this miracle god gave to me
gives me strength when I am weak

The other mare greeted her with a foreign word. Ava was beginning to wonder whether everyone in this Desert had some other tongue hidden away in their heads. Though the meaning was lost on her, the stranger’s smile and the tone of her voice seemed pleasant enough and Ava dipped her head in greeting. With the other mare’s blessing, she waded into the water, relishing the refreshing way it lapped against her legs.

Following her mother’s example, Ghostwood splashed further into the pool. She moved in playful leaps, as if trying to escape the water completely with each energetic bound before being plunged back into it, drawing closer to fellow mother and daughter pair.

The other filly seemed shy, tucked up beneath her dam like she was. Ghostwood peered at her curiously, tilting her little gold-crowned head at the stranger. A foreign word fell quietly from her lips, though Ghostwood didn’t recognise it as such – there were a lot of words she didn’t understand yet, but she didn’t let it faze her.

Without a word, she began to move slowly towards the other filly, watching to see if she would say or do anything.

Ava smiled, watching as the children made their first uncertain meeting. She was reluctant to turn her gaze away as the other mare spoke, introducing herself. Nesrin. She committed the name to memory, and bobbed her head gently in acknowledgement.

“I’m Ava,” she replied with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nesrin.”

Before she could say anything else, however, she noticed another horse stood by the water’s edge, watching them. Orhan. Her smiled widened, and her nostrils quivered as she let out a quiet nicker towards him.

“Orhan!” she called warmly. “Why don’t you come and join us?”

She glanced towards Nesrin, hoping that she didn’t mind her outstretching the offer.

mother & daughter
of the desert