Fig was in tune with the world around her; she felt the shifting equilibrium as easily as the turning of her own moods. The muffled tread of weight upon soil; the swish of grass around striding limbs, both would ordinarily have drawn the clever creature’s attention, but the mare who lurked behind a hedge of trees evaded the swivel of sensitive cupped satellites and the rove of watchful, moss-tinged eyes.

While Kahlua elaborated on the walls building, and all that had helped her plight to make it standing, another passed through the shadows- or rather out from the shadows, a seemingly pale mare dusted with curious lacing all the way along her sun-drenched pelt. Her legs were bathed in parched desert brown- a terrain that did not appeal overly to the filly’s young Body-Plant, and Fig shuddered as the stray thought slipped through her conscience. More curiously still (and she tried not stare), the horse held only one ear upon her poll; and as she drew nearer the young Lignea felt quite certain that it had not just been swamped by the flood of marvellously lavish mane gathered across the length of her crest.

Kahlua called out suddenly- that bold abandon reignited, and Fig was taken aback but the sudden flush of movement by her rather sedate side. The tree atop her spine rattled uncomfortably as the filly balked, but all composure was rapidly regained as the painted mare and the stranger met through a deluge of fondness- they exchanged greetings like the rainforest welcomes the pale dawn, and caught up in the pleasantness of it all, the Filly too smiled along. The one-eared mare introduced herself as Resplendence and Fig nodded appreciatively, pleased that this beginning seemed so much easier than that shared with Kahlua.

“Yes, Resplendence,” She replied after the black and white mare had revealed that this was in fact the friend she had spoken so warmly about- she wasn’t quite comfortable enough to shorten the doctor’s title the same way though. “I have come with Kahlua.” Fig was going to add from whence she had travelled, but keen not to confuse the situation like before, she held her tongue for the better. “So nice to meet you.”

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