T E S A N D E

The dust clouded the crowded opening the rock that we’d crammed ourselves into causing Africa and I to go into a brief sneezing fit. ”See? That’s what I meant by escaping the dust, hehe.”

As we proceeded, I was un phased by the imminent danger looming all around us or the dust that was plugging our noses and causing us to sneeze off and on. My wing barely brushed the surface of the hanging rock over us and bits of the rock crumbled, dusting my back with sand and hissing at me as it slid to the ground. Africa scoot over a little and politely lifted her wings to allow me a better look, I twitched with excitement and a deep privileged feeling that my new good friend was willing to share her treasures with me. It crossed my mind briefly that doing this carelessly with any stranger is liable to get whatever she has stolen if it’s valuable enough. But alas I had no desire to steal someone’s possessions, it wouldn’t benefit me in the least bit and the guilt would eventually eat me alive in the long run. And of course I’d lose my new friend.

”Ok. It’s just here…” I watched Africa drop her crown to the dirt and etch her way to a pile of sand that seemed carelessly tossed together. As Africa caressed the sand pile with her lips I caught the glint of light reflecting off a surface which igniting my curiosity. I let my head drop to inspect it, the walls of the rock danced with a tint of green as the light hit the surface of the object. My eyes brightened and I leaned forward to stroke at the green surface with my lips. I asked with curiosity ”Is it jade?? Or maybe it’s prasiolite! Or is it an agate?? Or is it olivine?? I think it’s olivine, lass!” I burst with excitement caressing the green surface with my muzzle trying hard to figure out what it was, ”I grew up in the mountains, an’ I use to find caves with these pretty rocks n’ stuff! Like the rock we’re under right now, it’s lime stone! It means this land use to be under sea a long, long, long, long, long, long time ago!” I stated with glee and excitement, ”Where’d ya find it, lassy?” I looked to Africa curiously, of course I’d never stoop as low as to take someone else’s stuff, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try to get my hands on a piece of my own.

T E S A N D E

Lost in my own delights, my eyes returned to Africa’s only to sea her face melt into a sea of sadness which she tried to conceal from me. I frowned in confusion to Africa’s response but something upsetting had obviously crossed the silver mare’s mind. Of course this entire time she’d seemed like a butter fly as we skipped across fields of flowers farting rainbows and shedding happiness… Nah that’s too strong, I’ll tell myself, we flew through clouds of colorful bubbles. Had the stone triggered some distant memory or was it something out of the blue?

“Well I don’t really know what it is yet. I suppose it is an olivine like you say.”

Her tone upset me, I furrowed my brows trying to pick out the details of her sudden melancholy behavior. I looked back to the rock again. I greatly desired to touch it, pick it up and feel and study it, but at this point it almost seemed to be a curse. I felt a slight clenching of guilt in my gut, I hadn’t meant to bring out the sadness of my cheerful partner. ”Well it’s only a guess, I’d really hafta geet a good look fer me ta be sure.” I spat something out, hoping to see if I could bring something from an almost pointless combination of words.

“Voodoo and I found it beneath a cliff north of here.”

And then just like that, it was if the happiness had all and completely returned, I stood there baffled by the situation. But her pause after that sentence and I started to pick out the issue. This was the first time she’d come to mention some Voodoo fellow, but if there was something I know most about it would be the importance of friendship.

“Maybe one day I could take you up there?”

I watched Africa caress the stone, almost as if hoping it would come to life and talk to her. With that last sentence out and Africa now withdrawing for security I made my move as she knelt down to recover the treasure she’d found. ”Ya know… lass…” I spoke softly and calmly, trying to reassure her with the tone of my voice, ”If there’s anythin’ ye want err… need talk about? Ol’ Tessy here’s good at listenin’” I gave her a smile, even reached out to brush her shoulder with my nose. I made the offer of course but I didn’t push her, no one likes to be pushed into shit they don’t wanna deal with. ”Who be this Voodoo fella?” I then asked curiously, stepping back out of the cave as I was blocking Africa’s path.

T E S A N D E

I watched poor Africa stumble over her words, picking them carefully as if they could offend me. Or otherwise pick out the parts that could get her into trouble like some rebellious youngster talking to a snooping mother, oh my, is that me?
Listening to her talk I bit my bottom lip as a smile peeled across my face and my knees buckled in with all the enthusiasm over her tale. ”He’s just a colt” With that I gasped triggering Africa to unwillingly surrender a sheepish smirk in replace of possible giggling. ”You don’t—say!” Crossing my legs in front of me I sat down and leaned towards Africa like catty girl anxious to get in the up-to-date gossip of the social circle.
My tail flopped back and forth in the sand, now you see a lot of horses use their tails for swattin’ flies and maybe letting the neighbor behind you that you’re being a flat out irritation. Not me! My tail swats them flies, it wags, looks pretty, blocks my butt from the sun, makes a good—oops! I’m getting’ off track again.

“Well, we played together for a whole afternoon... I should think I will never see him again though,”

I watched a sadness wash over my amigo once again and everything became clear to me. I furrowed my brows and sat up, I did of course wonder why she was reluctant to go after this hot young stud she’d met. I shook my head in disbelief, ”Aaawe, lass. Never say never, if ya want it bad enough you’ll find a way.” I smiled to her, of course I could give her all the sappy lectures in the world but the truth is it’s all up to her. ”Have ye thought about goin an’ talking to the boy?” I asked her more than curiously, almost naively as I wasn’t too aware of the current situation unfolding between the herds. ”What harm could that do?”