The pirate had not intended to join a herd. His plan had been to come into Helovia, find his missing possessions and leave, making no friends along the way and leaving nothing but fading hoofprints in the sand to denote his presence here. Alas, fate has conspired against him. Not only has he made friends but he's located family too, and now he can't picture himself leaving in the near future even if by some miracle he does manage to track down his missing equipment.

With the threat of Kaos looming high overhead, Bartholomeo thinks the time is right to leave the outcast life behind. It is with a healthy sense of self-preservation that the antlered stallion has decided to join the ranks of a herd, to offer his services in return for their protection. That's quite aside from the fact that his favourite sister Aelfwine, brother Tilney and niece Maude all live in one particular herd - the World's Edge. He enjoys his own company, but he'd by lying if he said he didn't like the idea of spending more time with his family, being part of something bigger like during the halcyon days of his bachelor crew.

Aeflwine has told him where the Edge is, and the chimeric stag makes his way towards it one chilly Birdsong morning. His stride is a jaunty trot and he hums a tune to himself as he moves through the wilderness of Helovia, contemplating what it will be like to be amongst his own kind again. So far, his impressions of this particular branch of the land are good - it's stunningly beautiful and he can hear the sea pounding far below, reassuring him and improving his mood greatly. He couldn't imagine living inland, trapped between mountains and forest - he was born to be beside the sea, with the thunder of waves in his ears and the salty tang of brine on his tongue.

So engrossed is he in humming his tune and listening contently to the sound of the ocean that he doesn't pay attention to what's in front of him. "Oooof." He walks face-first into a giant spike of glass, glimmering iridescent in the dawn sunlight and quite clearly denoting the borders of the herdland. The stag backs away, shaking his head to clear the stars he's seeing, and observes the jagged spikes with interest. They are savage-looking things, razor sharp and deadly, and he wonders how the hell he is supposed to ask to join if he can't get past them. Hmmm. It's concerning that a herd needs such fortifications - are they often under attack, or just very safety-conscious?

Either way, there's not much the bay stallion can do but stand with a cocked leg and unleash a loud, shrill whinny for anybody inside the Edge to come and greet him.

The first to arrive and distract him from his throbbing nose is a familiar pegasus mare, and the sight of her makes the stallion's face split into a broad, genuine smile. "Lyanna!" he booms happily, his embarrassment at walking into the glass forgotten as he places his gaze upon her. "It's good to see you again. I am well, and also devoid of bones, as you can see." He chuckles deeply and wiggles his head to display the fact that his antlers are, indeed, bone-free.

Before he can tell the mare his reason for being here, they're joined by another. It is another female, younger, possessing both horns and wings, her coat so radiantly pale that it almost dazzles him. When she speaks her voice is as cold as her pelt, and the bay stud's head cocks at the somewhat frosty greeting. "Maybe you can. I'm looking to join this herd, actually." He glances up at the great glass structures, thinking how reassuring it would be to have them around him - no vagabonds could touch his possessions with those bad boys!

Then, another familiar arrival, and the stag's grin widens into a full-fledged beam as his sister comes closer. "Aelfwine," he murmurs, returning his sibling's soft greeting. "Sorry for the delay. You know I like to be fashionably late." He wiggles his eyebrows. In truth, he'd simply found the Edge rather harder to find than first anticipated, but he is not going to admit such a fact - pirates don't get lost! She introduces himself, which he doesn't object to; he simply watches her, overjoyed at the fact that he will hopefully be able to spend more time with her. It will be like old times, only with less rowdy bachelor stallions. "If you have room for one more of us, I would be honoured to join here. It has been a while since I've been in a herd, and this one seems rather perfect. I am quite fond of the sea, you see." He glances towards Aelfwine, a cheeky, playful glint in his eye. "Even if it is plagued with annoying little sisters." He darts neatly to the side hopefully before his sister can aim a kick or bite at him.

The final arrival to their little procession is one that makes the stag whicker in delight, even as the filly barges into him in her enthusiasm. He leans gently down to try and blow towards her from his nostrils, his ears rammed forwards and his earthy green eyes glowing with affection. "Ah, Maude! If it's okay with you, you might get to see rather more of your Uncle Barty soon." He offers a conspirational wink. "Provided you, Aelfwine and Tilney haven't caused so much chaos that they don't want any more of us here!" He grins upwards from the filly and towards Lyanna and the pale young mare, wondering if either has the power to accept him.

He offers Lyanna a broad grin, approving of her sense of banter. His gaze is focused fully on her, now; it appears she may hold a rank higher than what he'd first assumed upon meeting her. She reveals that his family is well-liked here and he beams around at Aelfwine and Maude, pleased that his kin are known and respected here. It makes his decision to join even easier, and his earthy green gaze travels approvingly around.

Lyanna walks through a gate, seemingly inviting the pirate to follow. He does so obligingly, eyeing the spikes around him warily as though concerned that one may shoot up from underneath him and impale him. The stag glances around again and tilts his head upwards to inhale the salty sea breeze in the distance - ah, yes, home! Lyanna asks if he has a job he's interested in, and the bay ponders for a moment. It isn't in his nature to sit idly by whilst others do work, as that isn't the way of the crewman, but it's a question of what he wishes to specialise in. "I'm something of a jack of all trades, so to speak - I know my healing plants from my poisons, and I've stolen my fair share of pretty things too." His warm gaze twinkles at the winged mare. Bart does have some rather magpie-like tendencies, whether it be for shiny objects or attractive women. Lyanna definitely falls into the second category, although he reminds himself to keep his hands to himself for now.

"My true skill lies in fighting, though. I'd like to join the ranks of the warriors if they'd have me." For good measure he flexes the muscles that ripple beneath the scarred flesh of his chimeric fur. Each scar has a story, a memory born of a past battle, and he thinks the Edge would be a fine place to earn some more.