January Prompt
It wasn’t a secret to her family that she had come home with a mate, her father had announced it so proudly and told her grandfather he had given this strapping ‘lad’ a seal of approval. Her grandpa had given her a small knowing smile as he had with so many of the kids…just glad they had found love and had someone to care for them as they did to them. She kept to herself this impromptu trip that she had missed him already and was excited to head back to the area they called home to work on his next tinkering project. Many times, she had returned on the cusp of the new year which blurred together from a lackluster routine in her life, from visiting her parents, visiting other family there was nothing new. Nothing to be excited for in the sense of being the unknown.
She walked over to one of the crests near the cave and stood as she looked over the vast expanse before her, snow capped peaks golden and alive with the first sunrise of the new year. “I think this year will be great.” Zaiella said into the wind, only to hear some hoof falls behind her and turned to see her grandfather approaching. “I think it will be too.” His tone was a bit sleepy, but his coat shook from the chill around them. “Look at that…” His head turned to take in the same view she gathered, as a giggle escaped her lips. “Good Morning grandfather, happy new year.” Zaiella smiled as Twilight nuzzled her and moved some of her windswept mane from her face with his snout. “Happy new year, Zai. I’m glad you were able to make it out.” “I am too…hopefully next year we can see even more family around. You know, like a tradition.”
Twilight chuckled, while age was slowly catching up with him it wasn’t so much in body – but in the maturity of his mind and heart. He’d missed so much chasing his wanderlust, his desire to see and learn of this world around him when he had the most incredible world right here. “We all get busy; we all have our own paths to follow. Yet it doesn’t matter how far we trek ahead; the way home will always be right behind them.” Twilight mused, looking over to his granddaughter. “That’s how you come here…isn’t it?” “…True.” She agreed, “I just think it would be wonderful to have a big family reunion though…do you think there is family we haven’t even met yet?” “Oh, I’m sure there is.” He laughed, “I’m not even sure if some of them know of their own siblings yet! Yet they will, with time. Honestly, I can’t even remember when I last saw my own siblings and parents. Time has a funny way of moving so fast, yet seems so slow at the same time you know?”
“I think I do.” Zaiella breathed out, thinking of how long she thought she’d never find someone to call her own; watching her family get bigger yet she stayed the same. Time was all it took to find someone amazing. “I’m sure they’ll be surprised.” “I think so too. Hopefully in a good way. Now come, everyone else will be up soon so let’s go gather some breakfast.” Twilight had turned and began to head down the hill, Zaiella looking one last time to the sun now rising beyond the hills before running after him. “You’ll bring Zanzibar next time…right?” Twilight asked with a grin as Zaiella blushed, nudging him. “I will grandpa.” “Good. Maybe he’ll come out and watch the sunrise with you and I can sleep in.” “Grandpa! You didn’t have to!” “I couldn’t let you watch it all alone…your father would never let me sleep new years morning anyways.” The pair laughed and went to go gather a breakfast befitting of a new bright year ahead.
-Fin-
(776 words)
