Through the snow the blue mare bounds, lifting her knees high as her cloven hooves fling powdery flurries in her wake. She is inherently graceful in her movements, rushing like the ocean does to the sands of the shore, leaping with an electric energy and the light of dusk’s rays twinkling merrily in her eyes. It would be a safe assumption that she is nowhere near as collected and dignified in her bearing as the black stallion—she admires the strength and refinement of his strides—but she moves with her heart nonetheless. Hers is a joyous and carefree gait, perhaps stumbling here and there, her lion tail whisking happily behind her.
 
Following their little snow puppy, Boots leads them somewhere—she doesn’t care to concern herself with the details, only the fun of the chase—and they dash through the tall highland trees, and are soon shadowed again in the great rise of the mountains that cocoon their home valley from the rest of the world. Tiamat tosses her head in her delightful enthusiasm, skipping and prancing with her blue lips turned into a smile. The tinkling of her laughter echoes off the snowy stone walls at their side, broadening the sound until it eventually fades into the wintry, white firmaments of the Basin.
 
Before long, the trio suddenly breaks into the open again, the glittering expanse of the unfreezing lake opening before them. The ocean blue mare dips her flanks low to the ground as she forces herself to a skipping, half-hearted stop, eventually coming to rest at the black stallion’s shoulder. She laughs lightly at Boots’ similarly ungainly stop, her ears pricking forward when the puppy prances around before plopping himself at Nox’s hooves, rolling onto his back. Tiamat’s heart glows as she watches the stallion (so coarse and brutish in his appearance) reach down to softly nuzzle Boot’s belly—warm with the knowledge of the good and just in this world.
 
“He’s a cute little guy,” the blue unicorn croons to their adorable snow creation when she approaches them, her breast still blooming with happiness as she casts a sincere smile to her newfound friend. He compliments the land and herself—praising their beauty—and Tiamat feels herself blush as she lowers her muzzle to Boots, whuffling gently and nuzzling his belly. A breezy chuckle follows, slipping from her lips when the snow puppy slides off to play some more, and she turns her attention to Nox. “Yes, I think I will sleep well tonight,” her voice is mingled with her laughter, nodding her head in blissful contentment. She can feel the slow ache beginning in her bones—the peaceful call of weariness—beneath the steaming of her skin, warm with their run.
 
Her grin lingering on her lips, Tiamat shifts her eyes out to the horizon, her gaze sweeping over the landscape. “It is quite beautiful, isn’t it?” She murmurs mostly to herself, unsure if the stallion could even hear her. Each day, she finds her breath stolen by the magnificence of this place—her home—and she feels infinitely fortunate to claim it as such. Casting a glancing smile to Nox, the young mare steps forward, her cloven hooves cutting their way through the snow.
 
Within moments she makes her way to the lake’s snowy banks, flicking her long leonine tail before she stops at its edge, lowering her fine head. Blue lips hover over the glassy surface, her reflection clear beneath her. “It is good to see you again, brother,” her warm breath ripples out over the water, making her grin widen. Being near her family—connections to her parents—brings a flowering joy in her eyes, softening her gaze with jubilant delight as she turns to look back to the black stallion. “It’s a wonder the lake never freezes. That doesn’t mean the water’s not cold though, I can assure you that,” Tiamat laughs freely, shaking her head as she remembers its bitter, tickling bite.

And at last I see the light.