"I bet you I could do far better than any God, Ktulu."

Ktulu laughed quietly at Lakota and gave the slightest of shakes of her head. While she appreciated the compliment, whether it was given jokingly or not, the reality did not escape her. The Earth God could have chosen anyone he wanted and he'd chosen her to carry his child. He could have chosen a far better mare to be a mother to Hototo than she and she'd come to realize that long before she'd even given birth to her precious son. "Quiet, Lakota, lest you tempt the Earth God to swallow you into the ground." Another flick of her tail was given and more sway added to her step as she continued to move away from the blue roan.

The black dun exaggerated a shiver when her poisoner used her title of Chieftess. Head turned and she looked back over her shoulder at the other mare, another grin curving the corners of her mouth. "I love it when you use my title. Say it again." More laughter came shortly after and it left the dark mare wondering what the hell had gotten into her. It had been a long time since she'd smiled and laughed and never had she openly flirted with anyone let alone another mare.

The mood, however, turned somber quickly and as Lakota began to speak again the darker mare turned her body toward the other, ears tilted forward as she listened. "The Deep Forest will always hold a piece of my heart, but we could not survive there, Lakota." She pointed out. "Food was scarce during Frostfall. The borders are near impossible to defend. It's no place for a herd." She had never expected that she would be the leader of a herd or that the Grey would grow as large or as quickly as it did, but it had and she'd done what needed to be done. The misfits had gathered and bonded and formed a family.

The poisoner was soon turning away from her and that made Ktulu close the distance, her neck stretching as she reached to shove her muzzle into Lakota's shoulder. "Your loyalty means a lot, Kota." She said, using the shortened form of her poisoner's name. "But I promise you this world is far from peaceful. You've heard the saying 'the calm before the storm', haven't you?" Another grin cracked her face, though it seemed forced. "Welcome to the calm."