As the pair walked, Phae did her best to keep the conversation light. She was a fairly adept conversationalist, as long as the subject matter didn't get too heavy. She wasn't much of a sharer, and so didn't like bridging any topics that might lead to questions about her past. Not only that, but if she wasn't careful, what she was thinking might begin to leak into her words. Outside, Phae hoped she looked calm and collected, for inside, she was a tangle of nerves. She hated being around other pegasi: not for any reasons of racism, but simply because they were the only other equine-species that could follow her into the air. Phae had only been bested by two others, but those were dark times, and she would not let herself think of that now, and spoil what could be a pleasant stroll. Still, she couldn't help but think that not only was she walking into notable pegasus-territory, but she was very aware of whose territory it was. Phae knew nothing of Kri, only of Leander. Still, she was sure that her conversation with him, had not gone unnoticed. But I'm the bad guy she thought, feeling sick to her stomach. At least she wouldn't see Faelene here...at least, she certainly hoped she wouldn't.

It was beautiful here; the vast spaces good for take off's and landings...the warmth, and the beautiful desert-y appearance..She looked at Sohalia with a wink, "Beautiful day to be out and about, no? I wonder if we'll meet any dark and handsome stallions?" She laughed, teasingly. Phae picked up her knees gracefully as she began to prance next to Sohalia, excited to finally be at the Throat. She extended her oddly-white wings, lightly beating them with each hop to add extra height. Her wavy sandy mane bounced gaily on her shoulders, and for a moment Phaedra allowed herself to forget all of the other drama, and focus solely on Sohalia.

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

The sun beat down on Note's dusty bay hide, it was rather uncomfortable for him. He really did prefer FrostFall, but the Throat was his home, he wouldn't abandon it just because of the weather. The stallion sighed, pulling his head up to look for some shade. Shade was nice, comforting, almost. His sharp, bright green eyes scanned the horizon for some trees further away from the oasis and wall. He didn't even feel like socializing today, he had enough going on with Sohalia and Phae. He wanted to help Phae with her quest, and he really did want Sohalia to love him, and he wanted to love her as well. He had spent his day praying they would get along.

Note's eyes stopped at the shape of two horses coming in his direction. As they came closer, he recognized Phaedra's tawny coat and white, scabbed wings. She seemed so giddy, prancing around a white pegasus next to her. 'Why would Phae even be anywhere near the Throat?' Note thought, immediately knowing the answer. To introduce Sohalia to him. Sohalia. She must be the white mare...

The normal vague and distant look on Note's face softened into admiration. The white pegasus was beautiful, she simply had to be Sohalia. She reminded him of his mother. Note's mother had been a cremello pegasus, he had treasured the little time he spent with her. She had been shy, but wise and calm enough to handle any situation thrown at her. It had never made any sense to him that she would run away in the middle of a snowstorm.

Pricking his ears forward and pulling himself into a steady trot, Note moved towards the pair, but he couldn't take his eyes off the stunning white pegasus.

"Phaedra," Note nodded to the tawny mare quickly before continuing to gaze at the white pegasus next to her with a smile, "Hello," he said to her, not really thinking.

I am surprised that it does not take longer to arrive at our destination. I suppose I imagine Helovia to be larger, or perhaps I am just so used to flying that I assume that walking will take much longer. Or perhaps it is that I am walking with such good company, as I am finding Phaedra to be. We do not talk about deep subjects, such as those that Rowan and I shared, but there is not a lull in the conversation. It seems to come easier to her now, this random selection of topics, and I am grateful, for a conversationalist I am not. Or at least I didn't think I was. I continue to surprise myself, and it is with this in mind that I can feel a new confidence beginning to bud in my chest. Phaedra seems giddy, and the feeling rubs off, and I cavort beside her playfully, my long ivory locks tumbling in waves as I half rear, toss my head, then fall into an easy trot beside her, a smile on my face.

"Why, darling, I thought that's what we were after!" I respond to her teasing comment, a laugh bubbling easily to my lips. It is coming easier now, this carefree allowance for my true self to show through. And I fear less, here. Am I braver, or is Helovia less intimidating? I am not sure, but I do not take the time to ponder the question. Not here, not now. I might be meeting my match any moment, and I wouldn't want to be caught napping! I look around me, taking in a sea of sand and a dot of green. That must be our destination, that little splash of emerald. A shape moves, separates from the lush oasis. It's a rather dark little blur, not quite enough to be black, but still enough to stand out against the pale golden sand. And it's moving toward us - someone to welcome us, I assume. Who would it be? Would it be my destined lover? Had he seen me acting like a fool a few moments ago? I lift my wings slightly, a nervous motion, shaking them to settle the feathers before pulling them against my body again. I want to hope for the best, of course, but what if I'm disappointed?

