I pick them up happily

The mare does not relax at your retreat, but you do find some small berries growing in between the tall grass. The horses must not have been able to get to them because of the thick stalks.

You scoop them out of the water, admiring their orange hue.

You have gained an item: Handful of unknown gemstones x1!

I smile standing up I then creep towards the plains

As you approach the plains, you notice faint hoofprints in the dirt. It looks as though there were multiple horses, though the tracks are at least a day old. You also notice that the sun will set in a couple of hours.

You finally arrive in the small town, ready to begin your journey. Before doing anything, though, you check your backpack to make sure everything you had packed is still intact. Thankfully, everything is fine.

Inventory:

Small backpack - Capacity: 15 - Remaining space: 10
1 tent
1 canteen of water
1 sandwich
1 lasso
1 coin pouch - 500 gold coins

You also remember that you had bought a small stables only an hour or so of a trek away, capable of holding 10 horses.

What do you decide to do first?

I decide to follow the hoofprints happily

You follow the hoofprints until the sun is low in the sky and you are tired, thirsty and hungry.

I drink some water in my canteen and eat one of the raspberries as to save the rest for horses

You eat a raspberry and drink about half the water in your canteen, but one raspberry isn't nearly enough to curb your hunger as you haven't eaten since you arrived in town this morning.