Adele hesitated at the sight of the mare's pinned ears. She guessed the other girl was nervous or scared of her. This meant a couple things. First of all, the mare didn't recognize herself or Vera. It wasAdele didn't see herself as one to be so easily feared. Unless the beings who resided in this region were all judgmental equines. What a shame that would be. If her family was the same, then would Adele be outcasted by them as well?
The mare pushed the thought out of her mind, it was far too horrid to be thinking about at the moment. She focused her attention instead on the other equine standing before her. Adele took a step back from her, tucking her head in the midst of her hesitation. She kept a gentle look upon her features, it was reassuring and sheepish.
"Coika," the mare spoke simply, holding her head high. Adele picked up her own head at the change within the mare. "That's a really pretty name," Adele complimented with a sincere smile, her blue-orange eyes glimmering in what little light there was in the caverns.
”There’s food here,” Coika's speech was once again very straight forward. Adele nodded at her words, turning to a cluster of mushroom glowing a couple feet away from her diamond-like hooves, leaving Vera in a perfect view point to gaze at the stranger from her perch upon her bonded. The dragon studied the mare carefully, but found nothing too interesting about her, especially since she didn't know who they were.
'Let's just leave,' Vera huffed through the bond, eyeing the exit they had their back turned to. 'I haven't even gotten a chance to study the mushrooms, Vera! We're not leaving yet,' Adele argued, sniffing the florescent vegetation. Vera fought the urge to give a growl to her bonded. Although she'd never do so with an unwelcome audience.
"All the food there is seems so strange, though. Like those mushrooms - they pulse with light. I wonder if they're special, laden with qualities you can't get from ordinary blades of grass..." Adele's voice faded, her eyes sparkling with delight, sparked by interest in the subject. She found herself constantly yearning for knowledge. It was an instinct. The mare couldn't control herself when it came to asking questions.
”Where am I?” Now Coika was sounding much more bold than before. Adele swiveled a crimson ear back to the mare, picking her head up as she continued to speak, though the red and blue mare herself stayed silent. ”First winged horses, then horses with giant horns growing from their faces, and now… I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re on fire and there’s a winged reptile on your back.”
Adele laughed at the mare's words, giving her a sympathetic look. She understood how confusing Helovia could be. Luckily for Adele, she had spent a bit of time in a herd before coming here. She knew a portion what was going on.
"You're in Helvoia, the Heart Caves to be exact. This land is plagued with magic, horses here have developed it within themselves and learned to control it. They've also learned to live in harmony with a select few creatures here, creating a bond with them. The bond allows communication between species," Adele explained, turning to Vera. The dragon understood her bonded all too well. The ivory reptile leapt into the air, her actions were fluid, the light making her seem like snow in the dim lighting. She came to hover beside Adele, pale white eyes focused on Coika.
"Some of these creatures are ordinary, such as a bird or snake, but others are not. They are not usually found wandering around in forests, for they are spoken of mainly in fables. But here, they're anything except stories. They're real, like Vera. She's a dragon, gifted with the ability to breathe fire," Adele smiled, happy to share what little knowledge she did have with the mare. Vera chirped along just as gayly, a huff of smoke rolling from her nostrils.
"And my fire...I - I can't explain it," Adele faltered, a frown creasing her delicate features. "I lost most of my memory some time ago. I don't know if I was born this way, or cursed to live like this. The fire is harmless, though," The red and blue mare stated simply, adverting her eyes from Coika. It was shameful for Adele to know so much about everything other than herself.