Falls

A few harsh words in their native tongue rang in Aadhira’s curved ears. His sister’s tone had been sharp, forceful. She intended to study the shapes of islands lurking in the distance opposite the shore they’d swam onto initially, having begun to gather talk of strangers concerning the customs of this place. He was not to accompany her. Aadhira wondered if this meant their endless days of travel were going to stop. Would Aarushi finally believe they were far enough from home to rest? Did they even know how to rest in one place?

Like a fawn left by its mother, Aadhira did not leave his semi-hidden place. A thing as big as a horse could not hide easily, and so he was fairly simple to spot among the trees, even dark as his coat was. While Aadhira stayed quiet in the grove, doing his best not to attract attention (this had been another condition upon which Aarushi had left him), he turned his head to watch the clearing and the great, roaring waterfall nearby. For a moment he felt locked in a trance, watching the water fall so endlessly. Where did it come from? How could there be so much water to fall over and over like that? Aadhira wondered if it fell in a circle and was perhaps the same water recycling itself. That made more sense to him than some endless, powerful stream.

Entranced by the water, Aadhira was made aware by a shape – a dark shape – and felt a nervous tightness in his belly. For a moment he simply stared, dumbstruck. The ears! She was one of their kind! Fear was like ice over him, looking at her black face and curved ears. He glanced quickly around, searching almost desperately for Aarushi. If the Kaale Shaitaan were here, he and Aarushi were not safe. This was not a place to settle. How had they tracked them so far from home? Had they come to take him then, all this time later? Aarushi would protect him, if only she were here. He was alone and he shivered almost violently as dread sunk in.

But the more time passed, the more his knowledge of the Kaale Shaitaan was shaken. The dark, curved-ear mare in the water smiled so gently and her presence seemed inviting. Was this trickery, of some sort? He felt his heart pound in his chest and he took a few nervous steps forward, appearing more akin to a timid deer than a grown stallion. He shifted in the forest, emerging just barely from the vegetation until the front of his body lay in the open. His curved ears pointed at her and he stared, wide eyed and unsure.