As though born from the very breeze that stirred life into the soft curtain of mane across her neck, a creature descended from above - an angel? Nay, another like Sean with feathers, wings to carry them free of gravity’s tight shackle. Wonder-filled eyes, warm pools of liquid amber, touched delicately first the four intricate glass slippers as they pass by, and then lifted to meet a perfectly orange complexion, the white snake curling upwards between two gentle green (only) eyes; all framed by unbelievable cascades of clean, flaxen locks. So surreal was the appearance, that young Hildegunn’s own plain (kindly, soft) face turned by the guide of curiously switching ears above, away, only to look back with a growing smile firm upon her lips.

The other spoke, and the sound was more invigorating then the crisp, cold river filled by melting winter snow, more still more genuine than the first roused chorus of birdlife when dawn’s whisper slipped by their roost - but alas her beautiful words touched only a chord in the brown fjord’s heart. She could not understand. Disheartenment leaked through her features, hard round hooves, sullied and graceless, shuffled uncomfortably on the spot. Her tired mind grew all the more weary as the barrier between she and Helovia’s inhabitants forced exclusion. Hildegunn might have shrivelled away then into the sanctuary of surrounding undergrowth, but another approached them - and the smile lingered on, distracted to life.

’Helovia…’ the towering grey mentioned as she neared, and the stocky dun turned a little so as not to prevent the newest from joining. It was a word she now recognised easily - it represented the world in which they stood; so too threshold, and hope reignited within. Like always, she was happy to sit on the periphery of the conversation, and quickly eased back to listen, to drink in that exotic tongue that most everyone else spoke with ears trained forward.

The mare with the queer wet coat however was hardly the last addition. There was movement between trees and another sleek black female was upon them, chain pendant glistening where it bumped against the bulge of her beating breast - it was Vu, undoubtedly!. Though Vu’s mask neutralised (like it always did), Hildegunn could not help the relief, the delight, as it spread like wildfire through her being. Brown eyes swung instantly to the oppositely sized pair she lingered, though surely they could not have felt the same sheer joy as she. The black’s tender whisper dusted stunned ears and the fjord’s grin widened. “Og du venn. Jeg vil vite hva de sier…” but there hadn’t been the time before to teach in depth. “Hildegunn…” she began instead before shaking her heavy skull, “…understand.”

It would be alright though, Vu had proven her endurance already, and the terracotta damsel seemed to be naught but the softest of souls. Perhaps… perhaps there was safety there, amongst the three.