After separating from his friend, Nakawara had meant to head straight back to the plains. There was just enough light left in the sky, if he let his pace be brisk, to make it back to rest where he was familiar. And yet, for once in his life, he felt sleepy and satisfied enough that he didn't want to run. Peering up through a gap in the canopy, he almost ran into one or two trees, but he was able to step around them with an 'oops' and a slight dance. Well, the sun was quickly dipping below the horizon now. It looked like he would be sleeping with the trees. In a way, it was like a mini adventure. This was probably the first time in months that he went to bed just after it got dark.
When he woke in the morning, it was still rather cool, but dry, he had laid in a patch of dirt and whatever dew reached under the trees was not close enough to catch him. The sun was barely in the sky, wavering against the horizon at a place he could not yet see, the trees were blocking his view. Yawning, he began to think maybe he shouldn't have gone to bed so early. It had also been a while since he had gotten up this early and, despite his good amount of sleep, he still felt tired and stiff.
Clenching his muscles, he pushed himself to a stand and shook out. He was only stopped when a dizzy spell hit him. Sighing, he wobbled off, almost back in the same direction he had come the night before, his eyes and expression groggy. He was thirsty now and figured, if he just kept moving this way, he would eventually meet a part of the river he had played with Brioso in.
Somewhat used to being up early, a purple mare was bathing in the river, tossing her head and sending water flying with a happy smile on her face. This morning she had had a bad dream, but in the water, she could forget those things. It was only when she stopped playing and stared down that she began to think of it again. The dream had been vivid. Somehow, someway, she had received word that her son was coming back to her at that very moment. Her spirits had been lifted so high at the news, but after days and weeks, he hadn't come. The more she looked for him, the fewer signs of his existence there even were. And she had snapped awake before she could find him, a cold sweat tickling under her fur.
The smile on her face had died at the thought and now she was frowning, staring hard down at her own reflection. A breath stuck in her throat and she felt suddenly ready to cry. However, before she could let something like that happen, she shoved her head below the surface again, shaking it through the liquid. When she pulled back, she was smiling again, but softer and more contemplative. Well, she felt a bit better. And in her heart, she knew her son was doing better without her than she was doing without him.
As he walked, he began to wake up a bit. The air filled his lungs and he felt better, less sleepy, less heavy. The morning air was considerably fresher than he remembered, albeit he hadn't smelled such air in a long, long time (unless one were to count midnight as proper morning). Regardless, there was a light spring in his step now as he made his way towards the water. Where he believed the water to be, anyway.
As he moved, weaving through the trees, he heard something. A splash, a second, some silence, then more. The sounds were nearby and loud, as if whatever was making them was rather into it. Whether or not this was coming from someone or something he would want to meet, he wasn't sure, but it alerted him to the fact that there definitely was water and he was heading in the right direction. As he picked up his pace, the trees became thinner and he was able to speed up even more. It was nice, even jogging seemed easier in the morning when the air was crisp.
Huffing, Kailani'ki rolled her shoulders and stepped back towards the shore. She was completely refreshed and mostly clean and now she was ready to start her daily trek along this particular bit of water. The day prior, she had followed this very river through a pathway in the mountains, a place she usually stopped at. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her, though. And it hadn't been bad. The terrain was most definitely different, it took her a while to get used to it. However, because she walked so often, the change in the air didn't seem to bother her much. She couldn't say it would be the same if she went up higher, the water had led her along a very low altitude path, but she thought one day she might bother going up if she could find some water to lead her that way.
As she reached the edge, she shook out her pelt. A look bath and forth oriented her and she began to move off in the direction she had been moving in before stopping to sleep. Something caught her eye and she stopped, glancing into the treeline at her left. It was rather large, like a shadow, protected by the foliage. But as it came closer, the form started to take shape into something familiar. A horse. Not small, like she always hoped to see, but larger than her and blue.
She canted her head, waiting for the other Soq to make his way out completely. There was a surprised look on his face, she thought, as he came out nearly on top of her as if he hadn't been paying attention. She took a step back. "Hello," she greeted with a smile, more than willing to postpone her trip to talk with someone, even if that someone was not the stallion she wished for. Company made her comfortable and happy.
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