Gary smiled patiently at Athena. “How about we wait just a little bit longer? I promise I will take you when I feel the time is right. I just want to make sure you find exactly the right person at the right moment.”

Athena sighed. “Okaayy.”

“Speaking of the time being right,” Gary started, looking back at me again. “Kit, you were just the person I was hoping to see today.”

“I was?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

A relaxed smile spread across Gary’s face. “Indeed you were. Come along,” he turned around, gesturing to follow. “I have something to talk to you about.”

I hesitated for only a moment before nudging Nova forward, keeping up with Gary’s casual pace as he led us back to where he’d parked his cart. As we crested the hill, I noticed something move behind Gary’s covered wagon. I leaned to the side, off of Nova, trying to get a glimpse at what was back there.

I heard a laugh in front of me, and I quickly righted myself. Too quickly, actually. I tightened my grip on the reins a bit, my legs clenching tighter to Nova. She snorted, stomping her feet as I tried to find my balance again.

Gary laughed again, covering his mouth with his hand for a moment as he tried to compose himself. “I see you spotted her.”

“Her?” I glanced back, trying to see the movement again.

Gary came to a stop and let out a short whistle. I woahed Nova as I saw a head peer out from behind his wagon.

“You can come out if you’d like Daychaser, this is the one I was telling you about.”

I found myself sliding off of Nova’s saddle before I realized it as a horse, Daychaser, took a few slow steps out from her hiding spot. I took a step forward as well, looking her over as she came further into view.

She was a soft buckskin with black markings on her, stripes covering her rump and hind legs. She had white and yellow flowers woven into her braided mane. She had light white swirls painted under her left eye and her hair waved softly in the light breeze.

“Hi, my name is Kit,” I said, offering a hand out.

Daychaser took a few more steps forward. “My name is Daychaser, I’m a Forester.” Her tail swished, an ear twitching, showcasing her anxiety. She stretched her neck forward and sniffed my hand for a moment before pulling back.

I lowered my hand gently. “I like the flowers in your mane. They’re very pretty.”

Daychaser straightened up just slightly, turning her head from side to side to show off the flowers better. “Thank you,” she nickered, swishing her head, making her mane ruffle. “Juniper helped me put these in, making sure they stay fresh.”

I smiled. “My horse, Dreamweaver, also loves flowers and braids. And Nova here really loves feathers, so I’m definitely familiar with that.”

Nova huffed behind me. I glanced back and saw her turning her head to also show off her mane, revealing the maroon and black feathers I had woven in there a few days ago.

I glanced back at Daychaser just as she looked away from Nova and back at me. “How many horses are you befriended to?”

“Well, this is Nova, and at my stable I have Echo, Dreamweaver, Darkfrost, Twilight, and Ghostrunner.” I said, counting on my fingers as I went.

“You must be kind then, to have so many trust you.”

I smiled, cheeks pinkening as I glanced away for a moment. “I… I think I am, kind that is. I try my best to be. Honestly, having their trust is an honor to me.”

Daychaser looked over my shoulder, and I turned my head to look as well as Gary stepped closer.

“Well, Kit, you might have guessed this already but Daychaser here has been hoping to go into the Gray World. She’s been looking for the right person for a few weeks now, and after thinking about it, I thought you would be the right choice.”

My eyes widened. “Really?” I whipped my head back to look at Daychaser, who had taken a step closer to me. I beamed and reached over to rub her nose, which made her close her eyes and push into my touch.

“Would you really like to come with me?” I asked, voice a bit quieter.

Daychaser opened her eyes and pulled back slightly. “I like what I see in you, even though I’ve seen so little, and I’d like to see more in the future, if you’ll accept me as well.”

I nodded before she finished her thought. “Yes, of course. I’m so…” I took in a small breath, not able to find the right words before I just nodded some more. “I actually always carry a spare lead with me, cause you never know what will happen. Are you wanting to leave today? Or should I come back tomorrow or some other time even?”

Her head tilted when I mentioned a lead, but she didn’t ask about it. “I would like to say one last goodbye to some horses, but they already knew today might be my day so a lot of goodbyes were said earlier as well.”

“Would you like me to wait here, or come with you?”

“I wouldn’t mind if you joined. Then my herd will get to see that I will be in good hands, and they know I will return someday as well.”

She glanced at me, and I nodded rapidly again. “Of course you’ll return someday. I love coming here. Besides, Athena still hasn’t beaten me at pot smashing.”

Daychaser laughed, shaking her head and I couldn’t help but giggle as well.

“Well,” Gary said, interrupting our merth, “it seems like everything is settled here. Daychaser, you couldn’t be in better hands. I am glad you found a match in Kit.”

“Thank you for helping me,” Daychaser said, dipping her head down.

“And thank you for trusting me,” I said as well, voice a bit softer.

Gary placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. “You have a wonderful spark in you, Kit, don’t let that ever die out.”

“I won’t.” I promised.

Gary smiled and took a step back. “Well, unfortunately I must go back to the Gray World, now that my work here for the moment is done. May our paths cross again soon.”

As he walked back to his wagon, I turned back to Daychaser. “Are you ready?”

Daychaser nodded.

I beamed, grabbing onto Nova’s saddle as I jumped back onto her. “Great, I know the way, so would you like to trot back together?”

“I would like that.”

“Cool! On the way, you should show me where you got those flowers, so we know where to find them next time.”

Who cares.

So far things have been more interesting by myself and I'll try my hardest to keep it that way. People are too fickle for my mind.