Shenowa giggled as she ran through the forest. Her brother would never be able to catch her here! She was two winters younger then he, but she had been given the gift of speed. Shenowa was almost always able to outrun her brother.
No longer able to hear Ujiawa behind her, the girl took the opportunity to hide. Quickly she looked about and spotted a small cave about 50 yards away. Before her brother could catch up and spot her, Shenowa dashed into the cave and gave a little sigh as she plopped herself behind a large rock. Sure she might be faster then Ujiawa, but she was not build for endurance. Running for any period of time quickly began to tire her.
The young girl gave a little yawn and stretched her arms out wide. She was about to take a little nap when she felt her hand brush up against something. It was warm to the touch and she could feel something moving about inside. Curious, the girl moved the object into the light to get a better look.
As the afternoon sunlight lit up the basket, Shenowa clapped in glee. A basket! She had seen the Soquili in the village, but she had never been allowed to interact with them. She sat deeply in thought for a few minutes. Baskets typically had a parent or a guardian to watch over them and protect them, it seemed likely that this one was no exception. Then again, perhaps she should wait a little while, just to be sure. Shenowa moved the basket back into the shadows and curled around it using her own body heat to help keep it warm. A few moment later she fell asleep.
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Hours later, Shenowa was awoken by her brother.
"There you are!" He shouted at her. "I've been looking all over for you. You had me worried." He scolded her.
Sleepily, Shenowa apologized to him and then proceeded to point to the basket. The girl quickly explained what had happened and why she had stayed. Ujiawa listened silently to every word. She couldn't quite tell if he was angry, disappointed, or even just indifferent. Whatever he was, she was determined to keep this basket.
After a short time, Ujiawa sighed. "Very well." He spoke softly. "You may stay with the basket but only until it's guardian returns." He spoke firmly but Shenowa could see the amusement in his eyes. "I'll bring you food and a blanket to keep you warm through the night." He added as a second thought and then left her.
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Several days later, Shenowa awoke to the basket stirring. No one had come looking for it and so she had assumed that the basket had simply been abandoned. Had she not found it, it most likely would have perished. The girl pushed her blanket aside and moved over to allow it some room. Shenowa didn't have long to wait. A buckskin filly pushed her way out of the basket within a matter of minutes. The girl was awed by the beauty of the foal and laughed as she nudged her with her tiny head.
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The girl, Shenowa, and the filly, Zarita, grew together. Shenowa had taken care of the filly and had mothered her. They played together, ate together, and even slept together. The two were inseparable and one could not be found without the other. Though, as fate would have it, they
would be separated.
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The young mare nudged the girl again. She needed to get up,
had to get up. If she continued on like this then there was no hope. Zarita didn't know what she would do without her, who would tell her stories or sing to her. Who would be her bed mate and feed her? She nudged the girl again, urgently, frantically trying to move her. At the young mare's urging, Shenowa slowly opened her eyes.
"Zarita my beautiful one." She whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm afraid that we don't have much time left together. You've always been good to me. You've always been my pretty girl and you always will be."
The mare frantically shook her head in denial. Shenowa had held on for weeks now. As the plague had taken the rest of the village she had stayed strong. The girl couldn't give in now. Zarita simply refused to let her go.
"My lovely girl." She continued on. "I know that you are strong, that you can live without me. I grow week and weary now, my time has come. My family and my friends have all gone before me, and now I must join them." She smiled up at the mare, and then a single tear fell as she moved on to her final resting place.
Zarita shared the tear with her, shedding her own for her best friend. What would she do now? Where would she go? Her life seemed empty without Shenowa in it. The mare gave the girl one final nudge as if hugging her goodbye, then she moved on her way. Wherever that might be.
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