Tasks had finally been assigned- patrols. The first time she’d ever met Midas the Gallant had been during one of her patrols as a warrior in the Hidden Falls. She’d yet to fall to such commands since and felt almost nostalgic about weaving her way toward the Heart Caves. They too possessed memories that Essetia would not willingly recall, but images of threatening grey eyes came to mind before she ruefully buried them away again. Many things from her past were better left forgotten or at least repressed until time put space enough between then and now to balm the quivering ache of remembrance. The thought-numbing task of patrolling Helovia was promise enough to bring temporary relief from the blistering of what was, even if the renewed spy had done little else in way of maintaining her position.

Romul was anxious to rejoin their companions (namely Ghost’s wolf Fantôme) and sauntered ahead of Essetia with his golden stare pointedly fixed on the path. The mare pondered her wolf for a time before warmly wuffling at him when he embraced her thoughts with his own. They did indeed share quite the bond, even if it was strained at times, as both creatures were quite headstrong. It was only that bond that had gripped Essetia from the snares of war and the ashes of fiery death and that bond that kept her from drifting too far in her sorrow-ridden wanderings. Everything else remained liquid around them, a stream of events and circumstances that glided past the flesh before avoiding them completely. Time did not care for sadness or weakness.

When at last the mouth of the caves grew large enough to decipher, both horse and wolf paused to deliberate the enigmatic graces of their friend. Essetia called out to Ghost from afar and approached with as much warmth and welcome as she could possibly possess given the state of her affairs of late. Romul quickly took advantage of their proximity and pressed forward at a brisk pace to greet his grey counterpart. Essetia on the other hand was in no hurry to greet her fate or rather lack thereof. “A couple of spies on patrol- does it not go against our anonymity?” she jested lightly when at last she was within earshot. “It’s been a while since I last saw you… I wasn’t aware that the Dragon’s Throat was that large,” Essetia again joked, this time with a bit of a bite. Yet, beneath the crude remarks, there was caring. There was a bond that remained unspoken, but nevertheless felt.

There was nothing quite like a reunion between old friends, but if Essetia was being honest, she wasn’t certain that Ghost even considered her the kind of confidant that rivaled her own bond with Romul. What kind of relationship did they truly share, aside from a connection forged of grief and loss? Since the spy had returned to the Dragon’s Throat, she hadn’t done much in the way of duty nor had she sought out Ghost’s company after being retrieved from the Threshold. It was her own fault she hadn’t been put to task, but she also wondered what had happened to the Cadaverous after they had parted ways. The mare looked to be in good health, so Essetia could only assume that troubles of the mind had kept her away… and if Ghost were anything like Essetia, wayward thoughts often caused the body to wander. But everyone had problems and everyone had demons, so her jokes were only meant to strike skin-deep, but the phantom appeared to receive her blows within her heart… a place that was only vulnerable when the head was full.

As they enjoyed the sun’s soft winter rays, the quiet of Helovia blanketing them against the world beyond, Essetia enjoyed her friend’s easy conversation. It wasn’t often that the spy was able to simply delight in another’s company- she was too guarded and too headstrong for that. Yet, being with Ghost made her tranquil; it gave Essetia a moment to forget how their bonds had been formed and how their past had somehow converged. Why couldn’t it always be like this? “I doubt I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. I think the worst of it is behind us, wouldn’t you say?” she questioned more jovially than before.

However, that lively spirit she’d been entertaining quickly faded as the tides of doubt threatened to overwhelm them both. In truth, Essetia might have noticed the tension rolling from Ghost in waves much earlier if she hadn’t been too distracted by her own abstraction… but it quickly became more apparent as the Cadaverous fixed her with a discontented frown. What was she hiding behind so much angst?

In an effort to figuratively “clear the floor”, the spy called to her companion internally. She didn’t want his wolfish banter to draw from Ghost’s mounting upset and feared it would only add to her discomfort. Then, as if by fate, the beautifully crafted mare, in all her brilliant contrasting colors, relented for the first time to Essetia’s confidence. It took the young spy a moment to comprehend what Ghost wanted from her, but she eventually nodded and bowed her head- a sign of submission and trust. Essetia wanted nothing more than for the Cadaverous to put down her burdens so that she might be able to help her carry them. “What is it that troubles you?” she questioned softly as she moved into the caves alongside her friend.

Essetia did not want to press too hard or force Ghost to reveal information she wasn’t quite ready to share, but everyone needed a shoulder to lean on at some point or another. She just hoped that she would be strong enough and convincing enough to show her support. After all, Essetia was not fond of sharing her emotions and knew Ghost to be of a similar mind.