The northern lights had served to captivate the shadow-mare since the unicorns' exile to the Steppe. A creature of darkness, she was one with the night, and she was transfixed by the beauty that lurked in its depths. Waves of green, blue, purple flickered constantly across the sky, blurring and shifting into new colors and shapes, never staying the same for more than a moment. Perhaps it was a kinship that she felt when she observed the lights - she was dark, and plain, and maybe even scary, as was the dark; but perhaps somewhere she, too, held an eerie beauty. Or perhaps it was just a weakling's dream.

She skirted quickly around an outcropping of rocks, sticking to their shadows. Out in the open, she stuck out like a sore thumb, even during the night. Especially with the dancing hues overhead. They lit the land much as the sun would during the day. Perhaps it was not so bright and vivid a light, but it was a light all the same, and she was not a creature of the light. She was not particularly worried about been seen, however, as these had become her lands. Or at least that was how she saw them. The circumstances were complicated, and she wasn't sure how she had ascended to leadership, but there you are. When you weren't asking for a thing, it simply fell at your feet; when you asked, it would be nowhere to be found.

A movement caught her amber gaze and held it. One figure was vaguely familiar, though she couldn't place it at this distance. The other was not. It seemed she wasn't the only one who saw fit to wander this night. As she approached, surprisingly fleet-footed in the drifted snow, a slow, malicious grin split her features. Her pleased, poisonous tones rang out strong under those beautiful lights, the contrast between sound and sight a grating discord. "Well, well, well... look what we have here." She nodded a greeting to the Doctor as she came into view.

She would not compliment him condescendingly as she might have another; his rank was higher than that and required more respect, even from her. Especially from her. His support of her reign was key, seeing as at least half of her followers were only called that half-heartedly. They no more trusted her than they would a complete outsider, as that was what she had become. But if she could win them over, starting with d'Artagnan, who may have some sway with others of the Plague, working on them one by one if need be, then she would have their support once more. And so she stayed back, leaving the leadership of this little situation in his capable hooves. He had gotten her this far - she would not interfere now.

[W/C | 472]