---
Her ears twitched. Her tail flicked slowly like the hand of fate tapping out betrayal in Morse code. Her hooves dug into the dirt like she was preparing for emotional combat.
"Zephyr…"
"Fenna…"
"Star… I even let you sneeze on my back and didn't say a word!"
"How could you just… leave me here?! Alone. With the cart! With the CHEESE."
Her cowbell jingled mournfully.
Muse stomped once.
The cart creaked in protest behind her, but she ignored it. She was deep into her internal monologue now.
"I carried your things. I carried your food and tools. I carried Fenna's ridiculously alchemy kit that smells like boiled socks and volcano farts. Did I complain? No! I mooed with honor! I even walked sideways once to dodge a sandworm puddle."
She flared her nostrils. A squirrel darted by and dropped a half-eaten fruit. It bounced off her nose.
She stared at it. Then stared back at the trail.
