Still so Far

It was hot.

Hot and dry.

Amissa looked to the sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight.

The sun beat down and baked the grass and dirt.

There were no trees large enough for Amissa to hide beneath and wait out the heat of the day. So she carried on.

As she flew, the heat and the sun played tricks on her eyes. The heat danced on the path below and bent the light shimmering like water.

Her mouth was dry already, and she found herself stopping for a drink.

She took a few good sips of the water she had been given.

She briefly considered pouring some of it onto her back to cool herself, but thought it best to conserve what little she had. She didn't know when she would next find more, and what she had could only last her so long.

She replaced the cap onto the canteen and put it back in the bag.

As she returned to her flight, she considered the heat again.

Despite how far north she had come, it seemed to be getting hotter. She knew it must have been mid summer, but even so. Perhaps there was a desert ahead of her.

As she pondered these things, she flew.

She kept on, following the winding path below.

It was the only mark on an otherwise untouched landscape of grass and bushes.

She didn't stop again for some time.

When she did, she drank and pulled out one or the loaves of bread.

She broke the loaf in two, placing the extra half back in the bag, along with the canteen.

Upon trying the bread, she quickly regretted putting away the water. It was sour and dry, but at least it was filling.

The dryness in her mouth was overwhelming, and she was forced to take another drink.

She once again, repacked her things and took flight.

She took notice of a mild stinging sensation across her back.

She was getting a sunburn.

She regretted not asking the caravan for a blanket or cloak to shade herself from the sun.

She would need to stop soon, or risk being slowed by the pain.

Just as this crossed he mind, she saw something ahead. A thin, dark line appeared on the horizon. It seemed to cross right over her path.

She picked up her pace, trying to see what it was.

Trees! It was a line of trees!

As she looked, she saw an unmistakable shimmer of reflected light just beyond.

It was a river!

Water! Shade! Relief!

With half the day left, she flew as fast as she could to get out of the sun.

Despite it's clear visibility in the distance, the flight took upwards of thirty minutes. She was tired as she closed the final distance between her an the line of green trees and plant.

It hadn't been a mirage. She could see a thin stream of water banked on either side by white sand,, and further up, large, deep green trees.

From the size of the river she figured it must have been in some sort of dry season. Yet, even so, there was crystal clear water, and she could see small fish darting about, just below the surface.

She found a spot on the banks, shaded by a large river birch.

The tree hung towards the river, as though it's very purpose was to shade those who came to its banks.

Amissa thanked the tree for it's shade, and though, the only response she got was a rustling of leaves, the life of this place made her feel welcomed.

All around, small animals ran up for water. Small birds nested in coves along the banks, and it the trees. insects buzzed, and fish splashed in the water. It was the most living place she had seen since entering the grassland.

For just a moment, she felt a calming peace come over her.

Then she felt the burning on her back.

She remembered her dream. Her eyes grew cloudy as she felt moisture running down her face.

She shook it off, and trotted up to the water.

A small fish swam up to her. It watched, as if it were, in some way, knowing, and concerned. It watched her as she knelt down by the water.

She greeted the fish. It simply watched her.

She suddenly realized how alone she was. She had spent most of her time alone, but having spent the last two months in the company of other ponies reminded her that there were other ponies in the world. Ponies she could talk to. Who would listen to her, and would talk back.

She looked at the fish again. It still stayed, watching, as if waiting for her.

She spoke to the fish. She didn't know why. She just felt some need to.

She told it of her dream, of her past, of her travels. She told the fish of her journey through towering forests, across rivers, deeper then anypony could fathom. She told of mountains that scrapped the clouds, and deep valleys that would fill with fog in the earliest hours of morning. She spoke of ponies she had met, of her mother. She laughed, and cried, and spent the day talking to the fish, which simple stayed and watch, clueless, but seemingly understanding. As though it had been given some knowledge by a higher power, that it was needed there.

As the sun began to lower, and the heat of the day died down.

Amissa looked once more to the fish who has stayed and listened to her. She thanked it.

At that moment, is if on cue, it turned and left. Going on to live it's simple life.

Amissa waved goodbye, as though she were waving to a friend.

She looked up to the tree above her. Despite how low the sun was getting, its shadow persisted.

She decided to rest there a while.

With no blankets, and her back still sore, she decided to simple lay on the sand by the trunk of the tree. The damp sand was cool against he chest. She lay there for a while, thinking about her day, and the journey she still had ahead of her.

She lay there, calm and peaceful.

She slept.