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The world now was an unsettling place to roam. Landscapes was scarred and unfamiliar; Frostfall had been none to kind this time round, and lingering still wherever shadows lay, creatures turned by the darkness still stalked voraciously. Confidence was yet to return to the mare whose levels were on the meeker side to begin with. She had been the target of ill-meaning beings on many occasions recently, frightful tempers and those hearts just cold and callous to the core had eroded all desire to delve into conversation and bath in the company of life. She had skirted the areas knowing to be common meeting grounds since rising from the caves, and revelled in the solace granted by the dwindling numbers of her herd while it had lasted. Now though, she felt the pull of responsibility; the sting of guilt, and wished to build for the God of the Sun an army well worth harbouring. There too were ranks to fill, and workloads to share- Africa know that she and Ampere would not be able to perform without sound foundations to lean upon.

A profound sigh fluttered through stormy-grey nostrils, and she shook literally the weight of thought from her mind.

There came behind the exchange of ringing calls, the steady drum of advancing hooves and Africa turned swiftly towards the direction they seemed to fall from. Canvas of murky dapples flinched with nervous curiosity while the stranger lurked still further behind the gathered trees than her scanning eyes could find. Still, Silas who had by then nestled down upon the curved peak of her rump was yet to stiffen with concern, so she for the most part remained reasonably at ease. Always, the young one-winged mare’s ears were fixed attentively forwards, well chiselled skull perched high upon the vertical stretch of her throat, and she rocked the bulk of her body between long, sinewy legs while she waited.

Little time passed before the unfamiliar unicorn drew to a halt nearby and bowed. Africa smiled awkwardly, still not overly comfortable with the golden tiara resting across her brow, and stepped closer with one slim white leg to gesture chivalrously with a dip of her own pallid face. Certainly she was not royalty, and her soft creamy gaze reflected that natural modesty as it was left to wander between the eyes of the other. Andreas introduced herself, and the dappled mare nodded with relief, the lines of built tension wrought through her apprehensive figure fading away altogether- certainly this creature was leagues above those most recently met temperament wise. A thoughtful smile still broader than the last lifted her features.

"Well met Andreas, I can offer you food, water and a bed," she said warmly, softly in return; meaning quite earnestly what she had said... "I’m Africa, though I fear I don’t know your brother Apollo." She could not have known that the stallion spoken of had crossed her path once while the population of Helovia had sheltered beneath the earth; that it was he who had offered so kindly to heal the wings torn from a dear friend’s shoulders. Nor was she aware that it had been this brother who Midas had sought favour from the herd for, after the invasion’s impact had settled somewhat, and new leaders risen through each neighbouring land. His name had never been given through these times, and so Africa remained quite oblivious to the valuable knowledge she held about him.

The painted mare was peering around them, and the one-winged mare shook her head- almost certain that they were completely alone. "I will send Silas to scout the forest around us if it might settle your suspicion?" Upon her back the zephyr opened his wings, cued by the request of his beloved’s thoughts, and caught artfully the updraft as its icy breath washed by them. Perhaps Andreas had been in actual fact referring to the avian himself, but Africa was none the wiser. Her affectionate gaze followed him through the twisted, naked canopy until he was clear of her sight, and then turned back with a gentle chuckle. "Why are you worried about Apollo?" Africa asked finally, with an inquisitive skew to her skull.