With her first order of business taken care of, Impazienza allowed herself a time of reflection and stood by herself at the base of the mountain. Summer was approaching, but it was coming slowly, as spring often took its time slipping into the hottest season. It was nothing like winter, which snapped into existence overnight and set its teeth into everything, hanging onto the world for months and months and months before it was torn away from spring’s gentle breath. Impa snorted and shook her head, dislodging flies and other pests with the motion while her tail slapped at particularly persistent bugs. The last time she had paid that much attention to seasons was when she was a girl, young at heart and in body and still full of silly, wistful dreams of winter afternoons at her father’s side.

Now she was a grown woman, mature and independent and perfectly capable, thank you, of functioning without her sire. She had proven that to herself today, and for the first time in all her life Impa felt proud of who she was. The idea that she was Kisei’s daughter was foreign to her now, and although she longed to find her father and obtain closure with him, her attention had sharpened to focus on the mares of the Islands. Having looked outside herself, Impa found it difficult to retreat back in. She could look for her father later, when she had time, but for now all of her energy would be spent for the good of the Peak and the mares who lived there.

Impa drew in a deep breath and looked away from her home. There was much to be done. The blanketed mare turned inward and headed up the moderate slope of the Peak. She whistled, a high and long sound, as she beckoned for Mouse. Her right ear no longer ached as fiercely as it had, and she knew that in a day, maybe two, it would cease throbbing entirely. Her ribs and barrel still felt bruised when she walked, as did her shoulder, but she was in an exceptionally good mood as she looked for her grulla friend. “Mouse!” she called, though her voice couldn’t reach as far as a whistle had. She jigged a few steps forward with restless energy and then stopped, glancing all about the grassy incline in search of her friend.