I heard her footsteps long before I heard her voice. The sound of leather on concrete announced her arrival on the footpath. With each footstep, I could hear her getting closer, closer, closer. They echoed deep in my consciousness, swirling and whirling and consuming it. I was heady with excitement and captivated by the rhythm and resonance of each footfall. When I heard the sound of leather on stones, I knew she was at the entrance. She walked into the yard, confident, purposefully and accompanied. Although I was nestled amongst my own kind in the far corner, I sensed a change. Read More . . .