He was too polite. For some reason Shadow couldn't quite articulate even to herself, the way the unicorns smile never slipped made her nervous, his gentlemanly courtesies completely wasted on her suspicious mind. The way he kept grinning at her made her suspect that he either was trying very hard not to openly make fun of her, or possibly because he wanted something from her. Whatever that might be she didn't know, but the result was that whenever that charming grin was fired off in her direction she ended up narrowing her eyes warily, taking a few precocious steps out of reach.

Yet she couldn't help but be grateful for his tact when it kept him from shoving her own misplaced confidence down her throat. She needed the chance to breathe, regain a slightly more dignified posture and take stock of the immediate terrain, and by the time he had answered her half-hearted question the worst of the dizziness had faded. The mare still felt light-headed as she nodded however, so when others emerged from what appeared to be a hole in the ground she kept quiet, letting them and her partner do the talking.

Gemstone eyes slipped from unicorn to equine (ominous looking one, with that unsettling facial mark, though she sounded pleasant enough) to pegasi and back, glittering and harsh with attentiveness as they - until they fell upon the bold child, so eloquent despite his youth. A smile softened her dusky features, old pain ghosting past as she was reminded of another foal, another colt... "Thank you for letting us know, you have done really well" she said, the coarse voice unusually mild as she addressed the foal. She would have loved to linger and talk further, desperately needed to ask whether they knew her foal, her beautiful boy...

But her partner was already moving away at the news that there was nothing left for them to do there, and Shadow was faced with a choice to either follow or be let behind, just like she had done before. Sparing another wistful smile at the child and a passing glance and nod to the older stallion - the father, perhaps? - she slipped into a trot until she caught up with the tall unicorn, her short legs working like drum-sticks to keep up with his longer stride.

Snorting slightly Shadow rolled her eyes at his jab, quite against her will feeling a wry smirk tug at the lips. So even preening peacocks could have humor, eh? She supposed that earned him a plus in her book - though a small one. No need to exaggerate. "Do I have a choice? I'm not exactly in a condition to outrun anyone right now" she said dryly. "But please... I think we both know that I'm no lady. My name is Shadow, I'd prefer if you used it."


@[Bucephalus], @[Hertz], @[Nymeria] @[Bolverik]