"A beautiful day it is!" the young mare exclaimed to herself, prancing into the middle of a small, wild-flower filled clearing. She halted and raised her elegant head, closing her bright eyes and inhaling deeply. The scent of the forest revealed itself to her eager senses: Sweet and vitalizing pines, bitter and earthy hardwoods, the freshness of a nearby spring, the tantalizing nectar of nearby flowers, the clearness of the day itself... Everything could be seen, even without seeing it. Liella understood nature, in this sense. She was in tune with the magic of the forest, even if it was unseen, because even when her eyes were closed, she could still FEEL it. Her parents had taught her some of this knowledge, to respect and revere the natural beauty around her, and never take anything, even the smallest fly, for granted. But ever since she had been on her own, she had learned even more about the forest. The way it breathed, the way it spoke, the way it felt and touched and played. Everything was alive, and everything could be seen--one only had to look.
"But that's the problem with us these days..." she murmured, her face becoming solemn for a short moment as she thought of the others, the ones beyond the trees who spent their days eating and sleeping and competing for the silliest things. She hadn't met many Soquili outside the forest, and the ones that she had met hadn't even seen her. They saw her beauty, her strength, and her bright, clear eyes. But they didn't truly see her--they let what they thought was Liella intoxicate them and drive at their minds, socializing with her only to win her over for their silly herds.
Of course, she hadn't listened. She could truly see these others, and knew that she belonged alone in the forest. Where she was happy...
And the thought brought the familiar grin back to her face as she pranced about the meadow, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her back.
