In my approach, there hadn't been an ounce of uncertainty whether or not the painted steed even wanted my somewhat sudden company. It wasn't carelessness that kept me from thinking twice about my decision to join him, but rather ignorance, for I'd only ever faced one group that drove me away with pure hate and ill-intent. One might think that having worked beneath a Kingdom would have shown me that the world wasn't as it always seemed during colthood, but my time as a Royal courier had been short lived and I'd seen little action since being run out and lost.

As paint speaks, I come to a halt just a width away from him, unsurprised that I found myself looking up to him as I normally did, no matter my company. Still, he was noticeably shorter than the majority of those I'd met here so far, but that was hardly the most exciting thing in my eyes. Beneath the moonlight, I could now spy wings resting at the stallion's side, as well as a gentle flame twisting and turning from upon his back. But with a closer look, I saw that it was far from some random flame, and was in fact a bird, or a phoenix, if I remembered correctly from the folklore I'd always heard since my birth. Just moments ago I had been pondering the existence of such beings as this one, but standing here now, looking at one of these creatures of legends... well, I had to believe.

Once Midas, as he had called himself, had finished his introduction, I could only stare for a moment longer in child-like wonder at the brilliantly flamed avian. "Wow," I uttered then, brown eyes wide against the night, "She is spectacular; beautiful. I never knew that they were real." Pulling myself from my stupor then, I sought the golden eyes of Midas and returned my smile to him. Beneath me, one hind leg shifted and cocked, and I got comfortable.

"Adventure, sir," came my answer to his simple question, "Currently I reside in the Foothills, but as lovely as it is, I desire to see more than hills and rivers." In no way was I trying to smite the Foothills, for all within it had been kind so far, but I simply yearned to keep myself moving and to explore the land that was still all so new to me.

Tilting my head ever so slightly to the left, I regarded Midas with an utmost curious look. "And what of you, Midas? If I may ask, where do you come from, and how long have you been here?" I paused for a moment, eyes dropping and lingering briefly on the strange collar that hung around the male's neck. "Also... what is that?" With every question asked, I seemed only to grow a little more excited, though I could never explain to you why. "It reminds me of a craft I learned back home."


"talk"
F I N N
to coax the darkness into light