[Lalala, I'm the worst. Good thing nothing has happened in Helovia since???? SORRY GUYS!!]

Gaucho returned Deimos' nod, mirroring its depth and intentions. Silently the stag wondered what it would be like to charge against the long-horned beast, the silent tyrant. Gaucho had heard tales of death following the Reaper, and considered whether or not the living fire that he brandished would be enough to thwart a magical demise. Although his faith in the Sun God was as steadfast as always he did think Deimos would put up a good fight ... Gaucho had fought unicorns before, and his body's battle-prowess had never before let him down. However something told him that the saber the Reaper wielded would not be brandished with the same flimsy zeal as those he had encountered in the past.

Would he find out one day? And if so, on what terms?

"As you see, Throat still very warm-" He acknowledged, extending out a flaming wing and pointing to his paradise island across the waters. It was of course colder than normal, but no frost would likely ever touch the bloody ground that his herd walked upon. "-but cloth hard to come by in Throat. Thank you." Silently Mara urged him to ask what Ulrik had done with the metals they had given them last season, but the Wildfire refrained. Now was not the time to satisfy idle curiosities. However if this conversation was going in the direction he thought it was ... perhaps it would become relevant as a point of military power.

Gaucho's steely gaze flitted to Deimos briefly as the Reaper interjected. A shade of a knowing falseness seemed to flit before Gaucho's mind as the unicorn mentioned the armor. Surely all present were aware that had it not been for Ophelia - and, to some small part Hotaru as well - those gifts would have never been offered? It was only because of his decision to aid the pale lady that his crafters had been sent to work. Nevertheless, the Wildfire nodded. "Trade always good." He rumbled ambiguously.

As Hotaru spoke, the Wildfire gave her his full attention. Like the pastel Lady, Gaucho respected the tentative alliance that they had struck so many seasons ago. However he couldn't quell the feeling of something being not quite right with the story that he was presented. When Ophelia had come to him to let him know of her departure from the Basin, she had mentioned that she had offered to help with transition and finding a replacement but that Deimos had denied her request and told her to immediately leave. While he had no reason to distrust the statements of either Hotaru or Ophelia, his fealty was solidly in the corner of the crimson former-lady.

"Ophelia come to Gaucho earlier -" He offered, seeing no reason to hide from the assembled pair her arrival on his sands. Perhaps it was better that they knew what - and who - they were dealing with. "It sound like she not leave Basin on the best of terms." His words were flat and without any instigation. He was simply stating the facts as he saw them. "Ophelia and Deimos lead invasion against Falls - so that Edge can live without fear of the Moon. Then Ophelia leave to live under moon, and Hotaru lead with Deimos." His gaze swayed gently between the two as he summarized what he took the proceeding events to be.

"Why this happen? " Then, directly to Hotaru, "You once say you follow Ophelia. You once sound like she was a leader worthy of respect. You also tell Gaucho that Moon Goddess hold your allegiance. So why you not follow her now? " Was staying in the Basin and leading alongside Deimos truly what she wanted? Or was it a bitter sacrifice? And now, a question for Deimos: "Gaucho owe much to Ophelia. She say that you kick her out immediately. She was all that held our herds together."

His tone of voice for both inquires was completely neutral. It was not his intention to bate them or debate them - but, if an alliance or even a continued neutrality was what was being proposed - then Gaucho reasoned that they too should share some of the burden of his thoughts.