Finally.

Şahin couldn’t help but speed up again when they were only a few paces away from his home. He refused to include the jungle in Paradise: give him wide open plains where the wind could roll freely through the grass any day, not tight, cramped spaces. And no bugs. Flies were bad enough and afflicted all of the islands. He had no interest in attracting bigger, nastier insects by barging into their home again. Şahin shuddered his golden coat involuntarily and stepped off the beach and onto the warm, soft soil of his home. He stopped a few feet in and turned to face Sable head-on.

“It’s a shame you didn’t leave the best for last,” he said, and even though he grinned when he said it, the Nez-Perce was only half-joking. Paradise certainly lived up to its name in that moment: the wind tousled the grass and the palm trees whispered against each other. When a horse stood and looked across the sun-warmed territory it was easy to believe, at least for a little bit, that conflict and pain had ceased to exist in the world. Şahin liked to think those who lived with him were happy, if not content. He certainly was.

The stallion sighed, still smiling, and continued, “There’re three other islands out there, but you said you’ve been to the Falls? In my opinion you’ve already seen the best these lands have to offer.” He laughed and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m not normally so immodest. It’s just very, very good to be back home. So.” Şahin took a deep breath to compose himself. “Is it adventure you’re looking for? Or what prompted you to start traveling?”