He listened intently as the stallion said he could join him. He smiled with a nod. “Odd creatures, you say? What did they look like?” He questioned, craning his head to the ocean as the waves swirled across the sands. Antaa’s bright eyes stared with curiosity, wanting to know if she should go off and investigate. She had begun to be quite proud of her flying abilities – even if they weren’t exactly great yet.

Yet, before the exotic man could speak again, Antaa chirped to Darwin alerting him to trotting hooves approaching that he had seemingly ignored. His heavy bearded head turned to face the newcomer, trotting in with a cheery voice. Darwin offered the man a smile and nod. “It is.” He admitted, turning his river stone gaze back onto the exotic stallion waiting to see if perhaps they knew each other. He listened as the beast spoke of his name and where he came from. Ilios, quite an intriguing name for an intriguing stallion. Nodding his head, he shook his head as he questioned the other stallion and him if he knew what they could be. “I’m Darwin, and this is Antaa.” He spoke gently, tilting his head to the firey chick as she danced upon his withers. “I tend not to stray near the ocean too much, not sure what kind of things dwell out there.” He admitted with a gruff laugh.

Antaa began to caw to him, as he attention was distracted. Darwin shifted his head, looking out to the water once more and noticing now an ivory winged creature as it made its way over the water. “Is that what you saw? Looks like another Pegasus to me.” He half joked to Ilios before turning from the group to the edge of the water, squinting his eyes against the sun to try and see better. Perhaps it needed help? How was it walking on the water? His brow furrowed before he mentally told Antaa to step off of him, he lowered one wing to the sands beneath him and she hopped her way down with a bit of a protesting chirp. “I’m going to go found out what’s going on.” His voice took a more determined undertone.

He waited momentarily, letting his wings spread out to his sides, getting a bit of a running start before catching the wind. His ivory body rose with his will, flapping his great striped wings against the salty air. He aimed for the direction of the creature that seemed to walk on water, his eyes never leaving. As he approached, he noticed it wasn’t an “it” at all, but a “she”. He raised his eyebrow, hovering above the water as he lingered within earshot. “What are you doing out here?” He questioned. His tone wasn’t demanding, it was an honest question. Was she alone? What would happen to her if she failed and no one was around to see her? His brow furrowed in honesty and worry.

"Talk."

& they said you were the crooked kind—

that you'd never have no worth,

but you were always gold to me.