No. Phaedra would not have brought me here if the stallion in question were not worth my time. And this might not even be him. As he nears, I look him over with interest, trying not to be too obvious about it. He's got a nice build, strong, but not too much bigger than I, fitting for my rather petite frame. His pelt is a dull bay color, marked on his neck by creamy lines. He holds his wings as I do, folded along his body, which is, of course, the norm for we Pegasi. I wish that we could all go flying - I love to fly, after all - but I ought not leave poor Phaedra on the ground, and as she is the matchmaker, it wouldn't be fitting to leave her. Besides, if he's the one, there will be time - Stop that, I tell myself firmly. You don't know this stallion or if he's the one. Calm down. Don't let your mind run away with you, girl. He stops before us, greeting first Phaedra - he knows her, does that mean he is the one? - no, stop! - and then smiles at me and simply says hello. There is something adorable in the ease with which he greets me, and I instantly feel a smile on my maw. "Hello," I return, suddenly a bit shy. My eyes drop, another sign of shyness, and then flit back to his, unwittingly a flirtatious motion. But I don't notice my actions. Will he?

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

For once, Phaedra happily allowed herself to not be the centre of a stallion's attention. She reigned her flirtatious-ways in, as Note trotted steadily towards them, remembering that he didn't take too kindly to her during their last encounter. But for now, she would put that behind her. They were both here for Sohalia, after all. She would cross paths with Note later, and they could hash out whatever there was between them, that needing hashing.

Phae had to sniffle laughter as Note greeted her; "greeted" being an extremely loose way of describing it. He was speaking to her, but his green gaze hadn't left Sohalia since their arrival. She felt more like it was a formality, he needed to say hello to her, in order to have her begin the process of introducing them. As Phae looked between the two, both seeming eager to get on with the getting-to-know-one another step, Phae felt a surge of adrenaline which seemed to get stuck in her throat. The feeling made her want to joyfully laugh and scream all at the same time. This is how love is supposed to go She thought, instantly deflating as her mind drifted to the red stallion, Tolio. Phae had to bite her lip, hard enough to cause enough pain to block out her selfish sulking. Forcing herself to brighten, she lithely jumped to Note's side. Raising a wing, as if unveiling him to Sohalia she chuckled, "This is Note, Soldier of the Dragon's Throat". Pausing, she smirked as she realized that it rhymed. Instead of leaping this time, she delicately and slowly walked towards Sohalia, turning to stand abreast. Raising her wing in the same way, though with much more refined movements, she mimed displaying Sohalia. "And this lovely creature, is Sohalia."



[OOC: I made it short...since you're both going to ignore Phae anyways :P]

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Note could barely contain himself as the white pegasus' eyes dropped. She was just so - what's the word? Cute. She was adorable, to say the least. As her eyes flittered back up to his own, he noticed one was blue, the other a bright green like his own. He had never seen such eyes before, but he liked them.

He looked at the bubbly Phae as she nimbly leaped around to Note, introducing him to the white mare with a raised wing and a soft laugh. He laughed softly as well, Phae's giggly energy spreading to him like a disease.

"And this lovely creature, is Sohalia," Phaedra spoke, delicately introducing her in a similar way with sharper, more graceful movements. He looked down at Sohalia with a gleam in his eye that he'd never even known could exist there.

"Welcome to the Dragon's Throat, Sohalia," Note said with a warm smile and gentle eyes as a rare desert breeze blew by, picking up tendrils of his hair and gently playing with the soft strands. He glanced up at the sky, for it was a perfect day for flying, when there was just enough wind to ride on, but there wasn't so much as to where you'd go against the winds, then it'd pain your wings to fly. Maybe someday he could practice his flying elsewhere, someplace less crowded...

[OCC: It's fine, Aud! Can't be as bad is this post o.o]

As enamored as I am with the stallion (is it he that I am considering so adoringly, or is it the concept of love that I have more interest in?), I still manage to take note of Phaedra's ridiculous unveiling of the pair of us. I giggle, casting a smile her way. I appreciate her enthusiasm more than I can say; her reservations about the stallion have seemed to fade since she first voiced them at the seaside. Or perhaps she is simply quelling them for my sake. Either way, I am grateful, but I do hope that they are able to sort out any differences they may have - Phaedra is a friend now, and so I will seek her out in my future to be sure she remains safe.

