"I'll let them know what bad means."

I watch the lack of interaction between bird and bonded, wondering what the hesitation is (maybe she's too young to fully understand the needs of young? I am too, honestly— I don't know how to take care of babies, I just know you should take care of them). And as this chick struggles out of the remains of its pearly shell, the filly just watches, waits. I look the small girl over, wondering why her features are so familiar (who?), furrowing ivory brows as my eyes take in the details of her hornless appearance— a Mother approved interaction (she'd be proud).

I shrug at her words, accented with a careless sidelong glance and her tan hoof playing at the earth. The only muscles that moved were my shoulders to shrug, my face absent of expression as I gaze at the egg and then her. Her taunt didn't strike me, didn't bring me to my knees or make me weep with my miss of an opportunity. "I wouldn't want that anyway, little birds aren't fit for future kings." I answer nonchalantly, feeling full well that this is the truth— I wouldn't take a bird as my companion, they're so small and feeble— a king needs something better. "But I'm sure you two will be great together." Both small, both weak. A false smile finds its way to my two tone lips, looking down at the leonine tailed filly and her ugly chick.

I could of left her taunt as is and just shrugged it off, but I had been itching to respond with more than just a shrug of the shoulders. Besides, I wanted to make sure this girl knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with making feel bad (sorry, you've been beaten to it)— I've been insulted so many times by Mother that I don't think anyone else's insults affect me.

An ear splitting screech signals that we're not alone, ears falling flat and head turning to see exactly who I wouldn't expect— the sooty filly from months ago, the one I bantered with until finally things got deep and she fled (still don't know why). I smile sweetly at her, innocently raising the corners of my lips in her direction. "I was expecting kinder greeting, but that'll do." I wasn't actually (the next time she saw me I was sure she'd try to and sick her eaglet on me) expecting any sort of nice greeting in fact, I wasn't even expecting to see her.

I cast a glance in the direction of the feisty babe and her equally as fierce companion, I wouldn't say that we exactly know each other. We just had an interesting commonality between us that was a rather touchy subject (as shown when she high tailed it away). "You could say that." Bubblegum eyes sweep over the not-so-subtly grown filly and her barely increased bulk, face falling back to slack as she pushes forward to brush her muzzle against the recently bonded filly's withers.

Oh, they're sisters (what an exciting twist). As the sooty girl affectionately congratulates her sister, she casts a fiendish glare my way— I grin innocently and bat my lashes at her, tail flicking at my thighs casually as the twins have their moment. "You should have told me you have a sister— now we've got even more in common." If only Sabre was here with me, we could have so much fun with these two (a roast circle! Although I don't know about that little black one). I'm sure I could get her, she shouldn't be far— but it's not guaranteed that she'd even hear me (these woods are massive and go on for ages), and if she did hear, it might take her a bit to locate us (like needles in a haystack).

"Talk."