In the midst of dusk, the forest truly seemed to show its age. Shadows leapt the lengths between trees, knotting together beneath stooped boughs to form a cage across the ground, a tangle of prison bars to match the gnarled canopy overhead. What little was left of the sunlight filtered in between twisted branches, shards of pale gold scattered across the uneven ground. It had been a while since Roland had last set foot in the Threshold. He much preferred the familiarity of home and its surrounding steppes, though the change of scenery was not altogether unwelcome. It seemed a long walk to take for the sole purpose of clearing his mind, but it was not a dull one. He followed the forest to its edge, underneath the shadow of mountains, and just beyond the reach of their rocky roots. Birdsong was scarce, only the odd haunting whistle echoing through the labyrinthine corridors as the sun hastened towards the horizon.

The young stallion standing amidst the gray thickets took him by surprise, and Roland might have missed him entirely were it not for the blue of his eyes. Cast in shadow as he was, he looked terribly like a skeleton with twigs for legs, one more pile of bones amongst the timeworn trees and their archaic carcasses. A frown darkened the Thief's eyes as he neared, drifting across broken twigs and dry leaves with as light a step as he could manage. "Hello," he called out softly, almost afraid to speak in case he startled the boy- for he was evidently young, though taller than Roland himself. The fading light of eventide fell upon his ragged coat, casting into shadow every hollow between bone, every gaunt line across his body. Were it not for the lack of madness in his eyes, Roland might have mistaken him for a wayward wraith.

Nevertheless, he offered his hospitality in the form of a gentle smile, inclining his head in greeting even as he wondered what sort of hardships the stallion had faced. Though the urge was there, to question if he was alright, he held his tongue. There were far more opportune times to go poking at sore spots than on the cusp of nightfall.

"Are you lost?" Roland questioned finally, thinking that he certainly looked that way. Perhaps he had stumbled off some path beyond their threshold, ending up on the brink of their empire in a maze of swiftly darkening woodland. It could simply be that he was in need of directions, or, possibly, he was in search of a new home. There was so much to see beyond the stooping, moss laden sentinels they stood beneath; a whole realm hidden behind the ancient forest.

((Probably shouldn't be writing posts at 1 am ._. Hopefully this isn't riddled with mistakes!))