All around her horses were chatting along as if they'd never been strangers, and Shadow felt exactly like the outsider that she was. She had forgotten that she didn't like parties, that she was uncomfortable around large gatherings of people she didn't know. The herd meetings back in the Throat had nearly overwhelmed her, so used to the solitary life on the road, more accustomed to the silence of the vast plains and gentle murmurs of wind than this chorus of rising and falling chatter, prattle, laughter and chortle.

Yet, in a way it was soothing too. Their voices, albeit foreign and unknown, meant that she was not alone. It made her feel as though she was part of something even if no one was talking to her. Slowly the inky mare relaxed and closed her eyes, smiling softly to herself as she absorbed the heat of the flame and listened to the talk around her. So Maren lived in the Throat, did she? Shadow recognized the title and thought of another mare who had held it once before, tall and antlered with a kind smile. What had become of her? As she recalled that person had disappeared after the long darkness, and been replaced by... No, she couldn't remember. It had been right around the time when Kri left them and Midas rose to power, and he had elected Gaucho to lead beside him and..

Oh! It had been Africa, hadn't it, the quiet gray with a missing wing! Shadow remembered their conversation in the cool waters of the oasis, how they had showed and compared their treasures. She turned her head to touch the yellow stones that hung from her mane, brushing past the gnarled, twig-like unicorn horn that lay hidden amongst her feathers in the folded wings. The blackbird still had hers in possession, even though she wasn't sure why she kept lugging them around. They had increased too; just behind her right ear an acorn charm had been braided into the black strands, its soft glow drowned by the light of the fire. That one had been a gift from a god - she would not let go of that in a hurry. Who knew what use it would come to eventually?

Other voices chimed in, most unfamiliar; she cracked open the lids to peer at the gathered to sift out who they belonged to. The black colt she had noticed before was curious yet quiet, but his interest in the topic seemed genuine. A red and white stallion was more talkative, eloquent but with little to contribute. Most of the conversation was carried by Maren and a horned fellow whose voice had seemed slightly more familiar than the rest. The mare studied him closer with increasing interest, and in a flash of realization she recognized the unicorn from her adventures in the Basin a while back. So, he was a seer too? Interesting, very interesting indeed. He seemed to recognize her too, but when he made no effort to acknowledge her presence or speak to her Shadow remained on the outskirts, quite content with listening.

It was, after all, the best way to learn of others. Study them, consider them, listen to their words and phrases, pay attention to what they said and how they said it, where they looked and how they carried themselves. She had made a living of bringing such information to her masters and old habits died hard.

Like that blue-touched bay pegasus, for example. He seemed innocent enough where he hovered not far from herself, smiling and nodding here and there, but Shadow noticed that he spoke very little and watched all the more. Like herself, was he listening in on the conversations to siphon out the bits of interest, like who among the gathered held high seats in other herds, who the host was talking to and whom, of all the horses in Helovia, had chosen to accept the invitations of the Hidden Falls?

Shadow didn't move or change her expression, but as she lowered the eyelids again she refrained from closing them completely and regarded him from under the dark lashes, waiting with quiet patience to see whether he would do anything as the creamy lead returned with the desired tea. She herself remained where she was - let others crowd around it first, to avoid being pushed around.


@[Thranduil] Shadow is watching you ;D