His pet was learning, showing flashes of intelligence at times when in Mauja's company - like now, he picked up the rope and held it between his teeth, looking so pleased with himself that the King couldn't help a small laugh. "Good boy," he praised the dirty stallion, silently amused by his enthusiasm. Even his tattered tail was held high with pride, and a soft grin graced Mauja's face as he turned back to the way he was going. It wouldn't do to land on his face in front of the trespasser, now, would it? The warmth he'd shown Monster dissipated, replaced by an expression of neutral chill.

The mare didn't seem all that upset to see them, nor guilty about her rather blatant trespass. She just looked at him and seemed prepared to answer... when his pet made things take a turn towards something far more interesting. A clearly stallion neigh rumbled in Monster's chest, such a rich and exotic sound that Mauja actually turned his head to look at the black creature. What, he found Smoke attractive? He figured he should try to give him a lesson in racism next, then... Patient curiosity settled in his gaze as Monster proceeded with his attempts at impressing, pawing at the ground. Well, apart from his eternal mud spattering, he was quite the handsome beast. Slick black skin settled across a muscular frame, strong sinews and cords taut beneath his lackluster hide - Mauja arched a 'brow, knowing that the polite thing to do would be to tell him to not sexually harass the mare (and make her dragon set his forest on fire), but he was too curious to see where this would go to do that. A slight twinge of worry crossed his mind when the black stallion lurched forward, though he soon realized he had no reason to worry. The tengill did its job, tripping its carrier up and sending him faceplanting the ground. A fond chuckle rolled from his mouth, and as Monster gazed at him in confusion he reached out to give his neck a small nudge. "Someone else, later," he told him softly, knowing that he'd have to find a willing mare for him or face a potential wrath. Would Lotus be willing to have fun with a mindless stallion, just to sate urges..? Perhaps not right now... Just as a precaution, though, he picked the rope up, working his teeth around it until it lay comfortably through his mouth. It muffled his voice slightly, and usually made him growl out words, but hopefully it'd keep his pet from another attempt at courting their visitor. She probably hadn't come to the Edge just to get laid, after all.

Smoke the Wild Rose. Ah, the third leader of the Foothills, and the only one he hadn't previously met. So far, she seemed to posses a few more brain cells than Gossamer did, but whether or not she was worthy of his respect remained to be seen. A lot of the amused fondness he'd shown for his strange pet had faded away, replaced once more with his customary chill. And she'd come here seeking him? Well well well... That was all fine and dandy, he guessed, but he snorted a little all the same. "Had they found you before I did, they would've meddled more than if you'd stopped at our borders," he told her, his voice a blend of cold darkness and wariness. But, it was true. It was, however, more than likely she'd been denied an audience with him, unless the one who found her held enough respect for Mauja's foreign relations politics to grant her one. Ulrik probably would've sent her on her way and ruined his agenda totally, but Ulrik was Ulrik. Still, he ought to be thankful she wasn't pitching a fit about Monster... Not that he would've cared anyway, and he wasn't about to start either. Mauja gave the stallions a sideways glance, hoping he would contain himself until the promised later happened. That was a problem he could solve after dealing with Smoke, but one he had to solve all the same. "But, you have your audience," he continued, pale tail shifting against his hocks. "What is it that you wish to speak of, Smoke the Wild Rose?"

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