Meadow

Had he the ability, Asche would've pinched himself to have proven to himself that he was not dreaming. His suspended disbelief felt too good to be true, as in front of his mis-matched eyes a ghost from his past materialised and cried his name almost as if she was praying. Before he could purse a sound from his lips she is upon him, the heat from her breath caressing his neck and her tender skin against his. It all felt as if it was happening in slow-motion.

"Cae- . . . Caesisis?" He whispers, his words like a cry of absolute shock. His muzzle gently pressed against her neck, then her shoulder, then buried itself in her mane, tugging softly as if to try and jolt himself out of this too-good-to-be-true fantasy. "I can't believe it's you." Reluctantly, as if peeling a thief away from his bounty, Asche stepped back to regard her fully, his bright eyes filling with tears which he quickly flicked away with a toss of his head towards the colourful sky. "I-"

He cut off as quickly as he started. How could he put into words what he felt seeing her again, after all these years? How could he sum up in conversation the guilt he had felt over losing her, the agony he had put himself through, the sleepless nights where he tossed and turned, tumultuous over abandoning the family he had made here on his first return to the isles.

But he had come back. Surely, that was enough?
He was not sure.

It was a start, he thought, pressing his lips together in an anxious smile. Apologies would come, he was sure of it, but for now the man gave into cowardice, hoping that his mistakes had already been forgiven.