The lake of lovers.

It felt wrong for Lakota to call it that, though she knew that was a name known well by everyone else. Aodaun was growing throughout Tallsun, but he was suffering in the heat, his thick snowy coat trapping it in. Lakota suffered with him, and so that morning they had set out while the world was still cool, leaving under the cover of the dawn. The river of the meadow was nearer, but Lakota had yet to explore the grove that intrigued her so. It made her think of Ithrim, of how he would have been the type to surprise her with such a place. She could imagine his goofy half-smirk half-smile, how he’d usher her in and laugh at her expression of surprise. It made her heart ache, but it seemed like she didn’t feel so sad about him anymore. It made her panic, and for days she had been trying to figure out exactly why. Why now? Why was she only now letting him go? It wasn’t a bad thing, for she knew he wanted her to move on and find love again. But it also terrified her, for she didn’t want to be without his memory. His face was always so clear in her mind, but what if it disappeared? Lakota was assured by her own everlasting love for him, but her own hesitance for finding love made every emotion conflict with the next.

Aodaun made a happy growling sound when he charged past the drooping boughs of the willows and discovered the cool shaded grove, the perfect blue of the water. He went barreling into it, sending up a spray of water in his joy. Yanked out of her thoughts she laughed out loud at his actions, feeling much safer and willing to let go of her reservations when alone. For once it wasn’t mocking or harsh, but soft and lilting. Ao turned and made a howling growl at her, pulling at their bond to entice her into play. Smiling she sent her own joy through their bond and he only crashed more exuberantly through the water. Lakota went jogging after him and leapt into the water, sending up a spray of diamonds that reflected the rising sun of summer. Aodaun growled happily and charged after her, the two of them initiating a game of tag that stimulated the flow of happiness through their bond. He was her precious guardian, but he was still just a cub, and she always took time out of her day to entertain him. One day he would be a fighter, just like her, but she did not want his emotions to be stunted like hers. Lakota wanted their bond to be more precious than anything else in the world. Aodaun eventually chased Lakota out of the water and onto a bed of cool, long grass. Lakota let him circle her, as if he were herding her, and she trumpeted and laughed and let herself be influenced by his feelings. Just as companions were swayed by the emotions of their bonded, so were the equines swayed by the emotions of their companions. He made her loosen up, enjoy herself, simply because he was enjoying himself too.

Laughing and out of breath, she flopped down onto her side. Ao growled triumphantly and pounced onto her stomach, ever careful of his claws. Lakota huffed out a breath at his weight and laughed harder, though her chest protested at her revelry through lack of air. Lakota rolled onto her spine and Aodaun went rolling off with a surprised sound, and Lakota couldn’t help but laugh once more. It seemed she couldn’t stop, and it just continued to grow, brighter and happier and softer with every repetition. Ao pounced on her again and they rolled together over the grass. Once more she dislodged him and ended up on her right side, pressed fully against the grass that they had flattened in their play. Her long obsidian mane was splayed out across the vibrant green, plum doing the same. Aodaun pounced again, growling excitedly. His paws touched her cheeks, and he looked down into her eyes lovingly. Lakota smiled and made a soft sound in her throat that he returned. Playfully she jerked her head up and moved to her knees, shins pressed into the grass they played in. Ao went sprawling onto his back and Lakota nuzzled his fluffy tummy with her muzzle, laughing. Aodaun rolled out from her loving attack and ran in an excited circle to throw himself onto her snowy spine, as if he had born from that color. Lakota laughed until her lungs burned, smiling so wide she felt like she could light the sun all over again. The two of them continued to roll and wrestle, and Lakota knew that when he got older and larger it would only be more fun. They both seemed to be grateful for the grove’s cool shade and the water that had long since dried on both of their coats, though Aoduan especially seemed quite happy with the shade Lakota had lovingly presented him with. It was not a lake of lovers to them, no it was their own private paradise where nobody could see them open up their hearts to the skies.