Meadow

For a few breaths, one might think it was silent here out in the vast expanses of hillock and dale. Zaulane knew differently, though anyone might if they had been standing in one spot long before dawn broke. Something about watching light break over the sky and trees and having the world come to life around her was just too fascinating to not take the time to watch. That was the way she had been for the last year or two: alert and getting more restless by the day. In fact, it was largely the reason she had left home.

When the wind shifted again, the mottled maiden decided to move with it. Moving into it and heading east, she walked until the ground eventually evened out. Her hooves found purchase on a well-traveled path, and a huff sounded from pale nostrils. Lurching forward into a canter, she was off! Racing the clouds and wayward birds, Zaulane ran until the salt of the sea began to sting her lungs. New variations of sweetgrass, crunching beneath her striped hooves, muffled her steps as the mare slowed. The thrill of the run was still singing in her veins when she stopped to look out over the grey waters of the sea.

Perhaps she was being a little naive right now, running this way and that across who-knows-where. It had seemed alright though since the land had held so many different scents across the paths the mare had found. It didn't seem like any one herd held these parts. Part of her felt silly, though she knew it was just a bit of fun, but these were things she'd have to learn and think about, especially now that she was grown and on her own. The maiden would have liked to think that her parents taught her what they could. She could have paid more attention, sure, but that was besides the point. She had gotten this far by herself, and Zaulane was hopeful that things would continue to go smoothly. Now if only she knew where she was going..