She hadn't meant to lose track of things the way she had - of her father, of the safe places to journey alone, of time itself. Some days, the days bled int one another, the way light bled across the sky in an endless cycle of beginning and end. Other days, Jaya felt as though she wandered on forever, like the sun stood still in the sky high above her, because it could feel the joy that radiated from her as she watched the clouds drift high above while she stood in the shade of the trees, as she followed the river all the way to the the sea and back, marvelling at the way the song of it changed throughout its journey.
Today, she wakes to watch the sunrise alone, and the sight of it stirs faded memories, ones that she dare not reach for, lest they dissipate entirely. Winter had only just stolen in - and thus far, in the places where Jaya trod, the snow had not yet fallen thickly enough to last out the dawn. Still, the bite of the chilly air was enough of a motivator to get the small, petite mare moving. She knew that the shivers would stop soon enough. She kept on the move until the sun had crested the trees, snatching a mouthful of food here and there as she went. And then she came upon a dry meadow, the golden sea of grass covered with a thin layer of frost.
The pale mare's breath plumed around her narrow muzzle as she took the beautiful sight in, mesmerised by the way it glistened as the weak winter light gradually pooled across it from one shadowed edge. A lone tree stood in the center of the little meadow, and Jaya took her time in approaching it, looking back several times to marvel at the way her path cut a darker line through the tall, frosted grass. And then she settled beneath the tree, drinking in the tranquil stillness, eyes turned heavenward as the sun edged the bare branches above her with muted halos. |