there was a whisper of Birdsong on the nights soft breeze. Glancing up through the lattice of bate branches, the crimson Pegasus inhaled the scents of the Threshold, surprised to behold the musk of other equines at such a late hour. 

But... There. 

Tilting his head to the side in a birdlike fashion, the winged stallion inhaled once more, deeper this time. Forehead creasing, mumbled words tumbled from pursed lips, "It can't be."

Wings unfurled and within seconds, Rift was hurtling through the brittle canopy and into the sky. Hooves brushed the tops of trees and night birds screeched their dissent at his shadow. He paid them no mind, though; there was someone he needed to see. At last, there was a flash of movement and a glimpse of a spotted flank. Tilting, the scarlet gent crashed through the boughs to land rather unceremoniously beside the slim figure of Vu. He remained silent, chest heaving and pupilless eyes stretched wide.

There was a dreamlike feel to the moment, a sort of impossibility that filled the books and crannies of Rifts reality. She was here. She was alive, grown, beautiful, well. Here she was, the child he had found splayed beneath a tree on an autumn night, whose bright cerulean eyes had been dimmed by fear and uncertainty; she was here. 

Carefully, he stretched his head forward to press his nose against her dark neck. Jeweled eyes slid shut as he breathed her in, assured that this was no hallucination, that this wasn't just another detailed dream; this was her.

Tears swam at the edges of his vision as those crimson eyes reopened, "Vu," his voice was whisper soft against obsidian skin. "You found me. You finally found me." A few more moments passed before the welling of emotion in his chest became manageable. It was then that he realized that his sister was not alone. Turning to face the pair of strangers, Rift took a small step forward in a subtle protective gesture. 

"I see you've already attracted some company," the statement was painted in a sort of stoic welcome; who, exactly, were these creatures and what did they truly want from his sibling? Draping his left wing over Vu's thin shoulders, Ridt studied the unknown equines carefully before speaking, "I am Rift and this is my sister, Vu." Scarlet eyes rested upon the seemingly furious mare, "Her first taste of life in Helovia shouldn't be influenced by a thief." He didn't mind that his voice lacked the venom that was so clearly supposed to coat his words, but he had never been much for aggression. 

He recalled the whispering a throughout the Dragon's Throat of Gaucho punishing an outcast thief; an outcast thief whose description was suspiciously similar to that of this unknown mare. Turning his attention to the unicorn stallion, Rift nodded his greeting, not finding a formal introduction necessary when his long-list sister stood at his side. 

"Welcome home, sister," he ruffled at her forelock lovingly, lips pulling into a grin, "You've stumbled into Helovia. There are four herds here, and though I hail from the Dragons Throat, I think it's my turn to follow you anywhere." And with that said, the devoted sibling went to work fussing over and grooming the onyx mare - he had a few years to make up for.