The young stallion galloped across the open plains, tossing his head as he breathed the air in deeply. He was a few miles from the shore but he could smell the saltiness carried on the wind. The winter air was crisp and dry, the ground hard and cold. He thundered around aimlessly, his exuberance bursting from his body. The briskness of wintertime always filled him with such energy, sometimes he delighted himself in a wild run in an open field.
And who was there to tell him otherwise? Perhaps he was a little too old for such antics, but Jirani didn't care. Even as a foal, he had pretty much been left to make do on his own. He had a family, but they were all so disconnected. His mother never provided any type of structure, stimulation, love, or really anything else, his father wasn't around, and his four siblings seemed to just do their own thing. So Jirani had done his own as well. When he was old enough, he had ventured from his family's home and set off to explore the lands off the mountain.
Though he knew he had every right to be upset about his upbringing, or lack thereof, Jirani held no animosity. He adored his freedom and his adventures. He had seen so much of the world and met so many interesting soquili, and he knew there was still so much more out there to meet and explore. With an elated smile plastered on his face, and a kick in the air with his hind legs, the young stallion turned northwest, following the salty scent to the sea.
