Evening settled in with a soft sigh, and Ella barely noticed the hours slip by since she’d trotted up from the shoreline, sand still clinging to her golden legs. Just moments ago, the afternoon sun had warmed her sleek coat as she had rolled amongst the dunes, and now it ducked behind the distant hills, leaving a warm blush on the horizon. She gave a wide, satisfied yawn, stretching her legs and flicking her tail as a playful breeze teased the tips of her mane. The swim had tired her body in the best way, though her mind was alive. Such a state promised little rest.
She meandered through the meadow, where cheerful wildflowers brushed against her sides and nodded in the cooling air. Though most of the petals curled up to sleep, the stems swayed gently from a cool breeze. Tiny crickets started their nightly songs, and the first few brave fireflies blinked like distant stars on the grass. A few high clouds drifted lazily across a sky streaked with pink and orange, and the crescent moon winked overhead. The evening hummed with quiet joy—an easy, comforting rhythm that coincided with the sunset a sailor would weep tears of delight over.
Ella grazed peacefully, nibbling at the tender shoots while occasionally lifting her head to scan the field for company. Every so often, her ears pricked at a distant splash or rustle, but finding only the hush of nature around her, she gave a soft, contented snort and returned to grazing. Her creamy-white forelock, tousled from the saltwater, fell like ribbons over her eyes, but she didn’t mind. Tonight, the world felt simple and good, and Ella was exactly where she wanted to be.
✨ ella! ✨
everyone lives but us.