†
In small ways, he sees the young mare start to relax. Temblor is reminded of his daughters, far from here, and the nervous energy they exhibited at that age. It had led to some scuffles between them and the older mares, lighthearted corrections from the more experienced as the children found their way. He misses that dynamic. Perhaps he should take more aggressive measures in his quest, and yet, the Percheron has never been one to rush blindly into anything. He won't gather a herd to himself for the sake of numbers, nor father children with abandon: he must be deliberate as he builds his foundation.
He watches Hirka take in her surroundings and counsels himself to patience. Nothing great was ever built in a day. As she draws in a few appreciative breaths of the flowers perfuming the air, Temblor considers quickly where best to show her first. He has found a few treasures hidden within Paradise. Closest to where they are now is a portion of the forest heavy with hanging vines. The howler monkeys, and some other varieties of apes, frequent this depth of the jungle, but they are a noisy lot. He can hear them squabbling in the distance and decides he won't begin the tour of his home with such a display. To the east, there is a glade with a pool of crystal clear freshwater, sometimes frequented by squat, placid creatures with flexible noses whose high-pitched cries make him think 'bird,' not 'swine.' They remind him of pigs, the way they trundle through the undergrowth on their hunt for delicacies.
To the south, though, is a place he thinks Hirka might enjoy. He answers her warm smile with one of his own, replying, "I would love to see it, Hirka. For now, come this way." He turns to orient them on one of the wider trails. He has yet to see what great beast leaves such a generous path through the trees, but he has heard them trumpeting and, once, was near enough to hear one thrashing past. Temblor judges it best to give whatever it is a wide berth whenever possible. "It still surprises me how much life is tucked away in this jungle," he says as they walk. "I think I could live here an entire year and still find something new each day."
The stallion lapses into companionable silence as they pass under the tall, green trees, breaking it only to point out things he thinks might interest his companion: a pink hibiscus bloom which has fallen from its bush, for example, and now lies so perfectly on the ground it appears as if it had bloomed there instead. Or, in the heights above, a snake— Temblor pauses to indicate this one, trying to lead Hirka's eye up to a specific branch maybe twenty feet overhead. "Look," he says softly, his gaze intent on the languid creature. It would ordinarily be well-camouflaged, but they have come upon it as it settles itself for sleep, looping coil after coil to drape itself comfortably over each side of the branch before looking for all the world like just one more bundle of green vines. Its yellow eyes blink. "Harmless, I think. Not that I'd like to find out," he adds with a chuckle as he glances at Hirka.
It isn't much further, now. He glances again at the young mare to see if she's aware of their destination: the smell of jasmine wafts lightly, growing stronger as they draw near. He is not sure why the flowers flourish so strongly here, at this particular end of the jungle, but they do. Their scent is tempting even from the beach, though a horse would have to brave the dense jungle in order to see the bounty just ahead of them. A few more steps bring them into the natural garden, and there Temblor pauses, his attention on Hirka to see what she thinks. All around them are the delicate white blooms, their slender, star-like petals adding a soft texture to the greenery, the air full of their heady scent.
TEMBLOR
& swallows you whole
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