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Ophelia boldly approached the group, a pale, stunning figure against the winter's horizon. One crimson and one blue eye stared from beneath thick, white lashes, and she set her jaw firmly. Her hip still smarted from Ricochet's hit, but she did not allow such a child's injury to limp her step. Cloven hooves were her grace against the snow and sludge that lay beneath, and her horn was a crown, gracing her as a queen of nothing. Though, she was a leader in her own way; she lead the grey in seeking knowledge, most of which many wanted kept under tightly wound lock and key. Knowledge was power, and her mind held tomes of it in perfect detail.
She closed her eyes and inhaled the breath of winter deeply before bowing her head in respect to Archibald, the strong stallion who had aided them in bringing Ricochet to his lead's end and chased him from the Foothills. "Archibald is a fine choice for lead, as I am sure you are all aware," she sound loudly, her chime-like tones taking on a certain air of strength and confidence. Still, her heart beat like fire in her chest, nervousness sending her tail twitching at her fetlocks. With some dismay, she found that she loathed crowds, and her throat ran dry. Still, her disappointment in this herd... that they had chosen the young, violent upstart in place of her father? As much as she did not like her sire, he was an honorable lead.
"Your former lead, Ricochet, attacked myself and my friend with no warning as we were speaking," she explained, her voice getting just a hair smaller in her anxiety. The scene played out in her mind. "He spoke these words: 'Ricochet and Guns. Leave or die.'" Her two colored eyes gained a certain violent light as his words were replayed from her own lips. She averted her gaze from the crowd and watched her silver dragon land upon her back, crimson orbs gazing into her own before settling on the others. Blood dripped from his toothy maw onto her flawless hide. "I am sure you were not aware of the stallion you elected and his intentions, which is why I propose that you use my talents."
She inhaled a shaky breath. Should she continue? Should she expose their new band in this way? They had to spread word somehow. "I can read minds," she said with a certain finality. "I can protect you from those you trust, and I am bound by my honor and the truth of my dragon, Tinek to relay others' thoughts honestly. I have never used this skill without another's permission, but I can ensure that the leaders you have chosen are the leaders they claim..." she trailed, eyeing Evers, Svetlana and Archibald with a solid, impartial expression, though her lips turned up slightly at Archibald's handsome face. "I and my sister, daughters of Paladin the Valiant, lead The Grey." Ophelia let those words out in a powerful breath before striding easily back toward the crowd, the howl of the waterfall white noise in the background. "If you find use of our skills, you may seek us in the deep forest."
With a pounding heart and trembling limbs, the mare strode boldly to the south, having to restrain every step to keep from running.
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