Peacefully he stands there, a glowing canvas of honey and cream that seems to melt beautifully into a single color beneath the sun. Though her fear of the giant watery beast keeps her from thinking much, she finds awe somewhere deeper inside for how calm he is to stand within its depths. Somehow her words, cracked and worried as they are, reach his ears. Though it seems the umber dragon recognizes her presence first, intelligent gaze finding her own. Crown turned towards her and gentle expression is the first sight she has of the stallion's face. It calms her racing heart the slightest, though her nervous dancing from the shallow waves that reach for her does not end. Soft green irises remind her of the gentle summer leaves that crown the Foothills, and they are kinder than any she has seen before. It is almost saddening, though she is not mature enough to know so. Yet fear doesn't enter his gaze even when she cries out to him tremulously, and instead a smile warms his already luminescent features. Bubbling laughter, silver-lined and carefree, echoes from his maw to her ears, and again she quiets further. Something about him is soothing in a way that is unfamiliar to her, and nervous pacing slows. He is like a gentle caress of warm sunshine, and Ru wonders how he can be so brilliant in an environment she deems dangerous and deadly.

Soon enough he is speaking and she learns that perhaps, maybe it is not. Comparing it to the wilds she so loves, Hotaru gazed upon it with the seafoam blue eye that remained unhidden. Again her gaze flickers to him, uncertainty in it. Pacing has given way to stillness at last, and trust is slowly budding on her face. Long leg flashes out, pushing through the water with ease and putting on a show of rainbow and diamond droplets. Entranced she managed a few tentative steps forward, eyes turning to the little dragon that trilled at her so prettily. Though her eyes don't move, she hears Torasin announce his name and his companion's, Kiba. Softly she repeated it, rolling it on her tongue, "Kiba..." They are both so welcoming, and with a little swallow she steps forward into the next oncoming inch of water. It is cold and she gives a little gasp, retreating a bit. Pausing she watched it again, head lowering to look at it. It smells of salt, and when she tentatively sips it she recoils, ears flattening and face wrinkling up at the taste. Looking back up at the pair, she decides there isn't much more she can do than simply try it. Once more she started forward, braced this time for the cold that came. When she is standing in it, unharmed, she blinks big eyes at the stallion and a bright smile finally flourished on her visage. Immediately she does as he had, copying those older than her to learn. One palomino pillar flashed out, creating a small splash that caught the light the same way his had. Giggling to herself, she did it again before catching herself and retreating back into the submissive behavior she knew so well. Smile softened but could not be removed, and she moved to reach her muzzle as high as possible towards Kiba, entranced by his kind eyes. There was no way she could reach him, so small in her own stature when compared to the tall one of the golden stallion. Torasin, she reminded herself, and realized she hadn't said her own name. "I-I'm Hotaru," chirruping softly in reply. Realizing he may be like Raeden, and not want her so close to him, she moved back with an apologetic expression. Dichromatic eyes dropped back down to the water, wanting to revel in his warmth but fearing that the annoyance Raeden always told her she was would drive him away. "She's very cold," she mused suddenly, believing the sea to be female with how Torasin spoke of her. Nose wrinkled once more. "And...she doesn't taste very good...but I like her." Hesitant confession slipped free, smile returning like a tiny blooming daisy.

Afraid to come too close, her eyes- though only one could be seen with how determined she was to hide the other- danced from Torasin's kind face, to Kiba's, to the symbol on his side, and back. He was unique too, just like herself and Tingal. Shyly she dropped her head, eyeing the white mark. "I-It's very pretty..." leg moving to and fro in the water, enjoying the sensation of the cool liquid moving around her. Smiling she wondered if Kiba could understand words like Tinek did, though Hotaru was rather fearful of Ophelia and her all-knowing gaze. "Hi Kiba, you're very handsome," hesitant giggle followed her compliment, used to giving them freely especially around her twin. Raeden flourished beneath praise, after all. Moonlight painted locks glowed silver beneath the bright sun, golden strands of sunlight revealed where she had so desperately tried to hide them. The sea kept her from feeling too hot, though sunlight still bothered her slightly after being born and raised in shadows. Still she remained, still and complacent beside Torasin, eyes constantly moving.