"Yes," She said, and began to speak again- "Are they-" But was cut off when the filly extended her muzzle to touch the cool scales of her nose to Couth's flesh. She rumbled an appreciative greeting, a low, warm chuff, allowing her warm breath to fan along the silver marking on the girl's cheek. She was very much like her mother in that instant, welcoming and nurturing. She felt as though she was family, and Couth felt wonderful, reveling in the feeling of acceptance. She'd worried for many nights that her absence would not be forgiven, but through the filly's actions she discerned forgiveness and acceptance and it meant the world to the winged wraith.

Her next words fulfilled the question Couth hadn't quite asked. They were well, then, and by the way Amaris spoke, they'd forgiven her absence and would welcome her the same way that she had. Couth smiled and closed her eyes for an instant, thanking the gods who had watched over them while she'd been away. How merciful life could be, even over such a passing of time. The filly admitted, then, that she enjoyed the story of the dance, and Couth felt somewhat embarrassed; for her it had been a private moment, but she knew that the dance had been a beautiful moment- she guessed, now, that the brothers spoke of so that they too could keep the memory close to their hearts. She smiled, then, and while there was a tiny, lingering feeling of bashfulness, knowing that this filly likely knew that there had been something ignited between herself and Madyrn, she was touched that Amaris had liked the story. "It was a wonderful night," She said, her tones soft and dreamlike.

Her spirits had been so lifted that her physical exhaustion only returned to her once Amaris spoke of getting a drink of water. Her throat clenched, feeling dry and neglected and she nodded eagerly. The word home touched her, and gave the wandering mare a sense of resolution. She would indeed be returning home, to the place she had never intended to leave. As they walked, the filly hesitantly asked for the story, which Couth could not deny her. It made her lips draw tight and thin, but nonw that she knew she was accepted back into the Qian, and would see Mirage and the others soon, she felt that it was easier to tell.

She nodded her head twice. "Before I came here, I met a stallion named Repartee. We were both young and enchanted with the idea of having our own herd, living on our own, leading." She said. "But we were too young, and not right for each other. And I don't think he saw that. I left, and he couldn't forgive me for it." She said. "Year passed; I'd forgotten about him completely, but I couldn't say that he had let go of the past as easily. He gained magic, the power to influence others, to control their actions. Somehow, he found me here- perhaps by chance, perhaps by hearsay." She said. "He stole me away by controlling my body." She said. "And took me back to the forest where we'd lived. He kept me captive, but treated me well. He wanted to be loved, and eventually the thought of keeping me captive brought him great guilt. He released me, but out of pity I stayed." She said. She was quiet for a moment. She did not want to speak of their fight, of the way he'd tried to manipulate her- because she cared for Repartee, the troubled, broken man. Even through everything, she did not want to say a word against him. "Eventually he came to terms with the fact that he couldn't control someone's heart. And as soon as he knew this, I left again." She said.