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It was a fine, breezy afternoon in the land of the centaurs. Fall had just arrived, and already the tops of the treetaurs were turning orange as the leaves departed and fell down to their wooden toes. The air was crisp with a cool wind, and the local herds were enjoying the day.
There seemed to be one certain herd member that maybe wasn’t enjoying the day just as much. There stood Horse, a mile-long stare in her eyes as she seemed deep in contemplative thought.
Bouncing toward Horse was the pink alpacataur, Wammawink. She immediately caught the fear in Horse’s eyes, and leapt toward her with all of her concern. “Horsey, dear!” She said loudly as she folded her arms around the horse’s neck. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost! Are you alright?” She questioned, holding Horse’s face in her palms as she looked into her glazed over eyes.
“Uh…huh? What?” Horse broke from her trance, locking eyes onto Wammawink’s. She saw the concern in her friend’s eyes and immediately spoke her truth. “Oh, yeah. Well, no.. I think maybe I just witnessed a murder?”
Wammawink dropped Horse’s snout from her hands. “Hwat?!” She exclaimed, “I mean- a what now? That’s not really PG-13..” she pondered.
“Yeah, I-“ Horse paused. “Wait, what?”
Wammawink shook her head with a jingling sound, “Nothing, nothing, uh.. go on?”
Horse shrugged off the other’s weird commentary. “Glendale, she was- slashing and stabbing and, Goose, there were guts and seeds everywhere! That poor plantaur..”
“Plantaur?” Wammawink questioned, “Oh!” Then she giggled to herself. “It wouldn’t have happened to be a.. pumpkintaur, would it?” She asked.
“Yes! Exactly that!” Horse responded. She looked over her shoulder, as if the gore hungry gerenuktaur could be lingering nearby.
Wammawink gave a chuckle, “Why, Horse! That’s just the annual carving of pumpkintaurs we all participate in!” She explained, like it were elementary.
Wammawink put a reassuring hand onto Horse, leading her toward a stray pumpkin patch. “When these little guys here sprout, we take part in the holiday that is ‘Halloween’, by oh- sharing candy, dressing up in silly or spooky costumes, and of course-!” She summoned a small carving knife from who knows where, stabbing into a pumpkin with a fresh slice. “Carving our pumpkintaur friends fresh new faces for the fall season to come!”
Horse watched in astonishment as Wammawink whittled away at the gourd quickly, giving it a toothy grin and a wide set of eyes. “Voi-la! See?” She remarked in a cheery manner, hefting up the pumpkin to show off to her BFFF.
“They love it!” She said, as the Pumpkintaur licked over its fresh new set of orange teeth. Wammawink rubbed her cheek against the pumpkin’s, as it yipped like an excited dog in response.
Horse took a breath of relief, “Oh.. well, that’s cool I guess.” She responded. “Guess I shouldn’t be so quick to judge your uh.. unique traditions.”
“That’s riiight!” Wammawink sang joyfully. “Now, why don’t we go join Glendale and see the fresh new faces she’s carved up for this Autumn, hmm?” She batted her eyelashes at Horse, who blushed in return.
“Ah.. yeah, yeah!” She nodded her head, smiling. “Sounds good, hey, let’s get to it then!” Horse was already on board again, trailing after Wammawink as they headed in Glendale’s direction.
Then, she brought something up, “Say, you said there was.. candy? Is that right?”
Wammawink giggled, “But, of course! And I’ll lead you right to it!”
Horse smiled, “Thanks, Wammawink. And uh- Happy… Ha..Hallow-“ she had to think on it, this term she just learned. “Halloweve?”
Wammawink smiled right on back, giving Horse a reassuring pat. “Happy Halloween, Horse.”