Lovebird Perched on the Cliffside

Jessi knew that finding a pony so far from her farm was bound to happen at some point. After all, with all life's inconveniences, it didn't take much to guess that a lonesome horse would be found here. It was just how things were. Ponies were often found far from signs of life. They prefered it that way. Quiet, cozy, and free of humanly interruption.

She really couldn't blame them. How could she? She was quite the same.

And that tendency toward the quietness is what led Jessi cliffside on a breezy winter afternoon. She was far from her stable and had brought nothing but a truck, a few snacks, and her hope to find a comfortable retreat to quell her mind in. Cliffsides had always been a place of peace for Jessi. They were a reminder of the vastness of the world. A reminder of just how much the lands expanded beyond the horizon she could see---and how little her life was in comparison to the beauty of earth.

When she approached the ledge, she found a suitable rock to take a seat on while she gazed at the valleys below. Even in winter, when the trees were barren and wildlife was hard to come by, it seemed like nature was alive in every crevice. The wind whispered in her ears and jingled the purple bell ribbon in her pocket, bugs crawled over her feet, and the gentle tap of a snout patted her shoulder.

Wait...

Jessi's head whirled around, only to be met by the friendly eyes of a lavender pony! She smiled, a soft gasp catching in her throat. She tried not to jump or jolt, hoping to stay calm enough that the pony would remain in its place. Slowly, Jessi rose to her feet and let her hand rest on the mare's cheek. The pony huffed softly and stamped her front hoof once. 

"Oh no, is this your resting place?" Jessi asked, tilting her head. The gales of the afternoon had blown some of the pony's hair into her eyes, so Jessi tucked it wind-ward. "I didn't mean to take it from you, sweet girl."

The mare huffed again. There must have been something she wanted. Nothing Jessi could discern, that's for sure. Besides, even if she had any way to speak horse, she had only brought a few things with her. It was then that Jessi realized she should always be prepared for a Teddy to show up. Especially when she lived on such a vast, hilly farm. 

Aha!

The flicker of her memory came back to her. Jessi forgot she had stored some snacks in her center console before she came here. Of course, nothing that would classically be fed to a horse. But Jessi did have a nicely ripened banana that she could offer to the pony. It was just right, and Jessi hoped it would at least help her bond with the wild horses around her property.

Jessi went back to her truck to grab the banana, then swiftly returned to feed it to the mare. Of course, the mare took it with enthusiasm, chomping away at its soft innards like she'd never had something so tasty. As the sounds of gushing and slapping permeated the air, Jessi continued to pet the pony.

Her fur was a bit sandy from the wind, but still soft. There was a mark on her forehead that looked almost identical to a heart! And if as if the pony couldn't get any cuter, Jessi then noticed the stripes on her lower legs. A little tiger, she was. And she sure had the attitude of one, too. Whoever got to have her on there farm, if anyone at all, would be such a lucky owner!

Though, with no horse trailer to bring her home in, Jessi was losing hope she'd get to see this pony ever again. 

Well, if she just called Frank and had him bring his trailer, it would be possible to try and bring this sassy girl home. Though, it would take forever to explain to Frank where she was. Shoot, Jessi didn't even know where she was! On top of that, she wasn't fully sure that the pony was trusting enough to get into a trailer, let alone brave the drive back to the farm.

As the mare finished her snack, she trilled at Jessi's frown, as if trying to soothe Jessi's sadness. Jessi put on a brave face for the pony, merely smiling and returning to stroking the mare's snout.

"It's okay, girl. You just enjoy your snack. You can always come to my farm if you want to, alright?" Jessi offered. She hoped the horse knew the land better than she did herself. After all, it had only been a couple of weeks since she'd moved in, and this quiet life had already proven to be more confusing and chaotic than she'd bargained for.

But the pony didn't seem to mind. She stamped her hoof again, nudged at the bell ribbon in Jessi's pocket, then turned landward once more. As the pony walked toward the horizon, Jessi sighed.

Hopefully she'd come back. One day.