The Dark Light [Mary]

[Velk]

do you ever wonder...

...do you ever dream?

Of course, it all seemed so beautiful at first. It is only after arriving that Velk wonders why he chose this time of year to visit. Summer in the Meadow is not like the Cove at all. There is no coastal breeze to break the humidity. Even after the day star sinks below the horizon, the night remains muggy and uncomfortable. The grasses stand as still as the air. From daybreak until dusk, winged insects hover around Velk's ears. The buzzing of their wings rings annoyingly in his eardrums. The black-and-white attempts to drive them away with repeated snaps of his tail and shakes of his head. The constant exertion, beneath the summer sun, creates a layer of perspiration upon his muscular hide. He grazes until he cannot bear it any longer. When he has had enough, he retreats to the shade of a nearby tree.

After a few days in the relentless pasture, the Meadow begins to lose its appeal. Velk considers returning home but then, mother nature seems to take pity on him. As dawn breaks, so does the heat and, with it, the humidity. Blue gaze notes the lack of a haze upon the horizon and, with a yawn, he meanders out for a spot of breakfast. The drop in temperature creates a film of dew which coats his striped hooves and fetlock tendrils. Velk breathes a sigh of relief before he settles in to graze upon the tall grasses. What would the change in season bring to the Meadow today?

Velk