I meet his emerald gaze again, and hold it this time. There's something there, something that I can't quite name, and I can feel hope budding in my chest. I know that finding true love through a matchmaker is a long shot - I always imagined I would meet my potential love in a more romantic way, perhaps accidentally bumping into him with a flurry of stuttered apologies, or perhaps meeting him on a flight over the mountains only to continue my journey for hours without realizing. But really, this was much easier and, in its own way, equally romantic. He had agreed to meet me, so I must at least be somewhat interesting, though that had everything to do with how Phaedra described me.

I find myself hoping that I live up to his expectations.

"Welcome to the Dragon's Throat, Sohalia." His voice is nice, a gentle, kind voice that reflected the warmth of the desert. And his eyes - they still have that nameless emotion, that thing that makes me want to keep looking into them. I smile, still a bit shy, but force myself to speak. "Thank you, Note," I reply. A gentle breeze drifts across the distance between us, swirling strands of my mane gently across my nape, pulling my forelock into an easy dance to fall to the side. I notice him look up, and my eyes follow almost unconsciously. What is he thinking? Is it a look of consideration - does he want to go flying? Or is it a look away from me, a look of boredom. "Phaedra has spoken very highly of you," I blurt. Anything to return those pretty green eyes to mine.

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

Phaedra watched with genuine delight as the pair awkwardly were forced into conversation. Hopefully, meeting on Note's home turf would provide him some conversational fodder; And over here, we have this interesting rock formation...also you're beautiful..and if you look to the North you can see.... She chuckled at the thought. Backing up a few paces, she quite comically perked her ears up, and over exaggerated the movement of pretending to listen to something in the far distance. "What's that? Urgent Grey business?" She said, pretending took serious and concerned. "I'm so sorry to have to leave so rudely; duty calls!" She winked at Sohalia as she turned to leave. Briefly, her emerald gaze searched for Note's strikingly similar one, trying to silently convey: Don't hurt her.

Satisfied that she had done all she could do for the pair, she slowly trotted out of the Throat, off to complete her urgent Grey business, of course.

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you.
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

"Phaedra has spoken very highly of you," Sohalia said, sounding almost eager in a blurting type voice. But he liked the sound of her voice, of her company as well. He dismissed his thoughts of flight quickly, his sharp green eyes drifting back down to hers. The dusty bay smiled at the thought of Phae saying anything remotely nice about him, their first meeting hadn't gone that well.

"She couldn't of spoken me as she did you," Note, said with a small laugh as he turned to Phaedra, "what was it you said? I'd be lucky to get a chance to love someone as perfect as Sohalia? Yes, that was it." He knew it was a lie, but he had altered Phaedra's words for their own sakes. Phae had said the mare was perfect, but with a slight insult to Note had been made in that particular sentence.

Note turned back to Sohalia with bright, but still gentle eyes, hoping he could fulfill every one of her expectations. She really did seem perfect in the short time he'd known her. Every time he even glanced at the mare, that look appeared in his eyes, the one even he couldn't name.

"What's that? Urgent Grey business? I'm so sorry to have to leave so rudely; duty calls!" Phae said. He turned his head to watch her leave, and as she did, she gave him a pleading look, almost ireful, but he got the message.

"Have you ever been to the Throat before?" Note asked Sohalia, turning back to her. A genuinely curious tone filled his voice as he looked down at her two-toned eyes, one covered by her forelock as it usually was.

His gaze washes over me again, bearing with it a sense of accomplishment. I have returned his attention to me, as was my intention. It isn't that I am needy, no - it's simply that the look in his eyes makes my heart melt a little. Note's words pull an amused smile to my maw - Phaedra had called me perfect? Am I perfect? No, far from it. I have many flaws, and the thought makes me worry. What if my misgivings about herd life push him away? What if I manage to alienate the stallion that may very well be my true love, despite our rather odd meeting? But still, he is looking at me in that way, and I am drawn to him in spite of my fears.

Phaedra speaks, interrupting my reverie, and I glance to her, startled, almost having forgotten that she was her. Sheepishly, I smile as she winks at me, gives Note a strange look, and takes her leave. Very subtle, I think, determined to tease her later. And what was that look about? It was almost a warning - does she consider me a friend, now? Or is she simply distrustful of Note? No, I tell myself, she would not leave me in his care if she thought him to be a bad sort, whatever differences they may have. Shaking my head, still amused by her rather overeager departure, I turn my gaze back to Note. Bi-colored orbs meet his, and again a smile leaps unbidden to my lips.

