Framed by a wall of towering pine, this Highland coo stood alone, the warmth of its auburn coat stark against the deep green backdrop. It didn’t move, didn’t flinch, didn’t break its gaze. There was a stillness here that felt deliberate, as if it wasn’t simply pausing, but choosing to be exactly where it was.

The others had disappeared into the folds of the hills, yet this one lingered. Less part of a herd, more a lone traveller, an outlander in its own land. The longer I watched, the more it felt as though the roles had reversed. We weren’t the observers. We were the ones being studied.

Photo by: Bradley Basten