His explanation of the stars makes me gasp. "Painted like me? All black? Or are there horses, blue and velvet, somewhere I just haven’t seen? Or, do you mean horses with stars on their coats?" The possibilities run out of my mouth as quickly as they appear in my mind, one after the other, before I pause and step into deeper water. I tread rhythmically to keep afloat as I add, "The red mare says stars are the souls of the dead. They are esteemed warriors and soldiers, strung up like lights by the gods to guide horses in their darkest hours." I shoot a grin at my golden friend. "I bet she says stars fall for sad reasons, like lack of honor." I laugh as I say it. It isn’t that the red mare’s beliefs are so far-fetched they’re unbelievable, but her world view literally feels heavy when I try to experience life the way she does. So much negativity! I can’t stand it, and because I don’t have to, I shrug it off to focus on my own pursuits.
Such as this. Learning how to swim will free me— has freed me. And all my thanks goes to the handsome stallion who leans forward now to lip at my spiky mane. I shoot him an impish grin from under my straggling forelock and sneak a couple of affectionate nips above his breast. "They are," I agree. When I run relays particularly fast, the red mare smiles her secret smile, like she is pleased with someone else when she looks at me. We have done endurance runs twice now and both times she has worn the same expression by the end of it even though I have outlasted her in both distance and pace both times. I made the mistake once of asking who she smiled for and received a lecture for an entire afternoon about... something.
I forget to breathe at his offer and start to sink again. A deep inhale and vigorous kicking keeps me afloat but I can’t properly express my excitement in the water— I try to swim in a circle around him and give up before I’ve passed his haunch, turning to shallower depths so I can run and kick up my heels. Water sluices off of me as I trot into the shallows and splash happily in water hock-deep, thinking again of our adventure to the heights of the ridge. I am excited at the prospect of seeing all the different islands from one vantage point. The idea of being high enough to do so is tantalizing but also a little incomprehensible. What could be taller than the ridgeline backing our home?
"Yes!" I finally say it, too enthused to keep still. "I want to see everywhere! Give me your task," I stop suddenly and plant my hooves in the thick sand as I face him. Part of me is aware that the red mare’s discipline has, ironically, prepared me for this moment. It feels like the start of a new trial, but this one promises to be fun. |