"Have you ever been to the Throat before?" he asks, and in his tone there is a true interest. It pleases me, that he seems to really want to know the answer. He is not faking. "No, I haven't, but one of your members has been trying to talk me into joining the herd," I offer amiably. "Perhaps you know her - her name is Rowan." It's odd, that we, two potential lovers, are spending our time on such menial small talk, but it's also strangely comforting, as though we could simply talk. As though we would not get bored. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to show me around?" Well, at least that's an excuse to hang around and get to know him.

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

A smile climbs up Note's maw at the mention of Rowan. He had seen the mare around the herd once. She was quiet, but sweet, a perfect friend for Sohalia within the herd.

"Rowan and I haven't formally met, but I've seen her in the oasis before," Note said, his emerald eyes dancing. The future of being with Sohalia seemed closer to him than ever. Their small talk was exactly that, but it didn't bother him at all. He enjoyed Sohalia's company, and that was more than what the stallion had ever even dreamed of.

"Perhaps you would be so kind as to show me around?" came her voice, the one Note could barely get enough of. "Of course," He said cheerfully, turning around and breaking into a light trot before stopping. 'Sohalia is a pegasus. She can fly,' Note thought to himself, a distant, yet concentrated look flooded his eyes, 'my scar...'

"Do you want to walk or fly?" He asked her softly, the distant look disappearing from his eyes being replaced with the nameless one that was always there when he looked at her, but his voice was filled with worry.

I take a few tentative steps closer, as though his gentle vocals are coaxing me near, reeling me in like a siren's song. He agrees to show me around, and I join him as he turns, allowing my wing to brush against his lightly. The sensation sends a small shiver up my spine, and I pulled my wings tighter against my bodice ever so slightly, hoping that my action hadn't been too bold. And then he stops. My heart flutters delicately in my chest and my breath catches in my throat; have I moved too quickly? Broken some unspoken rule that says that Note shall not be touched? The look in his eyes is distant, cold even, perhaps a bit worried. His silence furthers my trepidation, and I watch with a slight furrow in my brow, trying hard not to let my concern show.

"Do you want to walk or fly?" he asks suddenly, his words soft. But when he looks at me, that indescribable emotion appears once more in his emerald orbs, and I find myself relaxing in spite of the obvious worry in his voice. Perhaps it wasn't I that brought that look to his face after all. Still, the feelings flooding his words make me long to reach out, to brush my maw softly against his nape, to offer some comfort to him. But I resist, still unsure of where we stand, he and I. I swallow, offer an encouraging smile, all the while wondering what had plagued his thoughts so suddenly a moment ago, what he still did not seem able to completely shake off. "That is entirely up to you," I tell him honestly, but do add, "Though I do love flying."

I don't want to make him uncomfortable, if for some reason he would rather walk, but my voice is wistful, and I cannot help a glance toward the heavens before bringing my bi-colored gaze back to his. I wonder again what his past held; and I think about my quest, and how once I complete my task, I may very well be able to see. With his permission, of course. But what is a pegasus without his wings? The gods graced us with the ability to soar through the skies. It is what sets us apart from the other species, making us so admired and so hated throughout the land, depending on who you ask. I cannot imagine not wanting to take to the skies. It is a constant longing, filling my heart and spilling into my wings, urging me to leap free of my earthly bounds.

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

"That is entirely up to you, though I do love flying." The white mare next to him spoke. The touch of her wing was still tingling, as he looked to her, gazing at him with longing and a comforting smile across her maw. He felt ashamed of himself then, making anyone worry like he had Sohalia was terrible. The sound of her voice relaxed Note, as he closed his eyes, just for a moment, before returning his emerald gaze to her's. He made up his mind right then and there. If he was to find his perfect match, they would have to deal with his scar.

Note smiled at Sohalia reassuringly, his emerald eyes saying differently. They were tentative, but still determined. "We can fly, but say anything else, I have something to show you," He said calmly, doing his best not to startle Sohalia. Note was sure he could fly, he hadn't in a while, but that didn't mean he was incapable of flight.

He raised his wings up, not too much, but just enough to where you would see the gnarled scar beneath his right wing. It was large, and old, but still had a fresh look to it, as if it had barely healed the day before. It hadn't correctly, and it was a miracle Note hadn't died when he had gotten it.

"I can tell you how it got there, if you'd like," Note said, shuffling his hooves. He was more afraid than he had ever felt in his entire life; he simply couldn't face Sohalia, the fear of a look of rejection from her taunting him. He tossed a bit of his forelock out of his face, but his gaze remained locked on the sand.

