The spring sun was warm upon my back, which seemed to brighten my otherwise weary mood. The days seemed to pass by slowly and in such a way that I found myself becoming restless and bored which was perhaps how I had ended up in the Threshold, which was somehow becoming a hobby of mine. Birdsong was certainly a fitting time of the year for the claiming grounds and around me the wild flowers were beginning to bloom in bright, earthy colors. It was hard to avoid crushing them under such a wide step and it was almost saddening to watch as sprigs of new grass were torn from their fresh beds to gather up and around my toes. However, the luminescent sunshine that billowed in through the tree limbs was distracting enough to make me forget the inevitable destruction of the Earth God’s new budding attire.

Though, I abandoned all former thought of seasonal bliss upon catching bits and pieces of distant conversation. It was only in my nature to interrupt, being that the Edge was still growing in vast division and I had only wanted to assist in our development. However, whether or not that was the case today, I wasn’t sure because when I came upon two stunning creatures, clearly beyond my own physical appearance, I felt it was futile to try and avoid them. Though impressing anyone other than my dear Tamira did nothing to convince my ambitions, I was still intrigued by the murky colored mare with strange dappling along her underbelly. The stallion though, drew my eyes for a moment longer, wearing a dazzling coat of bright orange and shadowy black. He was a sight to see, standing there pawing foreign designs upon the dirt before murmuring words of weakness to the otherwise unknowing mare.

I was hesitant to approach and altogether reluctant to act amiably toward the awkward boy that stood at the feet of such an incredibly colored girl. It seemed like more of a hassle than I had formerly anticipated and upon inhaling the musky scent of the Throat mingled in with the strange scent of the new mare, a scowl was imminent to escape my lips. I had no problems with the throat myself, simply because I was required to honor the alliance between herds, but it seemed that since running into Leander upon these very grounds while courting the lovely, Lavender mare Yseutle, tensions had been high. However, I suspect that competition had little and yet everything to do with it. Sighing inwardly, I decided that once again, I would impeach upon their conversation, only in the name of curiosity… or so I tell myself.

“The Throat is indeed a lovely place, though I’ve no knowledge of the working relationship between Kri and her new Sultan, Leander.” A faint smile touches my dry lips, though it never has the chance to reach my eyes. It had been quite some time since I had slept consistently through the night in Mirage’s absence. The Edge had been suffering the consequences of the rising reputation of the Basin and her elite members, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Quian and the Throat were to come up with some kind of compromise to fend off the ever-growing number of attacks on our homes. It was so unlike Helovia to be wrought with so much conflict with Summer approaching so soon.

“I’m Thor, World’s Edge Apprentice Nurse, I hope you don’t mind the intrusion… I guess that old phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat’ would be helpful in explaining my sudden interuption.” Again a small smirk seemed to find its way across my face, despite my clear lack of exuberance after days of unrest. In my heart, I knew that Mirage would be returned one day soon and on that day I would try to retain her company in hopes of rendering myself sane, as “seeing is believing.” When I took the time to (finally) lace a friendly, though it could’ve been tired, gaze upon the cat-like stallion, I was similarly shocked to see the darkened strains of wet hair beneath a singular eye. I hadn’t the heart to ask if he had shed tears and instead settled for a more ignorant introduction. “I see you are doing well brother, I should hope the Throat is thriving well in the course of such conflict?” It seemed that I couldn’t help the small smiles that beckoned expression in spite of my halfhearted mood. I suppose it was time for the Quian to take action and I only hoped that it would be soon because I wasn’t sure how long I could ward off insanity in the wake of such rivalry.