Sakura looked up wistfully through the thick canopy above. The day was warm, sunlight flickering joyfully through the leaves, leaving dappled light on the ground below. Everything seemed to glow with life. The sweet taste of fresh growth tinted the breeze as the zephyr found its way through her mane, weaving between the strands of ash-colored hair. Joyous birdsong hummed through the air, a twittering melody that resounded throughout the entire forest.
Yet the mare noticed none of this. Yearning eyes were cast upwards as her mind filled with fond memories. A strange sense of nostalgia came over her. At first she recalled her mother's caressing side, always there to talk to and the most important Soq in the young mare's life. She had always been such a comforting presence. Then fluttered images of her dad, post-tragedy of course. That rambunctious laugh, the way he seemed to shine around his family. And after her parents had gone, the fond gazes of her siblings. Their eager eyes for stories, their empowering love for her. And despite all that, why was she alone now?
Her heart craved for companionship, for someone to fill the void left by her family. Shaking her head, Sakura cleared her mind. One day she would find the right stallion, and they would settle down and she would raise her own children, ones who would never leave and would remain close to her forever. A warm surge of feeling glowed deep within her at the thought.
