The child considered the king's words behind a grimace of reluctance, lips pressed tightly together as eyes flashed in the age old protestation of youthful arrogance against reason. Tembovu had a point there, she did keep a lot from her one remaining parent... mostly because he simply wasn't around that often to hear what she had to say, but also because some things were too... not complicated, and not strictly private either, because Erthë would gladly share all her secrets with someone she loved, but certain things just didn't translate well into words. Somehow she couldn't really equal her childish transgressions to the withholding of such important facts as family members however, and she drew breath as lips parted to quip this at Tembovu.

Before she had the chance of spilling her frustration onto him, a soft gray trunk wrapped around her leg and held it gently, a touch so warm and kind that the girl lost track of her own anger in sheer surprise. Blinking she gazed down at the young elephant, seeking out the small, dark eyes that to her seemed ancient and wise and infinitely beautiful - and sighed, deflating from whatever answer she thought herself able to see within Mbwene's soul.

"No, I guess I don't. Nor do either of us stick in one place long enough to actually talk about things... Heh!" She suddenly laughed, a quip of mirthful irony too old for her years. "I sure inherited their wanderlust too" she said. "Both of them were vagabonds and I can't seem to stomach staying in one place for more than a few days."

Shaking her head in a gesture of dry amusement, the filly eventually shrugged to herself and let the matters drop, realizing she would get nowhere by mulling over it. Instead she reached down to nuzzle the little elephant child, smiling despite herself as she inhaled the sweet scent that seemed to cling to every baby throughout the animal kingdom - save reptiles, perhaps, for they were never truly young in their ways.

"Sorry, Tembu. How have you been? And the rest of the herd? I've no doubt missed things while I was away..."

Pale eyes were simultaneously apologetic and curious as she glanced up at her friend. No doubt the reason for his lack of boredom within the herd was due to the fact that he as King likely was at the center of much that went on within the forest realm - not left out on the sidelines and waved off as a child too small and too dumb to be of use. Erthë was as relieved of not having that responsibility as she was jealous over his being allowed to help with things, and for all that she tried to pull the old 'If I can't do it I won't bother with anything', her longing to be of use for the herd she called family simply wouldn't go away.

The news of Nyx's kids was curious indeed and brought her mind to the twins she had seen born on the other side of winter. Was it d'Arcy and Libertad he meant? Or had the General gotten herself pregnant again so soon?

Intrigue painted a smile across the face of the cygnet, and once again Erthë's mercurial temperament swayed back towards happiness. It felt so good to be home again.  

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Waiting for the rain I'm bracing for the thunder
A twig that wouldn't sway in the wind