“Good to meet you, Lithium,” Iona managed, using her manners (for once) and politely dipping her head in greeting to the young, silver stallion.  However, all measure of formality broke at his next words and mischief flickered in her bright green eyes.
 
She let out a dry, raspy laugh – a strange sound for the pegasus as she didn’t laugh often.  “I was dragged here, in a manner of speaking, by my twin sister.  She’s in the Edge too – she’s a healer.  I’m, well…” she paused, trying to find the right words, “I’m not a healer.”  She shifted her wings, unconsciously, as she spoke.  Of course, Aly hadn’t been the one who had caused the scarring.  Not directly at least.  Protecting Aly had caused such horiffic injuries.  Vengance had caused some of the others. And it was Alysanne that drew Iona to Helovia after years of looking for revenge that did nothing to soothe a wary soul.  So the boy was right on a level far beyond cuts and bruises.  Shaking the thoughts from her clouded mind, Iona redirected to the here and now.
 
“Are you looking for something in particular in Helovia?” she asked, genuinely curious as to what brought a young stallion to Helovia.  Iona had been so single-minded in her journey to Helovia it made her curious about what draw this place had to other individuals.  “If you’re looking for a place to call home, you’d be welcome in the Edge.  The herd is always growing – and there’s a place for everyone. Healers and not healers,” she added, with another mischevious smile. Though she didn’t know much of anything about the young stallion, she suspected that he was more oriented toward her own sensibilities than her sister’s.  “It’s a smaller herd but our patron Goddess is basically the baddest bitch around, so it’s not a bad place to be,” the painted mare added, with a wink.
 
“Plus I haven’t even mentioned the view…” there was a distinctly teasing note to her tone, but it was wistful too.  The sea-cliffs had become one of Iona’s favorite features of the World’s Edge.  She could spend hours listening to the sea crash against the sheer rocks while letting the salty air pour over her.  It was her happy place, of sorts.  The mare smiled again, but this time allowed the newcomer the opportunity to weigh in on the offer.   Of course if he mentioned he was searching for something else, Iona would do her best to facilitate – she wouldn’t abandon the poor kid in the threshold.  She was many things, but cruel certainly wasn’t one of them.

I O N A