The sound of hooves against earth was one Fritter knew well. The noise reminded him of his own heartbeat - heavy, rhythmic, and slightly muffled. This was a fitting comparison - his heart beat with the spirit of the forest around him, and he was born of the earth beneath his cloven toes. He had woodland air in his lungs and when he wept, he wept water from the streams he drank from. He was made of Earth.

Ka-thump. Ka-thump. Ka-thump.

When the taur came upon the single clear brook that wound its way through the area, he halted his canter, gazing at his own reflection. He had glossy fur, strong hooves, and was only missing a few parts - he still had a good arm left, and that was more than enough, especially since he had four legs! He was suitable for work and he thought himself approachable enough to converse with. Though despite his normal appearance, Fritter had always been something of a rarity. He was of mixed blood, and any union between differing taur villages was quite the taboo. Sure, there were some that considered such thinking outdated, but for the most part, Fritter was an outcast in taur society; not wholly fitting in with any group of his own kind. He grunted and resumed his swift but steady pace, wetting his fetlocks in the water as he went.

Ka-thump. Ka-thump. Ka-thump.

Fritter had long ago stopped caring about being the subject of sideways glances and petty gossip. Even so, how could he have prevented the loneliness than had begun to leak into the corners of his life? A taur is a social creature, and it had only been natural for him to crave attention, companionship. Just like the breath of the forest, the desire to have a family was in his blood, and no amount of convincing himself he was fine all alone could have stopped him from finding one.

With one final thump, Fritter came to a complete stop in a mossy area beneath an overhanging ledge where a web of old tree roots provided shade from the warm early Autumn sun. He ducked beneath a particularly large root and lowered himself to the ground, exhaling deeply in relief. This was his favorite place in the woods. Peaceful, cool, quiet. If he hadn't known any better, Fritter might have thought he was completely alone...

As if on cue, a familiar dim light glowed from behind a clump of chicory. And another, beneath a fern leaf. And another, and another, and another. Fritter grinned knowingly, his ears standing up as his friends began to reveal themselves one by one - his pixie friends. They immediately circled him, enveloping him in a cloud of high-pitched chatter.

"Aw, am I late? 'M real mighty sorry I am, I ran into one of those 'umans on the way 'ere! Right arse 'e was, tryin'a fish in my stream! I knocked 'im in the water real nice, stole his pack too!" This information was met with a round of delighted giggles, and Fritter's ears twitched proudly. "Look what he 'ad in there, too! Poetry! isn't that jus' a fine bit o' luck, huh? 'Ere, listen to this one..."

As the tiny creatures crowded in closer to listen to the fisherman's poems, Fritter couldn't help but smile. Sure, his family was tiny and winged, but it was his, and it was as good as any.

Pet Treasure

Hippie Hemp Bag

Lock of Pixie Hair

Carved Antique Pipe

Autumnal Wreath

Orange Moth Orchid Stem

Red Carnation

Autumn Leaf Bouquet

Red Zinnia

Connected Dotty Bug

Violet Snow Fairy

Entranced Violet Snow Fairy

Pink and White Gladiola

Blue Lachenalia

Pixie Dust

Blue Babble Flower

Bluegreen Snow Fairy

Subeta Cola Fairy

Snow Fairy

Pixie Wing

Entranced White Snow Fairy

White Snow Fairy

White Tulip

White Crocus

Yellow Snow Fairy

White and Orange Daffodil

Woodland Following

Blades of Grass

Green Snow Fairy

Pet Friends