Sheltering Hooves sat in the cuddle pile with her partners for awhile, consoling them both after the unpleasant altercation they had just been a part of. Phil was still unable to hold back tears, so Shelter new she was going to have to do something and do it fast. After thinking for a few moments, a light bulb went off in her head.

“I think what Philia shared with us today was as eye-opening as it was uncomfortable. We all love each other, that’s something we can never doubt. However, I think its time we share a little bit more about ourselves.”

“Well,” Minstrel cleared his throat. “I’ve already told you haven’t I? Mother’s dog bit me so I poisoned his food. That was the beginning of it all.”

However, his eyes began to dart around the room as he said this. Almost like he was hiding something.

Shelter was very much a motherly figure, even towards her lovers. So when Minstrel spat out this obvious lie, she stared him down.

“Minstrel, you’re a child murderer. There’s no way you go from dogs to foals just like that. You also know how I feel about liars.”

Minstrel scowled and tilted his head towards Phil, who still had tears running down his face. “Do you really want me to get into this now?” He hissed. “Make him feel WORSE?”

Shelter simply nodded. She knew exactly what she was doing, and she didn’t plan on letting Minstrel weasel his way out of this one like he often did with everything else.

Minstrel let out a deep sigh and groaned, just stalling even further.

“Well if you must know, it all started with my younger brother, Dulcimer Taffy.”

Phil made a noise in shock. “You KILLED your BROTHER?”

“Calm doooownn!” Minstrel purred almost grossly, clearly not seeing this as nearly as big a big deal as the others did. Shelter let out a deep sigh as she could already forsee how this conversation was going to go.

“When he came around he got all the attention. My mothers no longer gave me the love I so desperately needed. So I took desperate measures! Can you really blame me?”

“Desperate measures??” Phil sat up, looking him in the eye with a sharp glare. “What ‘desperate measures’ could POSSIBLY warrant killing a CHILD?”

“He. Got. In. The. Way!” Minstrel hissed out, almost snapping his teeth at Phil as the pair often did. “I wasn’t getting what I wanted!”

“That’s what Mother said about SWAN LAKE!” Phil screamed back. The three of them went silent as the changeling panted lividly.

Shelter was the first to speak up, prying Phil off of Minstrel.

“Dearest? Who is Swan Lake?”

Phil’s furious expression immediately softened at her mention of the name, into one of…sorrow and longing.

“Swan Lake was my friend. From long, long ago…”