A World Apart

Chapter 4

Once they got back to her home, it was already quite dark outside. "Thank you so much for today Lucia." She said whilst dismounting her horse. "Feel free to come back and visit me, especially if you need some food!" She sang a bit at the end. Looking back to the forest, her face fell a little. "I, would understand if you wanted to make this a 'one time' type of thing though."

"You honestly think I would make acquaintances with a human and only meet with them once?" She asked with a chuckle.

Eva began to wring her hands. "Well, no, not so much you necessarily. But, one of your friends was caught in a trap today after a human came. Wouldn't they be more wary of me?"

"You have everyone's deep respect. She told her. "Just don't come wandering into the woods at night alone.

"That makes me happy to know that. Even if I was there for just barely a day!" She said with a giggle. Turning her attention back to the forest, she replied, "Don't worry, I don't plan on going in there alone. I don't even like to leave my own home at night!" She turned to pat her horse, "but this guy, he can cause trouble. He likes to try and get out every now and then, which causes problems for me because he lets me get close, then runs off again!" She gave out a laugh. "Luckily, this has only happened in the morning or the day. Never at night."

"Just stay safe, Friend." Lucia smiled at her. "And I will see you soon.

Smiling when Lucia called her 'friend,' she replied "You as well, my friend! I shall be awaiting your return!" She waved at her.

Lucia waved and quickly flew off to return home.

She stood there and watched Lucia go off until she was just speck and she could no longer see her. With a sigh, she turned back to her horse. "Shall we get you back to your pasture? You've had a long and eventful day." He gave a nod of his head to which she laughed at. "Alright, come on then." She lead him back to where the gate was. Just as she opened it, he jerked the lead out of her hands and took off towards the forest. She just watched in shock. "You have got to be kidding me...." She began to try and catch up with him eventually making it to the forest line, hesitating. She had never been in the forest alone before, but, she needed to get to her horse before something happened to him. "I'll be safe. Everything will be fine...." She told her self, trying to be reassuring.

She heard a nicker that did not come from her horse and Evander showed up, the lead in his hand.

Eva ran up to meet him. "Thank you so much!" She gave him a hug, but then remembered what Lucia said about hugs not being common. "I mean, I appreciate the help. I didn't think he would decide to play one of his little tricks tonight." She said after turning her attention to her horse and stroked his face.

To her surprise, he hugged her back with one arm and trotted along with the horse, returning him to his pen. "You keep them in a large pen, they must be happy.

It took her a while to respond, still in a bit of shock that he returned the hug. "Yes, at least I hope so. I want the best for them. Well, the best that I can afford to give them that is." She gave out a light chuckle. "I almost feel like I am a dotting parent to them!"

He smiled shyly and handed her a flower. "Well, you certainly do well, for they love you also."

Accepting the flower, she said, "Thank you, I'm glad that they think that. It seems my care for them shows!" She looked back down at the flower. "If you don't mind me asking Evander, where did you find this flower? There aren't any flowers that grow around here at all."

"There are some in the forest. It's truly exquisite to see them! They only grow for about a month out of the year." He sighed sadly.

She thought for a moment. "Don't be so sad. That is just something that makes their beauty last! If they were there all the time, you would begin to easily look over them right?"