The spring sun was warm upon my back, which seemed to brighten my otherwise weary mood. The days seemed to pass by slowly and in such a way that I found myself becoming restless and bored which was perhaps how I had ended up in the Threshold, which was somehow becoming a hobby of mine. Birdsong was certainly a fitting time of the year for the claiming grounds and around me the wild flowers were beginning to bloom in bright, earthy colors. It was hard to avoid crushing them under such a wide step and it was almost saddening to watch as sprigs of new grass were torn from their fresh beds to gather up and around my toes. However, the luminescent sunshine that billowed in through the tree limbs was distracting enough to make me forget the inevitable destruction of the Earth God’s new budding attire.

Though, I abandoned all former thought of seasonal bliss upon catching bits and pieces of distant conversation. It was only in my nature to interrupt, being that the Edge was still growing in vast division and I had only wanted to assist in our development. However, whether or not that was the case today, I wasn’t sure because when I came upon two stunning creatures, clearly beyond my own physical appearance, I felt it was futile to try and avoid them. Though impressing anyone other than my dear Tamira did nothing to convince my ambitions, I was still intrigued by the murky colored mare with strange dappling along her underbelly. The stallion though, drew my eyes for a moment longer, wearing a dazzling coat of bright orange and shadowy black. He was a sight to see, standing there pawing foreign designs upon the dirt before murmuring words of weakness to the otherwise unknowing mare.

I was hesitant to approach and altogether reluctant to act amiably toward the awkward boy that stood at the feet of such an incredibly colored girl. It seemed like more of a hassle than I had formerly anticipated and upon inhaling the musky scent of the Throat mingled in with the strange scent of the new mare, a scowl was imminent to escape my lips. I had no problems with the throat myself, simply because I was required to honor the alliance between herds, but it seemed that since running into Leander upon these very grounds while courting the lovely, Lavender mare Yseutle, tensions had been high. However, I suspect that competition had little and yet everything to do with it. Sighing inwardly, I decided that once again, I would impeach upon their conversation, only in the name of curiosity… or so I tell myself.

“The Throat is indeed a lovely place, though I’ve no knowledge of the working relationship between Kri and her new Sultan, Leander.” A faint smile touches my dry lips, though it never has the chance to reach my eyes. It had been quite some time since I had slept consistently through the night in Mirage’s absence. The Edge had been suffering the consequences of the rising reputation of the Basin and her elite members, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Quian and the Throat were to come up with some kind of compromise to fend off the ever-growing number of attacks on our homes. It was so unlike Helovia to be wrought with so much conflict with Summer approaching so soon.

“I’m Thor, World’s Edge Apprentice Nurse, I hope you don’t mind the intrusion… I guess that old phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat’ would be helpful in explaining my sudden interuption.” Again a small smirk seemed to find its way across my face, despite my clear lack of exuberance after days of unrest. In my heart, I knew that Mirage would be returned one day soon and on that day I would try to retain her company in hopes of rendering myself sane, as “seeing is believing.” When I took the time to (finally) lace a friendly, though it could’ve been tired, gaze upon the cat-like stallion, I was similarly shocked to see the darkened strains of wet hair beneath a singular eye. I hadn’t the heart to ask if he had shed tears and instead settled for a more ignorant introduction. “I see you are doing well brother, I should hope the Throat is thriving well in the course of such conflict?” It seemed that I couldn’t help the small smiles that beckoned expression in spite of my halfhearted mood. I suppose it was time for the Quian to take action and I only hoped that it would be soon because I wasn’t sure how long I could ward off insanity in the wake of such rivalry.

The way that she baulked at my approach was certainly not reassuring, though I knew there wasn’t much I could do in the way of soothing her. I wasn’t sure what had made the presence of a Pegasus so ill in her mind, but I wasn’t going to press her for answers, instead I merely stood in silence trying to contemplate my wrongdoing. If I’d done something unknowingly, I would surely apologize, though, what I had done was still unclear and this made me bristle slightly in discomfort. Both stallions had equal offers, two equally deserving herds and families that meant the world to them. However, I assumed this mattered not to this unfamiliar mare, as she had spent so little time in Helovia. Perhaps she would enjoy being a resident of the Throat and it was not in my power, nor my nature to change her mind. Looking solemnly between the two, I let their discourse carry out until I felt the silence was enough to allow my own proposition. It was a halfhearted thing due to the fact that I felt undermined due to my mere breeding, but I did not give up so easily. “The Throat is indeed a warm place, unlike the misty falls of The Edge. Each have their own agenda, though we call each other brethren. The Quian would be delighted to have you, should you so wish. But, as the Throat members are our allies, I would surely recommend their more than humble abode.”

A tired smile graced my lips now and I was hesitant to say more and instead settled for looking upon the tiger-striped stallion, still in prime youth. “The Edge yet suffers from the Basin’s numerous attacks, but we are closer than ever I would assume. I only hope that the outcasts will deem your home an unlikely adversary so that you may avoid such heartache.” A saddening glance was directed his way, almost as if he were one of our own in The Edge. We needed all the help would could get and I wasn’t going to be the one create problems within our alliance, after all, this was no time to be fighting when definite war was impending between home lands.