Wandering

Azura likes to wander. Be it on foot or riding. Sitting high atop Scorchs back, she guides him into the woods underbrush. It lies in the opposite direction of where they were initially going. They know this area, but havent been around in a while. 

Birds are singing and light filters through the tree canopies. It dots beautifully on his black coat and white mane, Azura imagines her husband would love to take photos of it. She'd tell him once they returned home.

Leaves soften Scorchs hoofbeats and branches break beneath him, he pushes through low bushes and small ditches. His ears swivel and he inhales the area's scents. 

Azura curiously observes the area as well. A tree here or there has fallen, there's some chiseled stones littered about which she dimly remembers. It's an old growth forest where the tree trunks are mossy and ancient and a small rest stop once was, many many years ago.

Azura leaves the reins slack so Scorch can explore whatever he wants. She's happy to just be along for the ride. He finds something edible first, a tree trunk from which he pulls a bit of moss. Azura has never seen him be picky. She takes a handful for herself. It tastes green and like bark, but can be eaten and as such Azura is fine to have it. 

Scorch plods along, he's relaxed and casually picking his way through the woods. He finds a small animal trail that he sniffs, Azura is fairly certain she can make out little pawprints in a muddy spot. But it's not that easy to tell from the back of an 18 hand horse, even if her eyesight is good. 

They move on and she can smell water, then hear the trickle of a small stream. Scorch’s ears flick and he picks up his pace. It turns out to be a small stream, likely from the thaw up in the mountains and recent rains. Scorch has led himself to water and takes a drink.

When he is sated, he smacks his lips and wades through. The area is clearer, with more level and unobstructed ground. Azura grins, she knows what's about to happen. Scorch snorts, tosses his head some and walks faster, Azura obliges and lightly nudges his sides. He falls into a steady trot, mark of the endurance rides they'd been doing and the conditioning for it. Scorch can make good way like this and he does. The trees become less and the woods lighter until they give way to a large, vibrant cleaning. Hip height bushes and grass bloom there, some deer are grazing in the distance. They startle and disappear, leaving the area to horse and rider 

It's beautiful, and sets Azura's heart aflutter. 

Scorch speeds his trot up and Azura leans forward in the saddle, cuing him into an easy canter along the grassy area. She laughs freely and Scorch rumbles. 

They're not getting any closer to home, but right now, they're perfectly fine where they are.