grass before finally trotting towards them with a slight vigor. Excited to get some pets and attention from the child, even if she didn't see the other two children.
"Oo, she's coming, Mama, she's coming!" Jasmine breathed, her voice in an excited whisper, clinging the bright pink ribbon to her hands as she leaned back into her mother, smiling ear to ear. Jasmine leaned her weight back into Kayson. Kayson tried not to laugh at his daughter. The mare trotted a bit faster as she saw the child lean, her ears perking up as she eventually arrived, rushing towards them and gently shoving her nose into Jasmine's stomach, nipping softly at her shirt.
Jasmine almost squealed as she giggled at the nibbling, reaching to pet the mare's ears and face before her little mind realized that there was a soft jingling sound in her hand. She looked towards the little bell for a moment before grinning, shoving her face into a slightly confused mare's.
"I'mma tie this ribbon! Can I tie this ribbon? Do you promise you'll be uber-duper nice and let me tie this into your hair?" Jasmine asked brightly, trying not to giggle into the mare's face, her eyes shimmering a bit as she moved back, reaching for the mare's mane a bit fast. Wonderland Romance jolted back slightly, her ears swerved a bit at the quick movement, a bit uncertain about it.
"Just calm down a bit, you're moving awfully fast for the mare. Did you see how fast she moved away?" Kayson gently asked, rubbing a very confused and slightly scared Jasmine's back, the little girl rushing to her Mama when the mare flinched. "We have to move slowly. She might be awfully friendly, but she's still a wild pony, so we have to move carefully and be nice to her." Kayson gently explained, Jasmine staring at the horse for a few moments, Wonderland Romance quick to shove her nose back into the young girl, huffing quietly as she gently nuzzled.
"You're nice." Jasmine tried to speak softly, swallowing hard as she reached for her mane. She moved slowly, trying not to scare the mare. She got told that she scared her! She swallowed hard, gently going to scratch at her neck before finally just wrapping her hands softly around a chunk of mane. Jasmine gently began knotting the bell into the mane, jolting slightly when she accidentally pulled. Wonderland released a low snort, jumping back for just a moment before she relaxed into the child's grasp. "I'm really sorry I scared you, please don't just get it out because I scared you, my brothers like you, so does my Mama." Jasmine gently spoke to Wonderland Romance, the mare snorting quietly as she leaned into Jasmine, softly going to chew at her side. Jasmine giggled at the soft nibbling, reaching to scratch at the mare's neck in return. Kayson snorted.
"Here, let me tie that a bit better, help make sure it doesn't fall out." Kayson gently offered, his voice gentle as he reached towards the mare's mane, being sure to move slowly, before sliding an apple into his daughter's hands, one that he'd snuck along with him, still used to stealing food despite the consistent food that Roman offered. "Give her that while I fix it," Kayson whispered. Jasmine looked up at him with bright eyes before giggling and nodding.
"Here! Do you like apples? I like apples. It tastes really nice." Jasmine cooed happily, smiling as she gently shoved the apple at Wonderland Romance. The mare snorted quietly before leaning her head forward, taking the apple, slowly biting into a chunk before chewing, then snorting quietly. Jasmine smiled, holding the rest of the apple in her hands, her face going a bit red as she tried to hold her breath so that she didn't accidentally squeal and scare the mare while her Mama was tying a ribbon into her mane. Kayson tried to move quickly, gently looping the ribbon into a proper braid rather than just a knot, as his daughter had left it. When he was finished, he backed away slightly, allowing space as Jasmine still held parts of the apple that Wonderland Romance hadn't yet eaten.
"She's eating the apple, Mama, I think he really, really likes it." Jasmine gently breathed, leaning her weight back to stare up at Kayson for just a moment before giggling herself silly, snuggling back into her Mama despite sitting on the stone wall. Wonderland Romance happily leaned forward to continue munching on the apple, taking the last bit and lowering her head from the fence to eat it, her ears perked and alert. Jasmine leaned forward, watching her eat it with a bright expression.
"I think we might need to get going now, Jazzy. Roman is having lunch made, and I really don't need it going cold on you; it's hard enough getting you to eat." A soft, playful tease, Kayson gave his daughter a firm squeeze, his smile bright. Jasmine laughed, snuggling more into her Mama as Kayson finally reached to pick her up. Wonderland Romance raised her head, staring at the two before her ears perked, quickly snatching the last tiny bit of apple before taking off towards her herd, slowing down some so that she could eat the last bit before releasing a loud, excited nicker.
"Let's go eat lunch. I'll have Roman watch out for the pony; maybe she'll come home with us." Kayson gently cooed, Jasmine giggling and nodding, excitedly waving to Wonderland Romance. She may have a pony of her own one day.
