In a strange, backwards way Tamlin instantly felt safe with the painted pegasus. There was something with the stranger that made the outcast prince feel like he could trust him and count on him. Maybe it was because he sensed that the pegasus was not originally from Helovia and didn’t really have anything to do with the invasion of the Edge, or maybe he just thought the stallion seemed nice. However, he was still a pegasi and they were all scum… right? Well, the painted stranger may be the exception that proves the rule…

"Whoa! Wait, kid. Take it easy. You're safe now. You really ought to rest.”

Tamlin met the stallion’s vivid blue eyes and offered a shaky smile as if to say “Yes, you are right.” Then he lowered his forequarters to the ground again and just as he was about to ask for the stranger’s name he heard new hoof beats coming their way.

Another painted stallion (followed by a strange looking dog) came towards Tamlin and the pegasus, but this one was an equine. He was large in built and wore chocolate colored spots that sparked a painful memory within the unicorn colt. Tamlin recognized this painted stallion; he had been in the battle, he was the one who had used his horrifying magic on Mauja!

Tamlin quickly shut his eyes for a second, he had been preparing for this; he knew he would meet horses that he recognized from the battle and so he had prepared to be friendly with them. After all he had been living with an equine for the past year and that had really taught him to swallow his thoughts about the naked browed. But to meet this very stallion, this young warrior that was so high on Tamlin’s list of those he wanted to erase from the world, it was very hard for the colt to keep a straight face. He decided to talk with the stud alone when he got the chance. If Tamlin confessed who he was maybe Aaron would begin to trust him, the colt had not intended to pretend to be someone else anyways; he was convinced that if he was truthful about as much as he could, he would seem more trustworthy. The only thing he really needed to lie about was his feelings and thoughts about winged and hornless horses.

”Sir Aaron, pleased to meet you. I am Tamlin. I would be in your debt and forever thankful if you could arrange a meeting with a lead.” The colt said with a trembling smile.

Then suddenly a third body joined the group; a black mare striped with white lightening. She had a panther cub resting on her rump and her blue eyes seemed cold to the young unicorn. Her name eluded the self-proclaimed prince, but he remembered that she had been part of his father’s herd. Why was she here with these horrible horses? Why had she joined them when they were the cause of her becoming homeless? The colt could not for the life of him understand why, unless she was also playing an undercover game? But it didn’t seem like it.

Traitor! Tamlin’s mind roared and for a split second his face must have gotten an strange expression. Then he collected his thoughts and as her name suddenly came to him he smiled a tired smile. ”Delinne! I am so happy to see a familiar face! How have you been?”

”Where is your father, frost-child?"

Tamlin’s ears fell back and he furrowed his brow at her words. He looked at her with big, shiny eyes as she greeted the two stallions and then he listened quietly when she questioned why he was there. He summoned all the memories that had ever made him sad and let the feelings show in his face. For a second he looked to Miykael as if he was seeking comfort then he turned back to Delinne. He didn’t deny, but neither did he confirm the titled she had given him. Frost-child, it had quite a good ring to it, he thought.

With a grunt Tamlin let his head fall back on the ground. He pulled his legs close to his body and arched his neck away from the others. His cheek rested flat against the ground and he let his eyelids drop halfway over his mismatched eyes. ”I am in a bad shape and I miss the World’s Edge. I have been on my own for almost two years and as you can see I have not managed well.” he mumbled.

Then he took a deep breath and said with a sigh: ”I just want to come home, if only for a few weeks.”

Tamlin