“Not long,” he said conversationally, trying to think back on the last time he had seen his mother and twin sister. It was then, all of the sudden, he remembered waking up tucked next to Maziel and blinking bleary, sleepy eyes as he glanced around for his mother and sister. He’d been so young, barely old enough to eat solid food, if even. Pain lanced through him, remembering the way his father had shushed him comfortingly as he cried, confused and frightened. Zevulun blinked, pulling away from the memory. Why didn’t he think about that more? Why didn’t he really remember that consciously until now? He cleared his throat away from the emotion that was lying there, thick, and shook his head. “I had to have only been a few months old.”
The earth began to climb and they climbed with it. Hoof prints were still packed into this path as he and Mariael made a point to at least glance the beach daily in case a horse mistakenly washed up there. Zevulun flicked his ear, looking at Kikka as she spoke and smiling a little widely when she laughed. “Yes, the trees are a much needed comfort.” He agreed with a bobbing of his head. “We’re lucky in the Bay, the heavy winds are blocked out by the surrounding cliffs and mountains, but the further away from their protection you go, the worse it gets.” Zevulun paused to consider the Inlet. “I’d say the Inlet shares similarities with the Bay. There’s more open space there, as well as a larger river that feeds into the Inlet and then into the ocean itself. I think it’s safe to say the Inlet feels more open – wider – whereas the Bay feels sheltered with the way the mountains and hills curve in around us.”
Zevulun considered her question and smiled. “Alright, so I’ve never told anyone about this place – not even my sisters, though they probably know it exists.” He looked at Kikka and his smile grew. He’d been waiting to tell someone special about it and even though they’d just met, he felt no hesitation at sharing his secret place with her. “I told you high in the mountains there are hot water springs where we spend the worst of the winter weather, right? Well, a mile south of those same hot springs, I walked into a narrow cavern barely wide enough for a horse my size to get through. It smells strange in there, which is why I don’t think many animals tempt it, but I was… well, a stupid, curious colt and I couldn’t stop myself.” He grinned, unembarrassed, but excited the more he spoke of this discovery. “The tunnel opens up into a large, hollowed out cavern and the ground is fine, black sand. There’s a large pool and from the wall, hot water seems to bubble up and seep into it. It smells...” He squinted, trying to think of what it smelled like before shaking his head, “I don’t know, it’s a little off-putting at first, but it’s private and the steam from the water makes the cavern warm and comfortable… I always thought,” his smile turned a little shy, “I always thought when I was old enough to maybe have a mare or two, we’d spend our winters there… granted the smell doesn’t bug them too much.” Rich with minerals, the water bubbled up through the rocks, smelling thick of sulfur. It wasn’t the kindest of smells, but the cavern was so comfortably warm Zevulun imagined he’d rather take the scent of the place rather than the biting blizzard winds outside.
The duo topped the crest which would then lead into a steep decline toward the beach, but all could be seen from where they stood – luckily it was a clear day. The wind whipped away his hair from his face and he turned to look at Kikka, pointing toward the beach below with his pale, pink and white muzzle. “During their breeding and birthing season this beach is packed with seals barking and making all kinds of wild noises.” He gestured toward the littering of jagged rocks poking up from the surf. “For every rocky point you can see above the water, there are numerous ones below.” Zevulun would wait until she was satisfied and answer any questions she had before continuing the tour onward.
|
