Perhaps it was a strange sight to behold, the trio on the beach. A dragon, and equine and a unicorn, strolling happily along the shoreline like there was nothing wrong with the world, as if things like race and countries didn't matter. Certainly, to the gold-coated stallion it was a truth that he never had cared to question, but would either of them have been so casual if they knew where the others allegiances lay?

Regardless, Lace felt nothing but content as he moved side by side with the obsidian lady. They seemed to understand one another, on the same wavelength so to speak. An unspoken but mutual agreement to enjoy the moment without demands, to put aside things like doubt and hesitation, of only for a moment.
The black-legged stallion grinned in honest delight when she said she wished to be friends. Yesterday they had been strangers and tomorrow might make them enemies, but for now they were the best of comrades, confidantes and companions.

"Then I will be, Faelene, and I hope I may count you as a friend too", he said. The smile softened, became gentler as a sense of warmth bloomed somewhere within the chest. Indeed, he would be her friend. Even if the world decided to pit them against one another, Lace decided that he was going to do what he could in order not to hurt her. He had lived long enough to know that promises of protection and loyalty rarely was kept, no matter how much you tried, and that such things often only led to sadness and hatred. So he made no promises, offered nothing and expected nothing in return. Time alone would tell what this encounter would lead to, and there was nothing more he could do but wait and see.

A snort of slight surprise escaped the elegantly chiseled nostrils when the horned femme stretched out and touched his whithers. He sidestepped, brow raising slightly as her voice rang out into the breeze; a smirk began to grow, tugging on the dark lips. Then she took off, kicking up sand in her wake and left him behind in quick bounds. Fajira gave off a startled cry and immediately darted forward, the white wings cutting the wind in rapid strokes to catch up with and overtake the slender mare. For a second Lace simply watched, taking in the sight of the black-rose-with-thorn, as the dragon called her, as she raced across the beach. Long legs, a deep chest, elegant neck stretched out; she looked like she had been born to do exactly this, to run forever under a brilliant autumn sun with the wind in her mane and the shadow of the dragon lending her a pair of wide-stretched wings. Aye, his friend was truly beautiful.

The urge to run became too much. His body moved on its own accord, with the energy of a yearling the silver-coated horse bucked and let out a neigh of pure joy before letting the hooves dig deep into the sand. He found traction, muscles tensed and gathered all the energy they could muster before quickly releasing, launching him onward in a leap that set sand showering all around. The lean body stretched out, long legs carrying him swiftly over the ground, tail whipping behind like a white banner. Faelene had quite the head-start, but slowly he began to gain on her, step by rapid step.