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It would have been heavily naïve to say that I had not been expecting to meet anyone along this path, but not entirely inaccurate. I had not expected to meet another soul for some time, and this Ilios fellow was quite a surprise. His visage was quite a sight to behold. His noble features held a gentle smile and a calm nature, but it was his colouring that I found most unique. His silver coat gleamed like a sheer veil over a buckskin pattern, but this is not what I found to be of interest, for it was the ivy that wound it’s way up his pillars that caught my attention. Their coloration was as natural as could be, or nearly so, as if an artist had plucked the leaves and wound the vines around his sturdy trunks just earlier. His face held this same marking, flowing about his vibrant orbs, small moons set into a nest of ivy leaves. His mane was cropped short, dark in hue fading to lightly frosted tips, as if he had been dusted with snow, and his tail mirrored this image. His wings were also elaborate, silver and teal, tucked neatly against his sides, and a black spiral made its home between his forelock.  Overall, he stood almost as tall as I, but he carried himself with a dignity that far surpassed any sort of physical stature.  His greeting was polite, charming, and I found myself smiling in his company, having found someone so pleasant. Or perhaps the more accurate statement would be to say he had found me.

However, the creature that came with him, Isabella, was a bit of a shock to me. I had never seen any such animal. She was like a miniature deer, delicate and graceful, but her hind legs were formed into that of a predatory bird, and her shoulders helped carry wings which held feathers of a bright azure nature which followed her form towards long pinions at her tail. Nonetheless, she was an enticing creature, agile and poised. I was a bit taken aback by her curiosity in coming straight forward, and I took a step back, allowing her room to make herself at home. Though, before I could get a good look and reply to the stallion and his Isabella, another equine emerged from the cover of the trees.

The mare, Lyanna she had called herself, was also of delicate nature, with fine Arabian features present in her gentle face. She bore inky hues and white markings that mirrored some of my own, namely four stockings and a proud blaze. Her mane was quite the affair, a stark white fading into teal tips, as if she had dipped herself into the clearest sky and came away with its colour, and her tail mimicked this ombre hue. Her eyes matched the gentle nature she portrayed with startling blue pools. Her wings were folded neatly against her sides, though I could see that they faded into three colours, starting with the inky hue of her coat, to milk white, and finally that same sky hue as her tresses.  She was taller than Ilios, though not more than a hairsbreadth.

It was a bit much to take in, and after looking between the two winged equines, as well as the curious creature in front of me, I gave a careful bow, tipping my cranium slightly so as not to harm Isabella.   “Thank you,” I said, straightening up and pelt shuddering from the excitement of meeting new faces. “It is a pleasure and an honour to make both of your acquaintance. I am Epiphany, though if you find it easier for your tongue, Pip will do just fine.” A smile spread across my silken maw as a gentle breeze stirred the air around us, bringing with it the sound of the leaves rustling in the trees and the woodland companions that made this stretch of forest their home. “Are there other herds like yours, or do these lands belong to the Dragon’s Throat and the World’s Edge alone?” I looked between the two equines, inviting either one of them to respond, my audits flicking forward to indicate my full attention towards the conversation.

I made note to ask Ilios about Isabella, whether that be with this meeting or if we perhaps met again. She was such a strange creature, but I was very delighted with her form. I had seen a few strange things in my time with my herd, though nothing nearly as breathtaking as her. Granted, my herd had almost exclusively belonged to equines, and very little magic was ever mentioned, as many of the personalities that made my herd their home thought such things trivial and childish, used only for mild entertainment and nothing more. They had no concept of what to do with anything stronger than what they considered parlor tricks. Even the concept of having a unicorn among them they deemed too extreme, as evidenced by my ostracized status from even a young filly. To be among creatures who accepted such beautiful and rare creatures seemed to me quite a blessing, even if these beings were not considered rare by Helovian standards. It was still a comfort to me to see that I would be accepted, even beloved for my antlers, not in spite of or if they were to be ignored (which is not easily done, as they are quite the extravagant show). A heavy weight felt lifted from my heart, and my bodice felt physically lighter for it, and it was as if my lungs could breathe fully for the first time. I had not realized what being in such company had done for me, and the sudden ease with which I felt in this place was startling. I had never felt so immediately comfortable before in my life. That’s not to say that I am well traveled, for I fear I am not, but the serenity that overcame me with this realization was a welcome one. I was sure that I would enjoy Helovia, and I was eager to make my home here.

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Word Count :: 1022
Muse :: Solid
Notes :: Eee! I’ve always wanted to thread with Ilios, he’s such a freaking babe x=x  So thank you for both of you responding! I’m very excited to see where this will go.

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