Even the short move they had made have given most of them itchy feet in a way. It was in their nature to be on the move, to seek the grass, to follow the bosk. And many were longing for the southern grasses. She and Ba'atar had talked of this, or longing to feel the warmth of the Central Fire on their faces, to see the southern grasses blowing gently as the winds passed across them. In some ways, it was far too soon to be thinking of such, but in others, this short move had made them all realize that it was time to start making preparations for the longer journey that hey would undertake before they knew it.
Thinking of the journey south, always brought the field of blue flowers to mind. This time, hopefully, they could share the beauty of it together. Those simple blue flowers had become a talisman of sorts to her, a marker on the path of her life.
Before they were ever mated, before that thought had ever entered her head, they talked far into the night by the fires once, and she found herself telling him about this amazing field of flowers, that were the most beautiful shades of blue, that stretched off into the horizon to meet the blue of the sky. He had told her that he wanted to see these flowers, to see them with her on their way back to the southern grasses.
But it was not to be. That had been an odd trip from beginning to end. She was heavy with Loch's first son, alone, and still missing him. They journey had gotten off to a rocky start, with Fonce going missing, with not everyone leaving the northern grazing grounds at the same time. She never did really understand why those that stayed, stayed. Why they tarried so long. In fact, they had been so far behind, that Ba'atar has became first angry, then concerned and left to go back in search of them. They must have been farther behind than he had thought, for he was gone for a long time.
This was when she realized the oddest thing. She missed him. She missed him terribly, and just didn't quite understand it. But, that was the reason that he did not see the flowers with her that time. She can remember standing at the edge of the field, watching the blue blossoms dip their heads and dance in the wind, and thinking about him.
She had no right to think about him, another had already confessed her love for him, one that was not heavy with child, one that was beautiful and had an allure about her. One that was graceful of movement, sweet of voice, kind of nature. One that he had shown interest in. So at that time, she gazed out over the sea of blue and felt loneliness again. How could she have been lonely for something that she didn't have?
Smiling to herself, she pushed these thoughts away and looked out over the wagons that were beginning to circle again into the temporary camp that they would call home for a few days. So much had happened since that trip, that at time she found it hard to encompass it all into her life. She sat there thinking of how quickly ones' life can change, almost within the beat of a heart. She also wondered just how many of the people that she watched, were feeling that same longing for the south. That were feeling the pull of the grass and the waters there, of flowers, scattered trees, and the warmth of the Central Fire there.
Just how many other Tuchuk had spring fever like she did? How many longed for greener pastures?
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