I have loved the stars too fondly, Posted on July 2, 2022 at 07:25:06 AM by Sidereal
With the combination of shade, altitude, and ice-cold water rushing nearby, it might well be impossible to tell that the summer heat was eased because fall had really begun to encroach on the islands, and not because of some other factor.
Sidereal rested in a grove of trees that had anchored themselves by the water, watching the white froth of the water crashing over rocks and the fine spray that drifted in the air. Just a few peaks away from here there were only sparse pine trees among the rocks, and the afternoon sun's heat would quickly becoming overbearing on a horse's back—but here, plants flourished all around the water rushing down the slope, their searching roots grasping for and making full use of the abundant moisture. They were thriving. They were so green. Sidereal thought he could stare at the sprawling leaves and delicate flowers and ever-changing patterns in the water's flow forever—if not forever, at least a few hours.
It was difficult to hear much over the roaring of the falls. He smelled the stranger first. At first, he thought it was simply a faint scent left over by a previous visitor; he'd seen other horses from a distance while climbing up here, so perhaps someone had been here and left hours earlier. But the scent persisted, and Sidereal's ears swiveled as he picked up the sound of hoofsteps and rustling leaves beneath the sound of crashing water.
He waited a moment longer before half-turning his head toward the other horse, still wanting his eyes to linger on the water and plant life. "Hello," he greeted mildly. His voice was soft by nature, but it could be heard well enough if the stranger was not too far away. Perhaps the sound of the falls was not quite the right pitch to drown it out completely. "This is a pleasant place, isn't it? It's nice to avoid the sun and heat sometimes." Replies: