Forest eyes peer out onto the trail from a hidden place behind the abundant summer foliage in this new land. Hope glimmers brightly on chocolate features even while she remains, to her belief, stealthily observing…a remnant from happier times of hide and seek with her brothers. Lids blink slowly, darker green pupils dilating in wonderment as a large striped beast lumbers by pausing to sniff the air from her direction for a moment before apparently deciding better prospects may be found further down the path. Pent up air steadily pushes its way up from burning lungs and out through flared nostrils in relief. Forest gaze rolls heavenward as she thinks of how quickly her life could have ended all because she has yet to learn to traverse the sky.  

The thought lends itself to another and sadness extinguishes the brightness from before. Never again (to her youthful mind) will she play such games or have her brothers by her side while she works through the exercises all foals must go through to condition the muscles that control their wings. It is because of their absence, she dare not say deaths, that the little filly cannot yet soar through the air or even hover off the ground. Small chocolate head drops a notch in response to a broken heart constricting painfully inside her chest. “Please come back to me”  the child whispers to herself haltingly, her words sorrowful and low.

The fluttering of leaves overhead lifts her gaze to the branches above her and she watches in growing amusement as a family of squirrels chase each other across the tree tops. The gloominess vanishes then to make room for a bubbling laugh that eases away the painful thumping of her heart. The laughter continues for a few moments before fading away into the noonday air while she debates whether to stay in her hiding spot or attempt to meet another willing to share details of this place with her. The gentle breeze tells her others are around but fear holds her slim legs in place, her experience with females (thanks to a neglectful mother) having been less than wonderful. Pale fore hoof dances in the leaves before she places it firmly on the trail…hope shimmering in verdant eyes…There is nothing left to lose, I won’t be a coward anymore.