As the journey had worn on, Ashamin and Lochan (and Rakt, by command) had insisted that Zahra be helped with her things. She was too small and delicate a creature to be burdened further, even if just by the delicacies of silk and thread. Traveling home with such lovely company had been good for the haruspex, and had reminded him of more innocent days that had somehow slipped away from him. Was it the Moon Goddess' quest or something in himself that had made such beauty as that found on the trail homeward gray and unappealing? The painted buck hadn't even noticed the change. But with Zahra there, with such cheer and trust by his side, Ashamin remembered how things had been.

The buck and his cerndyr arrived at the border blanketed in white; moments after, snow covered whatever else was left of Ashamin's markings and his companions were begging to be rid of their load.

After all, there was snow to frolic in.

So Ashamin obliged, increasing ever slightly the weight on his back and looking out over the Basin's beauty. The sentinels, in decay, no longer stood for what this herd did. The Aurora Basin was filled with life, with song, with play, and love. Had Ashamin ever known it before such an era, he would have been greatly saddened.

But as it were there was nothing to mourn and everything to celebrate. The haruspex turned to look upon the young mare who had followed him here with such trust and dedication--found a smile weaving its way across his as of late mournful features.

"Welcome home, Zahra," Ashamin said simply, his long tail waving above the earth and collecting snowflakes as it went. Soon he would show her the landmarks here, let her explore, and find her a cave to store her materials. But for now he would wait and see; surely, in a herd as bustling as this, trouble would find them.

I had, if you must know, just woken up. Technically we don’t have clocks or a concept of time in the whole “minutes” sense but if we did, I would tell you that it had been a grand total of maybe ten minutes since I had woken up from my nap - where I had been all snuggled up in a snowbank beneath the cutest fir tree I had ever seen. Honestly! So cute. Cute enough for me to sleep over, at least.

The point is, I stumbled across the welcoming committee completely by accident when I emerged from the little copse of trees that had been my temporary sleeping spot. I noticed Ashamin right away so I was obviously going to go wander and say hello. We’re like… well we’re friends but I’m rather fond of him, he keeps giving me work and he’s quite the jovial fellow to be around. Plus he’s got a cute kid. I recognize Eldala too, she’s pretty cool, and there’s a young somebody with them too! I just woke up so it was pretty easy for me to make assumptions that this is a new Basin member and that just encouraged me even more to go over and say hi.

I half-trotted, half-stumbled toward them, yawning once as I was approaching but waking up more completely on the way. And then finally, I come to a standstill in all my sugarcoated glory before the incoming pair. “Good….” Oh crap was it morning? Afternoon? I honestly have no idea how long I’ve been asleep but I oh so smoothly let that word dangle there without a finishing descriptor and move on instead. “Well hello Ashamin! Eldala! Newcomer! What a lovely day, right? Just splendid.” All the better for spending it with friends, you know!

Suddenly, they all arrived.

It was as if the Basin had been waiting, listening from the wings and wondering just when this would happen. When would those ancient laws be cast off for good? When would this herd spread its wings?

Ashamin watched, pleased but visibly anxious, as the new apprentice played in the snow. Her thank you was met with nothing more than a simple nod, a brief gesture that worked better than words for a time. She was likely right, that this was nothing like she'd ever lived in before. The Basin did have its woods, but they were more open and tall, more bristled and bright than dark and oppressive. Having lived in and loved the pine forests in the north so long, Ashamin no longer found the deep forest's leaf mold to be particularly tolerable.

The first arrivals, Eldala and Johnny, were familiar and friendly faces. The haruspex stepped forward to nudge the candied weaver, and smiled in vaguely unfamiliar politeness to the mare. When she asked of Rein, though, his memory was jogged. Yes, that was right... she'd been present at his birth. Then again, who hadn't been? The haruspex smiled at the memory of the warm occasion, his tail winding softly.

"Rein fares well," Ashamin answered with glowing pride, "and not without the help of wonderful babysitters like Johnny, here," the haruspex added. Johnny's aid had certainly not gone unnoticed.

Just as Ashamin was about to explain and introduce Zahra to the pair, another arrived. It was the corporal, the giver of gifts and cold gazes all at once. How was he to deal with her, how was he to look in those eyes and act like... like...

Ashamin shivered imperceptibly as she drew closer, and his two companions drew back to his side and pressed against it, as if guarding him fiercely. It was only after a swift hip-check that they were sent back into the snow, to circle Zahra.

"Ki'irha," Ashamin said only. His voice wavered, conflicted with the uncertainty of affection and fear. And what of her tone, what was that coldness? "This," he said to all of them then, "is Zahra. She once saved my life, and I could think of no better way to thank her than invite her to stay with us. She'll be joining us as an apprentice; she's marvelously gifted with the art of weaving spider's silk, something not so readily available to the Aurora Basin," Ashamin said. The rationale felt like a spiel, but he wanted to make sure Zahra was supported. Besides, since he wasn't given much of an opportunity yo explain he figured he'd answer as many questions as he could at once and introduce her to the other weavers now that he could.

And as for the unequivocal statement, the fact of her joining them? Well, that simply had to be said. Ashamin feared the ice hanging off of Ki'irha's words, and needed to be firm against them. Zahra was welcome in the Basin, that much would not be up for debate.