The Enchanted Path (Book 1 of the Dreamfarers' tales)

Chapter 8 - Troublemakers

"I still can't believe that you gave up so quickly! It was your chance to know what's in that cave and you surrendered!"

"I did not!"

"Did too! I'm certain he would have conceded if only you'd insisted a little more...he adores you."

Dianthus and Cassidy strolled along the river, discussing the unicorn's latest talk with his father about 'the place'. Cassidy had been quite disappointed hearing the negative response —especially when she learned that she had been kept away from the cave on purpose, even if neither Dianthus nor his father had used those precise words. She didn't care that much, but any restriction made her itchy per se.

However, the way Cassidy had spoken that last statement put Dianthus on alert, although he didn't know why.

"Perhaps, but if Mom says no, he will not antagonize her," Dianthus reminded her. "And I've been bothering her for days about it. Neither she nor my father are going to yield if I ask them one more time. It's no use."

"A pity, if I say so myself," Cassidy sighed. "We were almost there."

Dianthus looked at her with a knowing smile. "You seem awfully eager to get in trouble, no matter how or why."

The filly shrugged. "Nothing ever happens in this forest. You know..." she threw her head up to the cerulean sky. "...I can't wait to turn six moons old and leave."

Dianthus shut himself in baffled silence for a few seconds. She can't be serious, can she? he asked himself. She doesn't know much more of the world out there than I do—maybe less, since I left the forest on a week-long journey to meet a griffin.

Something nudged him in the shoulder.

"Uh?"

"Hey, you okay?" Cassidy furrowed her brow in concern. "You spaced out all of a sudden and wouldn't answer me."

"Uh oh, I apologize. What were you saying?"

"I was asking if you ever feel any rebellious instinct," she said, rolling her eyes.

Dianthus gave her a blank look. "Cassidy, you have enough rebellious instinct for both of us." The pegasus groaned at that and Dianthus continued. "If you are still talking about the place affair, I don't see how pushing my luck and my parents' patience —don't give me that look, I'm serious— would be useful to something but having myself grounded and you banned from Willowglade...or need I remind you how it went with the manticore?"

"It was one time! Are you going to rub it in my face every time I try and convince you to embrace the dark side?" Cassidy retorted sarcastically.

Dianthus gave her a sly smile. "Does it work?"

"Just shut up!" The filly laughed and gave him a playful shove.

Dianthus snickered, and the two sat down by the riverbank.

"Dianthus, you are stubbornly candid," Cassidy stated, sighing dramatically.

"I'm white," he merely said.

Cassidy shook her head, wondering for a moment if he was sarcastic or serious.

"Seriously, my parents would give their flight feathers for a foal like you!"

Ah. So, this is it, Dianthus thought, looking at her. Cassidy had her gaze turned elsewhere. I had the feeling that something was off today.

"Don't speak like that," he said calmly. "It's not true."

Cassidy didn't reply and kicked a stone in the river.