“No longer of the Edge?” The sea maiden repeats Toulouse’s revelation, her sapphire brow knitting together in a moment of confusion, and concern flickers through her pale eyes. “Is everything okay?” Her head tilts slightly to the side, wondering what could have happened to cause the palomino man to leave his homeland. She has known of people who leave their herd behind in search of a more nomadic life—with a bitterly painful twist of her fragile heart, she thinks of the Clovenheart—although she cannot understand this choice herself.

The Basin is a part of her; she doesn’t know who she would be without it.

However, the golden gelding quickly continues with a sense of earnesty, leaning close to the blue mare and explaining the business that he brings. Someone had stolen from them. “Oh my,” Tiamat breathes, quite disconcerted by the news as she gazes at the jewelry that Toulouse unveils from beneath his armor. Her lips part in a little ‘o’ of both bewilderment and distress, feeling that she has somehow failed her herd as its leader, though the conclusion of the gelding’s revelation brings a stronger emotion to her expression.

The ocean mare’s lips tighten and her brow furrows in silent, gentle criticism. “By ‘no more,’ I hope you mean no longer a threat? There is no need for violence over something that could very well have been a misunderstanding,” she says like a mother would scold her child—out of nothing but love and kindness. Nevertheless, she is thoroughly grateful to the palomino man and his benevolence to think of their northern kingdom. “Thank you for returning this to us,” she murmurs, the lines of her features softening again, and she offers him a bright smile of sincere gratitude.

Turning her eyes to her two fellow herd mates, her grin lingers for them as well. “Toulouse has retrieved something that had been stolen from one of our own,” the blue Lady explains to them, hoping to continue to ease the barbed thread of tension that remains. “Surely there is no cause for mistrust,” gently she directs this to all of them, not understanding the gelding’s games, and wondering why he couldn’t have shared his information with Nox and Oizys.

Still, she smiles. “Thank you again, I will be sure to return this to its proper owner,” carefully she tucks the circlet into the braids of her mane, keen to discover who the jewelry had belonged to, and offer them a proper apology herself. Inwardly she sighs, turning her eyes back to Toulouse while she fights the little grief that darkens her happy world. “Is that all you wished to visit us for?” The light from her mother sky sparkles in her eyes, buoying her spirits while a crisp mountain breeze tickles her cheeks.

“Speech.”

we run like a river runs to the sea