It didn’t take long for Romul to catch wind of the approaching duo and, when the shadowy figure of Ghost and her newly acquired companion parted the trees, I smiled. It was a loose, perfunctory gesture, that felt somewhat forced despite my happiness to see her, but present nonetheless. Slowly, I turned my wary gaze toward the wolf at her heels and nodded lightly, “Great minds think alike it seems.”

Though entirely unfazed by Ghost’s almost awestruck reaction to my presence, I certainly felt new respect for her, if only because she appeared concerned. Had my absence affected her so greatly or was my return just solidification that I’d even been gone? Either way, I moved easily to her side in hopes of pressing my muzzle against her shoulder- a timid embrace between two lost sisters. “It’s nice to see someone remembered me,” I cajoled half-heartedly, “It is good to see you Ghost…” I assured. It was most likely the first time I hadn’t lied to myself about my emotions, but the familial bond we’d shared in the Hidden Falls, no matter how brief, was one that did not die easily.

As an afterthought, I stepped away from the former Czarina and rejoined Romul some yards away. Still, he remained stoic and expressionless despite the wolven urge to approach his grey counterpart. I could feel his longing deep within the fiber of my being and it was something I would see released, if only to relieve myself of the obvious tension. “What’s his name?” I questioned of the Cadaverous while motioning for Romul to leave my shoulder.  The snowy canine trotted forth with more enthusiasm than I’d seen in months with his tail erect and his ears pushed forward, alert. Clearly he had found good reason to rejoice our return now, even if it was not the reason I would have liked…

While Romul was distracted by the giant grey, I turned once again to face the majestic mare with her red-tipped wings. She looked to be in good health and there was a certain liveliness about her that I hadn’t seen in the Falls. Of course, assumptions made fools of us all and I dismissed the thought just as quickly as it’d come. “Since I know what-,” I began with a soft jolt. Before I could reach the end of my inquiry another pale Pegasus emerged from the wood. It was a face I’d seen before and one I’d encountered amongst these very trees not so long ago. “Elsa,” I welcomed amusedly, “if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’d made the Threshold your humble abode.” Edgar flapped about frantically from his perch atop the mare’s poll and I cooed softly at the bird-like creature before deciding I was glad to have been blessed with a wolf. Romul certainly wouldn’t have been as lucky as Elsa’s little Zephyr if he’d been born any other species…

Once the snow-flecked warrior explained Edgar’s raucous behavior, I looked to Ghost a little more questioningly than I should have. Where had the Czarina disappeared to that Elsa wouldn’t have known? Had she too left behind her responsibilities after the invasion? Somehow I doubted that, but it was clear that she’d gone somewhere. Although I wasn’t sure that Ghost would want to share the kind of information Elsa was curious about, I knew that I would…and with a little more guile than perhaps necessary. “I left,” I answered vaguely with a sly smile. “I assume you’ve come to scoop me up again? Always the lifesaver, you are,” I jested warmly. In truth, I knew both mares had come with the pretenses of recruiting, but I figured it would be best to let them state their business before jumping to any conclusions… After all, I didn’t know what had transpired in Helovia after my departure.