A jolt of surprise as a voice called out from beneath was expertly hidden by a twist of inky wings. Silken rustle of feathers followed as Shadow lowered herself further through the air as she strained to spot her dark adversary; not so low that teeth or horn would reach her but, hopefully, enough so that she would be able to answer without waking the whole valley. That wouldn't be prudent. Still, she was not fearful enough of this zealous guard to turn tail and run.

"But I have not placed so much as a hoof on your land, so how can I be intruding?" she returned, a playful lilt in the voice and a smile on her lips; it was rather cute, how eager this young filly was to fill a role that Shadow wasn't even sure was hers to play yet. Could someone that seemed so young really be set on patrol duty? Or maybe it was just a child out on pranks who had decided that alerting attention to a stranger was the best way to not get caught.

Whichever it was, it succeeded, because attention she had drawn and Shadow kept circling through the air with increased attentiveness as a second unicorn appeared. He was hardly any older than the first but if anything he appeared calmer; he reached out to touch the filly and from her place up in the air Shadow saw his lips moving but was, to her own dismay, unable to hear what he said. Then he turned to herself and spoke, his words far wiser and more diplomatic than she would have expected from someone so young. Perhaps even more so than he knew himself, because now she didn't even have to make up a story to explain her presence. Thank you very much!

"Indeed" she was quick to agree, still easy in the tone and casual as a summer breeze. "I have never been this far north before, and I had no idea that there was a Herd residing in all this snow."

The lie - half truth, whatever - came easily and without hesitation, as believable as anything she had said thus far. The mare appeared to hesitate, purple eyes betraying a very real sense of wariness as they turned from one horse to the next.

"My wings are tired from flying so far, and it is very cold tonight. May I land, and shelter here for the night? I promise I will be gone by morning."

A faint flutter of excitement bubbled within at the thought that she might finally be able to get a close look at this place, but Shadow was careful not to let it show. Her skills that once had brought her to Sleuth's rank were still intact; the only downside was that she no longer had a herd to report back to. Ah well, no matter; she could play herd with herself for now.



@[Ki'irha], @[Ashamin] I don't mind either, the more the merrier! :D