Through the fields, somewhere there's blue
Oh, time will tell, she'll see us through.

The girl picked her way down the beaten path. Certainly many believe the path less travelled is the preferred route, but if taking the common route prevented the girl from having to pick brambles from her curly mane later on, then it was worth it. The thin dusting of snow covering her path was marred only by the scurrying paws of squirrels and the hopping steps of crows. It was a beautiful day, the mild chill in the air was welcoming to the girl who lived in a world carved from stone and ice. Her ears swiveled and twisted, listening to the backdrop symphony of winter birds, but still alert for noises of creatures large enough to cause concern or curiosity.

She diverted her trajectory, slipping into the more heavily wooded area. A brook ran, clean and clear, just a few paces off, and she dipped her head down to pull in a few sips. Her desire to recruit newcomers often brought her to this place, and the tranquility she found was cathartic. A subtle noise a ways off caught her attention, and she drew her head away from the water. Silver eyes scanned the trees, and though she saw no one, it was easy to assume her solitude was broken. She turned back towards her path, and a dry branch snapped impressively beneath her cloven hooves. Well, there went her element of surprise.

As she returned to the well-worn path, she entered an easy trot, eager to meet whoever shared her trail. It wasn't long before she noticed heavy hoof prints pressed into the trail, first crossing the path treeline to treeline to treeline, then returning to walk down the footpath. They didn't linger long however, and soon re-entered the forest. She slowed her pace, sculpted head turning eagerly to look into the woods. Part of her wished to follow the trail, but she was hesitant. Why did the creature stay hidden? Many reasons could lead one to prefer anonymity. Perhaps the horse (she could assume as much due to the hoofprints, though perhaps he was some other sort of hoofed beast) was a recluse, preferring the shadows to travel by. Or were they scared, unsure if they were trespassing? The thought crossed her mind that perhaps the horse had ill will, and she was simply lucky he had taken to the woods before her arrival. But she was brave and quick, and had yet fallen victim to teeth and claws within these woods, and decided to hang around at least long enough to see who the prints belonged to.

"Hello?" she called out, voice light and airy. Her tail flicked back and forth as she narrowed her silver eyes in an attempt to further her vision. The slightest movement caught her eye, but it simply was a branch disrupted by someone's movement.

Should no one answer, she would simply continue on her journey with unrelenting curiosity. But should someone answer, it would make this trip all the more worthwhile.

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