Reassuringly, the black Pegasus mare looked over the treasures and seemed to select a favourite amongst them- the shell, which Africa quite admired also. She had found it late in the last Tallsun on the beach flanking below the Throat’s southern cliffs, washed up and quite empty. She could only guess which creature had dwelt within the smooth opening which lay hidden beneath the prickled, vivid exterior- a snail she liked to think, because those she had found on dry land appeared so frail and defenceless; she toyed with the idea that their ocean bound cousins were fiercely defended in the fashion of the shell, or maybe were even predators in comparison.

The subtle nervousness knotted across her lean, graceful form seemed to ease then, and Africa felt a little less awkward for showing Shadow the collection. Perhaps one day if she felt so inclined, they might peep through the rest which had already been transported nearby to the Diviner’s Fire.

As the Sleuth turned to scout through glossy black feathers, Africa held her breath in well concealed excitement- hardly able to believe that one so dissimilar to herself would also be a hoarder. When the two items were plucked and set beside the grey’s pile, pale yellowy eyes stared down across them, inspecting each dutifully with a complimentary nod, perhaps a little overdramatically (in case it might indulge Shadow more). It seemed they did have a little in common, and Africa was more than satisfied; in fact quietly thankful for the mutual point of topic.

Right away the curious young Pegasus wanted to ask about the other mare’s travels, intrigued, because she had only truly lived in two places throughout her entire life- her parent’s cliff nest back in Nyorm, and Helovia more recently. She held the compulsion tactfully though, and smiled modestly instead. A foolish mind and too-fast tongue had caused her much grief already, and Africa’s once childish manner was becoming much wiser for the spell of unfortunate experiences, notched right there, into her girth. She was finding more and more often that contained enthusiasm was far better received than flooding, gushing unbridled emotion. With the sudden swell of maturity, came a more perceptive and more expressively reserved character.

Shadow explained to Africa that the stick was a unicorn’s horn, though the young dapple grey’s eyes were already parting uneasily at the sudden revelation of what she was gazing at; ears falling backwards into the loose, oily tangle of her mottled mane. Almost instantly she felt a throb high upon her rump; where Deimos’s cruel sword had pierced her coupe; where the scar still glistened harshly. Fighting ferociously a flood of terrible memories Africa nodded with gritted teeth and a forced smile- she was propped slightly back away from where the horn lay before her, across tightly coiled haunches. There was little she could do to hide the instinctive reaction, though she tried to appreciate its worth, heartily, for Shadow.

Her wing had been taken for much the same reason.

“Is that a Sun Amulet?” She asked quickly, gesturing with the remaining wing partly uncurled and nudging towards the pretty stone. It looked a little like her own; secured around her neck beside its Earth equivalent with a bright, clean gold chain. Midas had clarified to the once ignorant grey the concept surrounding Amulets and their powers and Africa was fairly certain that was what lay now, beside the clutter of items, in the cool of the shade.


Ooc: I hope you don’t mind me changing tables part way through this thread :3