The champagne stranger, young and wielding upon her small face a glowing blue horn, seemed unbothered by the wave of rain soaked hair, silk, sand and feathers. A warm smile invited Africa still closer, further from the torrent which surged in windblown sheets beyond the tree, and she obliged willingly. The old hardy tree which seemed so misplaced in the brutal desert bore hard nodules upon its trunk and the dappled mare lifted her wing to rest by the curve of her spine so it did not crush between the pressures of her resting weight against the woody surface. When Sikeax introduced herself the Oracle smiled down warmly across the filly and nodded her pale face, the last channels of water trickling readily with each bounce down the velvet smooth space between her nostrils. Ungratefully the sand repelled the fluid and it lingered in a bubble upon its grainy top before seeping slowly beneath.

Sia spoke again after a moment spent studying Africa, and the humble grey answered without concern- she too had already allowed the tactful sweep of pale eyes absorb the figure and form of the younger, and held little contempt for that natural simplicity of curiosity. “Thank you Sia. I must say I haven’t sampled many of the Throat’s herbs.” She paused for a moment to consider the delicacies she had tried throughout her Helovian ventures and chucked softly. “I figure I’ve eaten just about everything else around though, fruits, mushrooms and bark.” With a light-hearted sigh to conclude the wash of her delicate voice, Africa let her knees fold and her weight sink into the still-warm bed of soft sand near to Sikeax. Certainly the girl could be right about the weather, a ferocious growl echoed through the heavens and in the same second the world around them was lit by frightening electricity.

Both the filly and the mare fell into a somewhat dumbstruck silence, unable to compete with nature’s violent clash outside.

As the thunder dulled once more, the bubbly blue eyed Unicorn (that is how she appeared), lifted only to surrender to a vigorous sneeze. Africa wondered if those gangly legs propping her minor mass up might buckle, but they remained steadfast and sturdy and the young grey let slip the long breath she had held in anticipation when Sikeax regrouped, frowning with innocently gaping eyes. A gentle laugh lifted through the noise of the continuing storm, and the Oracle’s kindly eyes closed for the unfortunate humour of the moment. The filly had followed almost directly afterwards with the smooth strike of random conversation- the topic of which Africa had probably never before considered; or not from the perspective of a preadolescent anyway. “Boys?!” She choked between fits of unstoppable giggles.

Her company smiled then; and the gesture broke into fits of childish giggles- the mild-mannered mare was glad the frown had been distracted from her sweet expression.

As the carefree moment waned, both expressions stiffened a little though smiles seemed to linger in place of the cordial manner which had begun the interactions. Africa’s warm gaze watched while Sikeau again let free her eyes to wander the length of her frame and the one-winged Pegasus closed her eyes to relax simply, while the need for words mattered little. The girl was good company, and she was glad that such a character dwelt in her homeland. Soon enough, the young voice broke the silence and eyes peeled apart as her light grey face lifted to view the trees healthy undercarriage where Silas had finished his cleanse. “We met a lifetime ago.” She began thoughtfully, her mind overflowing with affection for the little avian above- unquestionably, her time in the Basin felt that far from her now.

“I was nesting up north, just when the first fresh flakes of Frostfall had begun to spill across the tundra; it was a lonely time I admit, there were no familiar faces where winds colder than our southern ocean pummel the land. Solitude can wreak havoc on the mind and sour the heart, and after many nights I was suffering in just that way- without my family and without the comforts we have here at home. For many days I did not rise to bathe, to eat or to drink, and when a light crust of snow had blanketed my hopelessness there came a strange cry; one which caused my heart to burn with life. I was too weak to answer his call but he stayed none the less- perhaps he felt that same flame lit inside his own chest.

Silas left me only to forage and gather berries, and collect those sickly, tart Tundra weeds which sustained us through the remaining length of our stay. He tended me with the love and care of a mother; the same sentiment that a lover should serve his partner. We have never been far apart since, and I don’t think my heart would beat without the thrum of his pulse inside my head. It is like we were made for one another- in fact, I suppose we were. That’s what they say about these incredible bonds. That the ties were forged through time, even before both are born and that their lives will be forever intertwined.” Africa’s tender voice trailed away as her reflections and thoughts overwhelmed her mind. Perhaps her experiences, the knowledge that had been hidden in the crevices of her shrewd mind was far greater than she had truly believed. This was the first time she had really been asked to share part of that insight, and she had astounded even herself.