When Ofelia had insisted to her father that she wasn't a littl filly anymore and that she was perfectly capable of being on her own, she had honestly thought he'd put up a little more of a fight about his only daughter declaring her freedom.
But honestly, she should have known better. Her father had never denied her anything from the second she'd crawled out of her basket - as long as it didn't inconvenience him in any real way. Secretly, Ofelia wondered if Hipólito wasn't happy to be on his own again, now that she had foolishly announced she didn't need anyone but herself.
What had she been thinking? Ofelia was meant to be pampered. She was not meant to be self-sufficient.
Especially in the middle of the biggest thunderstorm Ofelia had ever had the displeasure of walking through. She was soaked to the bone, she was hungry, and she jumped at every crack of thunder and every flash of lightning. She was tired, she was going to catch cold, and worst of all, she was sure her hair was a mess.
She was so wrapped up in feeling sorry for herself she almost didn't see the giant, shadowy, hulking figure through the downpour. After deciding it was too big to be a mountain lion or a bear (hopefully), Ofelia decided that it could only be a fellow Soquili - and that as such, she was obligated to give it the opportunity to assist her. She didn't need it, of course, because like she'd told her father, she wasn't a filly anymore, but...
But she was very cold, and this was the first person she'd come across in too many days to count.
"Excuse me. Excuse me! Hello! Can you hear me? Excuse me!"