As predicted her shuddering didn’t go unnoticed. In fact it was rather distressing and I instantly began to wonder for the second time in this conversation what I had said to cause her to react in such an unfitting way. Woman were a mystery that would likely always befuddle the minds of men until time untraveled; and even when this globe of dirt ceased to spin…girls would probably still confuse the opposite gender to no end. She answers what I thought to be a rather direct question, but its answered in a way that does nothing to clear my sense of uneasiness about her mental abilities. Robin. I wasn't a strange name. Her proceedings are listened to with tact and polite care, though the unmistakable flick of my white plumage shows hinting sign that her rambling is wearing on my shallow pool of patience.

Perhaps her sire and dam had a sense of humor? Foals born with light golden colors tinting their bodies, rarely darkened beyond anything past heavy cream or pale yellow. She wouldn’t have darkened into anything more than a palomino. “I guess many others would expect that kind of thing from me, but it never seems to happen….” What, ‘thing’ the lass was referring to just begs to be questioned; but I hold my trap shut out of fear that asking about her history might lead into more of an already uneasy story. If she wanted to elaborate on her personal spew of what childhood was like, then she would do so without my interjections.

"So you say they will include another resident or two at this time?”

I am given a half second to nod before---“Do you work as just a family member, or do you do a certain job for the Throat? If so, would I be accepted do you think? I am still new to the way of life we all are supposed to follow; I originate from a place that is nowhere in the area of our land here."

Silence. I let it sink blissfully in for a moment before slowly and carefully parting my lips to answer her questions in a tone that feels and sounds more than a little stiff, “Yes, we accept all with a willing heart; I’m the ‘General,’ I oversee our warriors in matters of training, and help lead during times of battle—I also recruit potential members.” Pausing a moment with hopes that she would also take a breather to let my words sit a moment. I add with a kinder note of fading sympathy, “You’ll adjust after spending a little time here.” Feeling that our conversation had come to some sort of conclusion I asked, “Would you like to visit the Throat and see if it would be a suitable home for a lady such as yourself?” I wasn’t going to turn her away…despite having doubts that her brain had all of its wires straightened out. Hopefully the hot desert sun would fry the ends of her madness right off, nothing could set you more right than a good roasting.