Despite all the years that she has lived in the Basin, Tiamat cannot remember a time when she had patrolled the land’s borders. Given, what she is doing now is more of a casual stroll than a patrol, but she’s never done this before. Her attention had always been focused on other things—healer things. Now with her new responsibilities weighing across her shoulders, she is guided by an instinct to protect, searching more for anything that might be amiss than an actual intruder.

She is not far from the Basin’s entrance when she hears the call. The sound is unfamiliar to her ears, but obviously some sort of summons, and so with both excitement and a sense of duty, the ocean maiden alters her direction through the forest trees. “Lyanna?” She says softly when she sees flashes of black, white, and teal-tipped wings through the branches, only half meant to be an answer to the pegasus’ call. When the blue mare is finally able to break through the jagged line of the woodland and walk freely among the summer grasses, a clear view of their visitor brings a happy smile to her sapphire lips.

“Lyanna, hello! Welcome to the Basin, it’s lovely to see you again,” the Ocean’s Light reaches out to her newfound friend as the distance between them diminishes, the length of her lion tail swaying easily behind her. The two have only met once previously, in the Threshold, but that does not inhibit Tiamat’s warmth in welcoming the winged woman. She had found Lyanna’s company to be utterly wonderful, and is genuinely pleased to spend more time with her fellow healer.

Once breaths and pleasantries are exchanged, along with a gentle nose bump from Nimue, the Lady takes a step back, and notices the bundle that the black mare has brought with her. “I see you are here with herbs—so excited to discuss healing with you! It’s always inspiring to hear what it’s like in another herd,” the early sunlight plays brilliantly off her expression, and illuminates the joy that seems to glow incessantly from her eyes. “Come in, I’ll take you to our greenhouse,” the sea maiden gestures with her curved horn, bidding Lyanna to follow as she turns on dainty heels.

Following trails that she has long-since memorized, the oceanic mare and her companion descend into their beloved mountain valley. “I should probably mention,” Tiamat says after a few short paces, long lashes fluttering against the sun’s brightness as she turns her eyes towards the pegasus, “I’ve recently been promoted to Lady of the Basin, so I’m no longer a ranked healer myself—still, I’m eager to hear what you have to say. It’s not an art you lose love for.” She laughs softly between them, knowing well that no matter her title, she will always have a healer’s heart.

“Speech.”

the Ocean’s Light

we run like a river
runs to the sea