-Dolly, come back!- shouted a young shepherd as he chased a runaway sheep through the dense forest.
Twigs pulled at his wool tunic and the wind mussed his dark hair as he pursued her.
Just minutes ago, the young shepherd, Juan, had been tending his flock as usual, until suddenly one of his sheep -the always obedient Dolly- bolted toward the woods at full speed.
Deeply worried, Juan quickly led the rest of the flock back to the pen before sprinting after his beloved Dolly.
-Dolly!- Juan kept calling out, following her trail in hopes that she would either return or tire of her flight.
This went on for a while until, finally, he spotted her grazing peacefully near the entrance of what looked like a glade. Naturally, Juan completely ignored the clearing as he reached for Dolly.
-Why did you run, Dolly? Do you know how dangerous these woods are? Something could have happened to you- Juan scolded her.
Dolly merely looked at him briefly with a blank stare before going back to her grazing.
-Ugh, what am I going to do with you? You scared me to death- Juan sighed, giving her an exasperated look.
With Dolly now safe and within reach, Juan finally took a look at his surroundings.
He discovered the entrance to the glade he had previously ignored in his rush to ensure Dolly was okay.
With nothing else to do while she grazed, Juan decided to step into the clearing and explore.
Twigs crunched under his feet as he pushed through the trees.
Suddenly, the forest opened up.
Before him lay a wide glade.
Flowers grew there in every imaginable color, taller than the grass, swaying gently in the spring breeze.
Great forest trees surrounded the place, leaning inward as if to protect it.
But Juan hardly noticed the flowers.
In the center of the glade stood someone.
A girl.
Her pink dress fluttered softly in the wind, and her long brown hair shimmered under the sunlight.
For a moment, the young shepherd forgot why he had even entered the forest.
He simply stood there. Watching her.
Snap-crack.
Still dazed by the scene, Juan accidentally stepped on a dry branch.
"Oh!"
Startled, the girl gave a small jump and turned her head.
For a moment, neither said a word.
-I'm sorry- the young shepherd finally said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly -I didn't mean to scare you-
-No… it's alright- she replied softly -I just didn't expect anyone to find this place-
Juan looked around at the flowers.
-It's a surprise for me too, finding a place like this- he admitted -I was just chasing Dolly.-
-Dolly?- the girl asked.
-Yes- Juan replied, pointing toward the woods -She's a sheep-
The girl blinked slowly… and then let out a soft giggle.
-I see-
For the first time, the tension vanished from the air.
-I can see she is important to you- she said -You should bring her here.-
-That's true!- Juan's eyes widened. -I'll bring her right away.-
But before moving, he hesitated.
-Would it be a problem? What if she eats the flowers?-
The girl seemed to think about it for a moment.
-Don't worry- She looked at the flowers around her -As long as it is Spring… the flowers will always be here-
Though he didn't quite understand, Juan nodded and headed back into the woods.
Shortly after, his voice echoed through the trees again.
-Come on, Dolly, this way!-
The sheep appeared behind him, entering the glade with a curious gait. As soon as she saw the flowers, she perked up with interest.
-And here she is- Juan said with a smile -Meet Dolly-
Dolly wasn't particularly interested in introductions. She was already leaning toward one of the flowers.
-Dolly, no!- Juan cried out. -Don't eat the flower!-
-It's okay- the girl intervened -She can eat them-
Juan hesitated.
But before he could say anything else, the sheep plucked the flower in one bite.
Juan sighed.
Then, something strange happened.
From the freshly bitten stem, another flower began to grow. First a small bud, then the petals. In just an instant, the flower was there again, as if it had never been touched.
Juan blinked -What just…?- Shocked by the sight, he was left speechless.
The girl let out a giggle.
-I told you- she said -You don't have to worry-
Juan looked again at the flower that had just regrown.
Then he looked up at the girl.
-This place is… strange- he finally said
-Do you come here every day?-
The girl hesitated a moment before answering -Only in the Spring-
Juan looked around the flowers, the gentle wind, the light filtering through the trees.
-Then…- he said with a small smile.
-I'll be coming here more often-
The girl didn't answer immediately.
But her smile returned.