Silas, having been so engrossed in the realignment and preening of his glossy feathers, had not readily noticed the approach of another; a stallion- twice horned and murky, wrapped snugly in the hand of underworld shadows. He did not see the drunken swagger marring each stride; the eerie gaze of silver as it swam across his beloved, the uncanny resemblance to those Unicorns so detested, and neither was he aware of the creature plonking down upon his rear right by them… Not until the unusual motion of plunging hindquarters anyway. Taken by surprise, the guardian Roc chirped warningly as the drawl of the stallion’s slurred speech fumbled forward to greet them- an overly wary habit of late, given their constricted living situation, the unpredictable nature of those dwelling around, and more so, the unwarranted aggression that seemed to be following Africa like a plague. Violet eyes examined the stranger apprehensively, none too keen for the interruption of their peace.

Ashen face was turned swiftly to meet the stallion who had seated himself comfortably close (was such a strange stance comfortable at all?), the long veil of her motley-grey, fire engulfed mane swinging along to the jerk of her startled movement. She had been well distracted by the slumped pouch by her own tan hooves, and it had only been when Silas’s attention switched so suddenly that Africa became aware of the other’s company. Light golden eyes arrived right in time to find him setting a small egg upon the slush-strewn doorstep to the Heart beyond- one that immediately took her fancy; looked much like the one which had chosen her after the plight of that fearsome Basilisk many seasons ago. Unable at first to drawn her gaze from the object, she might have appeared to ignore altogether the drawn out greeting of the male.

The second nod severed the fix of her focus at last, and a loose half-smile pulled at the wrinkled corners of her lips. "Hey,” she welcomed him innocently- the nerves which might normally have been arcing with alarm by then, dulled by the expanding curiosity in her mind. "An egg?" Again the gentle caress of her pale eyes wandered towards the vessel where it laid motionless between striped hooves; examining it carefully, before asking- "You know, I haven’t seen one for a very long time!" Flashing a pearly white smile his way, Africa then watched with narrowing eyes as he swigged from the flask draped by strapping around the thick base of his neck. He seemed none to please though, dropping it always as quickly; chilling eyes wide, his expression shaken. "What’s wrong? What happened?" The bewildered mare asked flatly, stepping briskly from his proximity for the sake of her safety.