Naerys’s warm body pressed against her, alerting Alysanne that the girl had caught up. She was giddy with excitement, practically dancing where she stood and Alysanne couldn’t help but laugh lightly in response. “It’s a giving tree, Nae. He comes to bless us with gifts.”

But the laugh doesn’t last long, her attention is drawn back to Resplendence. She felt at peace but it was delicate and she feared that it might shatter. The words from the other mare were sweet, Alysanne’s heart ached at the longing in her voice. A longing echoed in her own heart. “And I you.” She answered, truthfully, quietly - allowing herself to admit it for the first time since she had turned away from the Falls and went back to the Edge. She had written them all off - it was easier that way. Easier to embrace the anger than continue to crumble.

Though she did a fair bit of crumbling anyway.  

But if she could allow herself to melt just for a moment for Res, for the mare that she had cared for and come to love, she turned back to steel when Archibald spoke to her. His was the face she blamed for the entire invasion and time had made her certain the entire thing had been his idea. He had willingly invaded a peaceful home, attacked their leader with his fearsome strength, for a reason she did not understand. Surely if their intentions had been simply to vacate the World’s Edge they could have left as a herd and joined the Falls. Why did it have to happen with force? It made her sick to look at him now, to remember the battle, so when he spoke her name those green eyes darted away - willing to look anywhere, on anything but him. His name, or any reaction to his greeting (he did not seem too happy to see her either), choked in her throat and she merely managed a nod in acknowledgement of his presence.

For a moment, she looked down to her daughter that was standing next to her - dropping her wing a little bit to wrap it around Naerys - squeezing just slightly for a hug. All she wanted to do was take her daughter and leave, walk away from Resplendence and Archibald. She drew strength from Naerys though, taking comfort in her presence, and finally she found the words to respond to the pink mare’s question. “I’ve been fine.” The lie falls from her without much care. She might have told Res more, but she cannot with the mountain of a shadow there - lurking on the other side of her friend.

There are other questions she would ask but she only speaks one, sad green eyes finally looking back over to the pair. “How… how fares the Falls?”