Kari was indeed thin, frail, and he looked more fawn-like than foal. Hunger and fatigue were burdens he’d grown fairly used to mind due, so the worry running rampant through the coloured mare’s expression only served to unsettle his nerves. At first he thought her concern was centred around the small half stump of coal-black horn upon his brown. He placed carefully the broken section he’d been carrying, to rest by his tiny cloven hooves and peered back towards her with confusion straining his gaunt face. It will grow back... he thought impatiently, bemusedly to himself, tilting his young features broodingly- it had a number of times already.

The mare, Alija, buried suddenly her nose into the bag strapped to her forearm and the colt waited with twitching ears, intrigued instantly. Widening, fixed blue pools watched her with expanding interest, enough to pull him closer a small foal’s step or two, but she pulled out weeds, vegetables, and he screwed up his nose. A strangely enticing scent did fill his nostrils as they pinched in childish disdain though, and when Kari could not place it, he asked, “What are these?” He didn’t dare touch before he knew, strange folk had poisoned Shadow, and unable to forget that fact he cast a wary glance across the flora.

Seconds later he’d asked after his mother and the herb-collector’s mask began to shift disconcertingly. Kari’s lips stiffened as he presumed anxiously that she had not. If she wasn’t here, where in Helovia could she be? His balance swayed as he thought irrationally to just turn and wander back in the direction he’d come, but Alija’s bright voice filled his ears suddenly, and it bore nothing but good news. Perhaps a smile of delight, or giddy shriek, or some other sign of his dependence should have been the first reaction offered; but the little colt nodded instead soberly. She spoke slowly, and his eyes narrowed carefully as he turned one towards her.

Suddenly she was turning, insisting he follow, and Kari (collecting his horn along the way) did so quickly and obediently. He broke into a wobbly trot to keep pace, but it soon evened out, long silvery tail dragging like limp rope through the gravely sand. “Is she in the oasis?” He probed, stomach rumbling hopefully as he travelled, and he gazed ahead (around her much larger figure), to find the same blur he’d been following dancing across the horizon. “Are you sure it’s this way? There was no other choice but to follow. He couldn’t bear the heat any longer, and his throat was raspy, his tongue parched. Alija glanced back towards him with a smile, and he returned it half-heartedly.