The fire burned and the filly stared. At the mare's words Aelin turned with a startled gasp, she'd been so consumed by the flames. The mare that had approached her was a hybrid - a very pretty one. They shared some colours and features but where completely different in every other respect. As the mare shakes her head and speaks to her bluntly the sandy filly turns away and studies the fire again. "I did not mean to deceive you." Despite the mare's blunt tones Aelin spoke with warmth, with a hoof she pointed towards the fire before spinning back to the mare. "You're wrong, everything needs a heart or else nothing would be alive." Slowly the filly took a few more steps towards the fames, wonder and awe painted upon her features. Hell's gates? No, this was no hell. Far from it actually (these caves still creeped her out through). Just as she made to speak another voice cut into their conversation. This time the filly did not gasp in shock, instead she turned quickly and smiled at the newcomer. 

Another winged mare, just as pretty as the hybrid and shaded similarly to herself, this mare seemed like...home. Aelin's smile grew with the new mare's words, in support of her own. Although the next sentence that followed confused the young girl. Wraiths? What where they? Turning back to the flames she continued to listen to the conversation being exchanged but studied the way the fire flickered and twisted. It was like a deadly dance of red, gold, yellow and orange. Beautiful but final. 

"Aelin." The girl responded, turning back to the mare who spoke as if she knew the caves, the filly continued. "What's yours?" Aelin moved closer to the winged one, feeling a little more sure of this mare's kindness than the others abruptness. "Actually, I'm looking for someone." Perhaps it wasn't what the mare had planned for today but hopefully she'd be willing to help. The sandy princess was nervous traveling through the winding cave network but if she had someone who knew their way around...well it would make her a little less nervous and certainly would help time go faster. "Can you help me look?" With a big smile and pleading eyes the girl waited. "While we look you can tell me about these wraiths." They sounded scary and exciting! The  girl wondered about where they came from, how long they stayed and how the Helovians fought them off?! Was her father involved...silly question he must have been! Gaucho was strong and always there for those who needed him, no matter what. Glancing towards the other mare the desert princess shot a questioning look at. 

"You can come as well of course!" Not wanting anyone to feel as if they hd been excluded the young girl offered the invitation further. "But no more talk about hells gates, okay?" The young girl shivered. "These caves creep me out enough already." With a nervous laugh the girl turned back to the one from her homeland with nervous anticipation for her answer.