The night was hot and sticky. The moon was three quarters on the way to being full. It shone so brightly that it almost felt like day. Paper Tiger was stretched out on the grass. She stared up into the sky, her eyes were blank. Her mind was lost in thought.
Her stable-mate and bestie, Moondance, had become an adult already, and she was still a foal. She felt like the distance between them was growing because of it. It was rough. For the first time in her short life Paper Tiger felt completely alone. It wasn't a good feeling.
The usually spunky filly was feeling unlike herself. She was sad and lonely. The whole world had changed, and she had stayed the same.
She frowned at nothing in particular; just at life in general.
Adventure was waiting, and Paper Tiger didn't even feel up to it. Not tonight. Tonight was the biggest pity party she had ever thrown. She had a guest list of one. It was miserable.
Usually she was all roar. But was that a facade? Was she just acting tough? Who was she really?
Bah! These types of existential questions were way too deep for her. Her head kind of hurt. She didn't have to know why, but Paper Tiger had folded.
It was an interesting train of thought though. What if she didn't always have to act to big and bad? The lesson she was starting to learn was that it was okay to be runner up. She didn't have to win everything. Sometimes, being second best was okay too.
A radical idea. Something that had never crossed her mind. She loved to act tough. Now though, she wondered if acting tough is why she was alone. Maybe that was why Moondance had out grown her. Maybe it was time for her to grow up too.
