In the night the stormy night she'll close her eyes
In the night the stormy night away she'd fly

The desert lifestyle had marred the simple grey dapples filling Africa’s sleek thin coat; muddy puddles rippled and flinched at the irritating bite of brazen flies instead. To her rear, the stringy length of crimson and black tail flicked in response, snapping swiftly around to strike any pest who paused on the sweaty, hot body for too long. There was no escaping the thriving cloud which seemed to swarm in plague proportions through the weight of Tallsun, and while often Africa’s patience wore thin, she was longsuffering and knew little could deter them (mud perhaps was the only relief- but soil was not a substrate easily found in this type of brutal terrain).
As she bounced her long skull languidly through the dry, hot air, the veil of thick mottled grey forelock unsettled the crowd of flies which were assembling again with tireless ambition, in the corners of her mostly clean amber eyes. The heat radiating from the great wall above them was intense, and Africa felt as though she might bake beneath it.

She could not tell whether the mare before her was burdened with the stress of not being able to locate the stallion, Azzaron, and overcome perhaps by the frightful heat of Dragon’s Throat; or alternatively, if she was just of an unfriendly nature- yet another prickly personality who would remain ridged and abrasive no matter how pleasant and welcoming Africa tried to be. Never the less, the young grey held her character well and smiled through the brief, somewhat denigrating exchange the Unicorn shared with her feline companion. She had been through too much during the past year to let someone so inconsequential bitter her rehabilitated mind.

Africa could not personally relate to Delinne’s yearning to return to the young colt she spoke of in response to the earnest invitation. She had no children of her own, though she appreciated as best she could manage too, the other’s plight. She nodded quietly, her enduring gaze trailing the path lightning streaked mare’s eyes towards the burning, golden-brown sand. It seemed there was little Africa could actually do to help this visitor.
Delinne tried again, and obligingly Africa pressed her mind in search of any palomino stallion that might have passed her through the oasis- or canyons, or beach… The shrill note of her voice did strike a chord with the one-winged Pegasus’ heart and she felt suddenly a deep desire to help the aloof creature before her; to ease her mind and soothe her soul.

"I honestly haven’t Delinne." Africa’s expression had mellowed from the happy-go-lucky weightlessness, to something more sombre and empathetic. "Why don’t you return to your colt, so that is one less pressure upon your shoulders. I will search Dragon’s Throat for your mate, and come to you with him if I can, or at least with news of his wellbeing and whereabouts." She smiled tenderly, hoping that her offer to help might ease a little of the worry in her mind- that which centred on finding him herself anyway. It was not an empty promise Africa made either. She would search tirelessly and ask through the clan for any sign of the golden stallion, Azzaron.

Tagged: @[Delinne]