Mia tilted her head one way, then the other, trying to work out the kinks in her neck as she squinted at the horizon. For so long, there was little to see except the tall grass, ahead and behind. When not mounted, it was like being in a small, private world. When at a level above the swaying stalks, it was a mesmerizing sea of golden waves.
But now, drawing closer, enormous trees loomed ahead, seeming to grow by the hour as the group approached the next checkpoint in their journey.
Reaching the forest was a welcome change. The weather was slowly growing hotter as summer came, and the grasslands were no longer as hospitable as they had been at first. With Mia's leading, they had continued following the river through the plains for several more days until a large bend took it suddenly South.
On the other side lay the forest.
