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Birdsong trilled through the air, lightening Ullume’s heart. Spring had come at last, after a long winter that had ended with a devastating snowstorm. Ullume had not been prepared to weather such a storm in these lands, where the climate was warmer than the one she had grown up in. But it mattered not; she had survived, though the leaves on her back were still healing in places where snow and ice had scarred them. The cold ache had faded, at least.
Sweeping her tail gently as she walked, Ullume weaved her way through the forest. The air was warm now, lovely to breathe; if she stood in the right place, it was even scented with the aroma of new fir buds and blossoming flowers. As she stepped into a beam of sunlight, Ullume closed her eyes. Finally, she felt peace. It had been a long, long time since her inner turmoil had stilled. Perhaps she could finally call this land home.
As she opened her eyes again and shifted forward to continue, Ullume blinked. A flash of gold glimmered in the trees ahead; she squinted, trying to focus more intently. That was a tree with golden leaves – and it was moving!
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Augury nearly bounced through the forest, so enthused was he about the impending season. He could feel the glory of spring in his veins, finally here again after the unending moons of autumn and winter. The “dead seasons,” as he referred to them, just downright depressed him. While he understood that some were fond of the brisk autumn air and changing of nature’s raiment, and others still enjoyed the stillness of winter or enchanting tranquility of the snowy landscape, the same could not be said at all for Augury. While his tree was “ever gilded” (not evergreen), Augury could hardly stand to wait for spring and summer to return. The wait was almost agony.
On days like this, where spring made its presence known, Augury rejoiced. His fervor was even physical, as demonstrated today; he picked up his hooves with enthusiasm, determined to see as much of spring’s bounty as he could in a day. (And, while he hated to admit it, he did much enjoy chomping on some of it, as well.)
Up ahead through the trees, Augury spotted something shiny – something silver and gold, possibly metallic? He squinted into the forest, trying to focus on what was ahead… only to realize that those shiny things belonged to another soquili, who was staring right back at him!
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Ullume met the stallion’s eyes in the same moment he found hers, and she almost jumped. He had bright amber eyes that shone like the bright leaves on that tree in the sunlight. Upon closer inspection, Ullume realized that the tree actually appeared to be attached to the stallion’s rump – much like the way her leafy scales and wooden horns were attached into her own hide.
More curious than wary, Ullume approached the stallion. While she had always been confident (which she blamed on her upbringing), she was rarely confident in a carefree manner. Today was different, however. Spring was here, and this fellow had attributes that she wanted to examine more personally. He seemed to be of a fully different nature from Brandnetel, who could nearly become one with the forest. Indeed, while the tree on his back matched the stallion quite well, his overall colors seemed a far cry from the brilliant greens and autumn tones that Brandnetel bore.
When she was a stone’s throw from the stallion, Ullume slowed her pace. She realized that he bore a rather sharp looking horn on his forehead. While she knew the nature of unicorns was generally pleasant, she also knew that it was dangerous to generalize.
“Greetings,” she called. “I am Ullume, a traveler in these lands.”
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Augury had continued his quick stride as the mare approached him, so they came within view of each other rather swiftly. As she spoke, he caught a lilt to the mare’s voice that he had not heard before; she had learned to disguise it well, or perhaps she had just learned the tongue of the Kawani Lands well enough, but he wondered if she had a different first language. “Hello,” he replied. “My name’s Augury, and I am also mostly passing through.” He shifted a bit; he had stopped walking when she had slowed her pace, reciprocating her caution. “Do you mind if I approach, so we’re not shouting across the forest?”
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Ullume laughed – just slightly more than a giggle, and a sweet sound that she had not heard in a while. She took a few steps closer as she said, “Yes, walk with me?” She turned about, facing the direction she had come from and the direction in which he had been going. She was not on any particular quest today – simply out to snack and entertain herself as the world awakened from its winter slumber. As long as she was able to return home at some point in the next several hours, she had no qualm with wandering for a bit.
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Much to Augury’s surprise, the mare about-faced and requested his company. With a raised eyebrow, he acquiesced, falling into step beside her. She had an air of… nobility? Something about her had an inherent elegance, like she had been born into etiquette. It went beyond her appearance, though it could not be denied by anyone that she was elegant beyond words – her mane appeared to be soft and flawlessly braided, with flowers and bells strewn in it. Even the plume of her tail, though thick, had not a tangle in sight.
“Are you of this land, Ullume?” he finally asked, unable to tamp down his curiosity. He thought he had heard something about his great-grandfather being from a distant land across the sea, but he was never sure what was legend and what was true about that stallion. Unless he counted that possibility, Augury was fairly certain he had never met anyone born outside of the Kawani Lands, let alone one who carried herself with this much presence.
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Ullume stopped herself halfway through shaking her head, thinking better of it. Her bells tinkled with the movement. With this spring, and the feeling she had earlier, it might well be time to change her usual answer. This day, with the sun shining dapples through the trees, blossoms beginning to burst forth, and the birds returned to the land, Ullume felt at home. “I am now,” she said, “though once I called ‘home’ somewhere else.” She turned her gaze from their path to Augury. “Do you enjoy spring as much as your appearance lets on?” she asked, inclining her head toward the tree on his back.
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It was Augury’s turn to laugh. “Indeed, I do,” he said. “I love the music the birds bring to the land, and the sweetness in the grass – and how fast it grows.” He chuckled, recalling his fascination as a foal during the early spring’s rainy season. He had spent some time “watching the grass grow,” or so he claimed, as a foal. He was sure his mother thought him to be the most peculiar foal, though really, he just had a different brand of the usual mischief.
“What about you?” he asked.
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Ullume quirked a smile. “I find spring to be quite diverting. Ah, take a right here.”
She directed them back up the path she had just come from. Before them, a meadow opened. A spring burbled on one side of it; a small creek streamed from its edge and across the field. A handful of butterflies sunned themselves on the warm rocks beside the pool; some of their fellows, along with fluffy bumblebees, pollinated nearby daffodils and other early flowers that had begun to bloom. “I spent my morning here,” she said, surveying the meadow. “I thought you might like to see this place, since you gave such an appropriate answer.”
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Augury’s eyes widened as he took in the magical scene before him; it felt as if Ullume had conjured it from the air. Golden sunlight poured down from the treetops above, providing just enough light and shade to let this place prosper. Happy insects buzzed all around them, while birds careened through the open air, trying to catch said insects. While the rest of the world was still waking up, this little meadow’s microclimate appeared to be in full spring. It took his breath away.
“Let’s stay here a while,” he said, catching her eye. “I am not sure I could be convinced to leave.”
-
Smiling, Ullume resumed the seat she had vacated half an hour ago, laying down delicately in the grass. She curled her legs and kept herself upright for the most part, taking in all the sights, sounds, and aromas that graced the air. She wasn’t sure precisely how, but spring seemed to bring out the most organized chaos. “It is a lovely place to be, is it not?”
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Augury nodded, settling in beside this most otherworldly mare. If she had found this place, just randomly placed in the depths of the forest, there may very well be more to her than met his eye. Whatever the case might be, her company was calming. While he still felt the ebullience he had woken up with this morning, it was now overlaid by a tranquility that had rubbed off on him from this mare. Whoever she was, she seemed to be worth spending time with.
So, Augury resolved, he could spend a few hours with her, having quiet discussions and observing the life of this meadow. His tree would enjoy the sun, and there was plenty of water; there might even be fish in that pond. Content, he relaxed, happy to spend the day doing something worthwhile, for once – making a friend.
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