For many weeks (ones without beginning or end) Essetia had spent time nurturing her growing children. The sun had risen repeatedly, day after day, and fallen far too soon— a plethora of hours and minutes that had somehow become the bane of the spy’s existence. She no longer knew her talents or her joys, her desires or dreams, as they were intermingled with that of her son… and her daughter. The surprise and the shock of becoming a new mother had been doubled and most certainly a burden that Essetia hadn’t been expecting. Since then she had lost track of both her sleeping and waking hours; everything was suddenly infinite and unending. Her worries and her expectations were no longer so far reaching and now so utterly mundane. Did becoming a mother ensure that she would never exceed the current plane of her existence? Somehow the idea was maddening—dismal.

Perhaps that was why she had abandoned the blazing heat of the desert. The dunes had stopped rolling and the oasis had become a mere mirage… Everything about the Throat was somehow blending into the spy’s overwhelming distress and discomfort. She needed (more than anything) to escape the mounting monotony of motherhood in exchange for something else, even if it was routine or, god forbid,boring. It took a great deal of time to decide upon such an action however—she still had children to attend to after all.

That was where Romul came in, despite his urgent refusals to abide by his bonded’s pleading commands. The wolf had done more for the almost-retired spy in the past few weeks than he’d been capable of doing in the entirety of their time together… Essetia knew that and yet couldn’t quite find the caring enough to ignore her need to do something other than be a mother.

The Threshold was and had always been a humdrum chore to all who belonged to any of the four main lands, but it appeared more a delight to Essetia than ever before. The forest was earthy and damp, a heady mixture that the mare had missed, and brambles and thickets that had once snagged and pulled now brushed and tickled. The tops of the trees seemed much taller now, a fortress of dried and dying leaves that would ultimately shed in time for the coming winter. Yet, everything was not as she’d remembered… it was much more than that.

As the spy wandered, her hooves mindlessly trailing familiar walks, she inhaled the woody scent of the very place she’d only just remembered to detest. The presence of others new and old still clung to the aging trunks of nearby oaks and pines. However, the shady glade was far from lonely as far as Essetia could guess and it didn’t take her long to prove the sentiment true.

When the lax outline of cream colored Pegasus became more evident beneath the thick shade of an old and staggering oak tree, Essetia silently longed for the reassurance of Romul by her side. She knew all too well the void of her missing companion, but drew closer without pause, her lips shuddering around a breathy greeting. “You must’ve come a long way,” she commented upon approach. The girl’s eyes were a cornflower blue, light and seemingly unassuming. Intertwined with the cream of her coat was a soft tawny brown that tipped her second and primary feathering as well. In all, she appeared a soft creature, though it wouldn’t be the first time that the spy had guessed wrong. “I’m Essetia and it looks like you’ve managed to find yourself within the parameters of Helovia,” Essetia began, rehearsed. “Welcome.”

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It hadn’t been the spy’s intention to startle her guest, but Essetia couldn’t help the shaky laugh that followed her surprise entrance. It had been too long since she’d been able to study the soft creases around another’s eyes as they in turn studied her. It had been even longer since she’d discovered the growing spark for mischief she’d somehow lost during childbirth. That return to form was more endearing to her than the prospect of recruiting, despite her previous intents.

As the spy's dove-grey companion recovered herself, shifting and scrambling to resume her footing, Essetia was content enough to look on rather amicably. Not many possessed the power of grace when presented a fearful situation (though the spy hardly considered herself frightening) and it was no wonder, considering Essetia had approached a dozing, flighty creature. It was in their nature after all.

With more confidence than before, the bay pressed forward until the Pegasus could clearly see the white of her eyes and the darkening around her muzzle. Perhaps a good view of her visitor’s face would give the grey mare a little comfort…

It wasn’t until the stranger announced her condition that Essetia understood more fully the extent of her alarm. “I see,” she responded without change. “We all have our vices, no?”

In the awkward silence that followed, Essetia again longed for Romul and his commentary. She couldn’t quite shed her mothering tendencies to allow for the social reform it would take to command a conversation just yet. “Do you have business here in Helovia?” she questioned rather formally. She’d forgotten her own carefree charisma and girlish charm—would such an attitude ever return?

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If Essetia had been paying attention, she might have noticed Sabia’s anxiety concerning her disability. However, the spy was less worried about the ear and more interested in the fact that the Pegasus was in need of refuge. She didn’t imagine that the Dragon’s Throat would be a hard sell, but she still intended to revisit one of the Helovian spiels she’d predesignated for the Threshold so long ago. “It’s good to meet you Sabia and, again, welcome to Helovia.”

“You’re certainly not intruding— just the opposite in fact. This happens to be the Threshold and most newcomers stop through before deciding upon joining one –or none—of the four herds located here,” Essetia began shortly after. She still felt somehow hung up on what she’d left behind in the South, but her own ability to wrap this up quickly would allow her even quicker passage back to her family and Romul. “I hail from the Dragon’s Throat in the South. It’s something of a desert oasis and most certainly one of the most secluded—we’re an island after all. To the North is the Aurora Basin, to the West, the World’s Edge, and to the East is the Hidden Falls. They’re all perfectly acceptable places to call home if you’re in the market, but of course you’re also welcome to remain an Outcast if you’re not convinced.”

The bay shuffled around, situating her numbed hooves, before fixing the silver stranger a determined and hardened glare. “You’re welcome to choose your own path, but I’ve come a long way and I’d like nothing more than for you to call the Throat your home. We’re a family of warriors and friends, just as close-knit as family, and equally as committed to protecting one another,” Essetia confessed with fervor.

“So Sabia, what do you say? Are you willing to take a risk on us?”

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