Mesec was thankful that his frightened demeanour didn’t put her off - even if it did wipe the warm expression from her face. Although it was certainly selfish of him, although he had said she shouldn’t enter, he had still wanted her to - wanted the company. It helped that she did not seem afraid, taking up soft and non threatening posture and expression, and even her murmured apology continued to help him relax his muscles. There was a brief, terrifying memory of the fear in Ampere's eyes and voice when she looked at him that last time. Mesec would give anything to never have someone look at him that way again.

And that was why the demigod  was so thankful that this mare was a stranger, a fellow creature of the night, feeling certain that it would not be so easy to fight off his guilt and fear if it had been a familiar face.

A corner of his silver lips even tugged into a small smile at her laugh - her mention of the less than ideal circumstances of their meeting. Not ideal but he relaxed into the easy conversation (anything without screaming and crying felt easy now) and was thankful for the storm trapping them together for the time. “It’s nice to meet you too, Ki’irha.” Taking his cues from her, Mesec does not ask her more questions about who she was, where she was from. It seemed likely that she was from the Basin but there was no guarantee. They could have both wandered here from anywhere in Helovia. It didn’t truly matter - it wouldn’t change anything. He felt calmer the longer he stood there, with just the sound of her breathing and the gentle snow. It was actually soothing how they were near-strangers, sharing names even if they did not need to. They could have existed peacefully together beneath this shelter and formed no bond at all.

His gaze followed her to Lucius where he was roosting and a fond smile crinkled across his features. “Yes he is. Lucius.” Names appeared to be safe information to share - even if homes and anything else was silently agreed to not bring up. Mesec couldn’t imagine going through what he was without Lucius there to help him. He hadn’t considered bonding, hadn’t craved it, until he had been present with the egg - presented with the chance to care for something and always be tethered to it, even when friends and family had gone.

But even then, as he felt the drowsiness through their bond that let him know that the zephyr was getting some well deserved sleep, Mesec still was alone. He could only use his bonded as a crutch so often. Sometimes, there were holes that couldn’t be filed by the companionship between them. “It is nice but…” His silver gaze lingered still on the zephyr, his next question spoken shyly - just a whisper in the space he existed in with the star mare. “Do you ever feel alone, though, even when someone is with you? Even when you’re in a crowd - like you’re somehow... separate?” Only as his voice faded did he look toward her, curious to see if she understood that sensation - and finding himself hoping that she did. Perhaps if they were both lost, both alone, they could manage to escape that together for a little while - for as long as it took the snowstorm to rage outside of this cave and fade off.