It was a quiet afternoon at the Moar Gut.
The sun shone warmly from the sky, but in Toni’s heart
It was a quiet afternoon at the Moar Gut.
The sun
shone warmly from the sky, but in Toni’s heart
everything felt a little gray. He sat silently on the old wooden bench in front of the stable, his shoulders
everything felt a little gray. He sat silently on the
old wooden bench in front of the stable, his
drooping, holding a small, crumpled paper airplane in his hands. His best friend, Leo, had left that
shoulders drooping, holding a small, crumpled paper
airplane in his hands. His best friend, Leo, had left
morning. For two weeks they had played together every single day – tumbling in the hay, riding the
that morning. For two weeks they had played
together every single day – tumbling in the hay,
ponies, building secret hideouts… Gusti, the rooster, was scratching in the gravel nearby, glancing over
riding the ponies, building secret hideouts… Gusti,
the rooster, was scratching in the gravel nearby,
at Toni repeatedly. Finally, he waddled straight up to him, pecked lightly at Toni’s leg, and said:
“Hey, you
glancing over at Toni repeatedly. Finally, he waddled
straight up to him, pecked lightly at Toni’s leg, and
look like you’ve swallowed a worm – and not a good one.” Toni gave a weak smile. “I miss Leo. Now
said:
“Hey, you look like you’ve swallowed a worm –
and not a good one.” Toni gave a weak smile.
everything is boring.” Gusti puffed up his feathers and put on a serious face. “Then it’s time for a little
“I miss Leo. Now everything is boring.” Gusti puffed
up his feathers and put on a serious face. “Then it’s
trip,” he said mysteriously.
“I know a special path. One that helps against sadness.” Curious, though still
time for a little trip,” he said mysteriously.
“I know a
special path. One that helps against sadness.”
a little quiet, Toni stood up. Together they set off – past the stable, across the flower meadow, and into
Curious, though still a little quiet, Toni stood up.
Together they set off – past the stable, across the
the small forest at the edge of the resort. The ground was soft beneath their feet, and sunbeams
flower meadow, and into the small forest at the
edge of the resort. The ground was soft beneath
the small forest at the edge of the resort. The ground was soft beneath their feet, and sunbeams
their feet, and sunbeams glimmered golden through
the leaves. “This is the Friendship Path,” Gusti
glimmered golden through the leaves.
“This is the Friendship Path,” Gusti whispered.
“It shows you that
whispered. “It shows you that memories stay and
friendship never truly disappears.” After a few
memories stay and friendship never truly disappears.” After a few steps, they stopped. A small heart
steps, they stopped. A small heart made of twigs
and daisies hung from an old tree drunk. “Oh!” Toni
made of twigs and daisies hung from an old tree drunk. “Oh!” Toni exclaimed in surprise. “Rosa and I
exclaimed in surprise. “Rosa and I made that once
made that once for Leo! He was sad – and we wanted to cheer him up.” Gusti nodded with satisfaction.
for Leo! He was sad – and we wanted to cheer him
up.” Gusti nodded with satisfaction. “See?
Friendship grows everywhere.” A little further on,
they discovered hoofprints in the soft forest soil.
“That was our last ride with Snowflake and Naomi.
We had a race!” Toni remembered, giggling.
“Leo
almost fell off his horse because he laughed so
hard.” Slowly, Toni’s heart felt a little lighter.
They walked on until they reached a small clearing.
There it was – almost hidden under moss:
the
Friendship Stone. Toni bent down and carefully
brushed it off.
The flat stone was brightly painted –
on one side a smiling face, on the other, in wobbly
children’s handwriting: “Best Friends – Leo & Toni.”
“We hid it here when we promised each other we’d
always stay friends. Even if we live far apart.”
Gusti looked at him with soft eyes.
“Sometimes,” he
said quietly, “you just need to remember that
friendship stays – even if you don’t see each other
every day.” Toni stroked the stone and smiled.
Then
he sat down in the grass, and Gusti nestled beside
him.
Together they gazed up at the sky, where a few
clouds drifted by like sailing ships. “You’re my friend
too, Gusti,” Toni said at last. “...and Rosa is still here
as well.”
“Of course!” clucked Gusti proudly. “And I’m
actually very good at cheering up. I even have a
comfort feather!” He plucked a particularly fluffy
little feather from his belly and placed it in Toni’s
hand.
“For bringing back your smile,” he said.
Toni held it close to his chest. And so, they lay
there – surrounded by moss, memories, and
birdsong – and the gray in Toni’s heart gave way to a
warm, bright feeling.
The feeling that friendship
doesn’t end when someone leaves.
It stays. Quiet,
strong, and always ready to shine again.
“See? Friendship grows everywhere.” A little further on, they discovered hoofprints in the soft forest
soil.
“That was our last ride with Snowflake and Naomi. We had a race!” Toni remembered, giggling.
“Leo
almost fell off his horse because he laughed so hard.” Slowly, Toni’s heart felt a little lighter. They
walked on until they reached a small clearing.
There it was – almost hidden under moss:
the Friendship
Stone. Toni bent down and carefully brushed it off.
The flat stone was brightly painted – on one side a
smiling face, on the other, in wobbly children’s handwriting: “Best Friends – Leo & Toni.”“We hid it here
when we promised each other we’d always stay friends. Even if we live far apart.”Gusti looked at him
with soft eyes.
“Sometimes,” he said quietly, “you just need to remember that friendship stays – even
if you don’t see each other every day.” Toni stroked the stone and smiled.
Then he sat down in the
grass, and Gusti nestled beside him.
Together they gazed up at the sky, where a few clouds drifted by
like sailing ships. “You’re my friend too, Gusti,” Toni said at last. “...and Rosa is still here as well.”
“Of
course!” clucked Gusti proudly. “And I’m actually very good at cheering up. I even have a comfort
feather!” He plucked a particularly fluffy little feather from his belly and placed it in Toni’s hand.
“For
bringing back your smile,” he said. Toni held it close to his chest. And so, they lay there – surrounded by
moss, memories, and birdsong – and the gray in Toni’s heart gave way to a warm, bright feeling.
The
feeling that friendship doesn’t end when someone leaves.
It stays. Quiet, strong, and always ready to