Their company proved mentally exhausting. All of the happiness and the charm felt surreal to a girl that had known nothing but fear and anger for the last seasons. Anything but felt wrong and even as they walked from the Threshold Colt glanced a time or two behind her to see if Ricochet was going to come barreling out of the thickets to torment her for even thinking of feeling anything different.

She should have found comfort from them, in their gentle natures and their kind words, so carefree they might just sail away like the seeds of a dandelion in the wind. She was the sour roots though, clutching fervently to the ground. The realization of this inability to integrate so easily with them troubled her. As always when faced with something discomforting she sunk further into herself, walling them away with a chilly exterior of detachment.

Not too far though, she had to smile still and nod when it seemed appropriate, even throw in a laugh when it seemed plausible, what a harsh sound on her throat.

It was all too much to keep track of.

One thing she could not deny feeling though was the awe that settled in her breast once the Foothills did open into view. It was beautiful, unlike anything she could recall. If her birth place had been this nice, surely she would have remembered? Perhaps not though, even her mother's voice had begun to fade, replaced only with the echoing sneers of Ricochet; how they bounced around her thoughts like the namesake he bore.
Finn raced forward, his antics so coltish a true smile ghosted onto Colt's lips. She feigned a grab at a tall weed to scrub it away. She couldn't let herself feel for anyone least of all. Don't get attached she reminded herself, glancing after the fjord. He's only a body.
Nothing more.
Nothing more.

Colt's mantra was provided a welcome distraction as Phaedra dropped down to land. At first Colt didn't see her, forgetting to look up, so that she shied faintly once she heard the wings thumping against the air. It was a fraction of a shudder across her body, like a fish snapping up a fly from the water's surface before anyone could see - only the muffled splash could be heard, then all was as it had been.
Stupid she chastised herself, once more trying to throw the movement of her body off on grazing.

She lifted her head, a mouthful of browning mustard grass poking out the side of her mouth as the pegasus addressed the unicorn. If it weren't for the hideous wings disfiguring her backside, Colt would have had to admit Phaedra was beautiful, stunning even. Too bad.

The way her coat, particularly her mane, dazzled though set Colt on her guard. Magic. Her mind sharpened, easily settling back into the lifestyle of training in which every second that ticked by under her sweat was another opportunity to be threatened, attacked, taught.
Subconsciously her front hoof moved in the dirt, idly playing with a small pebble that the motion unearthed. She rocked it back and forth under her toe like a nervous tic.
She was trigger happy definitely, but at least it was happy.

"Colt," she introduced with a smile as Phaedra's attention seemed to shift towards her.
She didn't say anything more, but her toe continued to play with the pebble like an anxious hand fingering the trigger of a gun.