He seems to relax, and as he does, so do I. It's odd how that works; how one's emotion can be so closely tied to another that you reflect their anxiety, their cheer, their everything. "We can fly," he says, and I reward him with a heartfelt smile. "But say anything else, I have something to show you." I tilt my head to one side, watching inquisitively. What would he have to show me that had anything to do with flight? He raises a wing, revealing a twisted scar beneath his right wing. It's an ugly scar, and I don't mean that in the way it sounds - I mean that it looks painful, both when it was given and after it has healed. It's a stretched, shiny pink, as though it has only recently healed, but I am almost positive that this is not the case.

I hum sympathetically, glancing from the scar to his eyes. As he speaks again, I turn back to his side. "I can tell you how it got there, if you'd like." Slowly, I reach out, gently running the soft velvet of my maw along the scar. It is rough under my touch, and I hope that it does not pain him. When I look back to him, he is avoiding my gaze, and I realize just how self-conscious the stallion is. I've already touched him, so I don't feel as awkward when I nudge his shoulder, attempting to raise his gaze to my smiling face. That he has a scar does not bother me; we all have them, some physical, some mental. And often, they hold memories we do not wish to revisit.

"If you would like to tell me, I would like to listen," I tell him gently, my thoughts shying away from my own horrific past. Perhaps we have more in common than it would originally seem. I came from a home torn apart by racism, chased from the land by those with a lust for my blood. I was the only survivor, thanks to one old turncoat from the unicorn army. Perhaps I would have hated them all, save for her, but she nursed me until I was old enough to survive on grass, taught me of the gods and the ways of the land, and traveled with me until she fell to sickness. She had taught me that all life was sacred, regardless of race. I wonder briefly if this is a belief that Note and I share, but I am primarily waiting for his words. Surely they would give me insight into his history, something I was very interested in.

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

Sohalia's sympathetic hum soothed Note further. Her muzzle ran across his scar, then nudged his shoulder. His scar ached at her touch, but he couldn't care less. It was her touch, and that was all that really mattered to him, despite the pain.

Note's emerald gaze turned back to Sohalia. She wasn't that shocked; nor was she at all rejecting him. A new feeling started to bud in Note as he looked at the pegasus next to him. No one had ever treated him like she had, and for that, the stallion was grateful. More than grateful.

"If you would like to tell me, I would like to listen," came Sohalia's voice. It was gentle, she was always gentle, and he liked that. He wanted to tell her, someone, anyone. He was tired of hiding secrets, and lying just because he hated his scar so much.

"You can call it karma, I believe," Note began, his sharp emerald gaze not wavering from Sohalia, "For the first couple years of my life, I was trained to kill by a stallion who did nothing but that. That was his mistake, when you teach an un-loyal student your secrets, you'll end up paying for it. I killed him, Sohalia, but he gave me this as his own payback before he died," He said, gesturing to his scar. His face flooded with hurt as he turned back to the mare and touched his muzzle to hers, hoping she wouldn't mind as much.

"Where I come from, imperfections make you weak, so I fled that place," Note finished, speaking softly. It didn't seem like much, just telling someone a portion of your past, but to Note, it was more. He felt free.

[OOC: ew. sorry for my terrible posts lately, I'll try to stop posting stuff at three in the morning.]

He begins to talk, and I listen, my eyes steadily gazing into his. I feel that he is drawing strength from me, and I am almost sure that what he says to be is something he shares with no one. I can't be sure, of course - I am no mind reader - but he seems to need the comfort, and somehow I am granting him this.

"You can call it karma, I believe," he says. "For the first couple years of my life, I was trained to kill by a stallion who did nothing but that. That was his mistake, when you teach an un-loyal student your secrets, you'll end up paying for it. I killed him, Sohalia, but he gave me this as his own payback before he died." His voice has turned bitter, and my unwavering gaze catches the pain that floods across his face. And then his muzzle touches mine, and I am surprised by the soft velvet, the warm breath mingling with my own. Still, it is an extremely pleasant sensation, and I find that I do not want him to pull away.

"Where I come from, imperfections make you weak, so I fled that place." I contemplate this. And then my tones ring out, just as softly as his, breaking the silence. "My mother told me that scars define us. She said that each scar came at a price. Many times, it may be a price we were willing to pay to make things right, as you did. Other times, it may be a price that we never wanted to consider." I can hear my voice turn bitter, and I look away. It is a small piece of my own past, but it hurts to speak of, especially considering how shy I usually am.

My eyes light again on his scar, and I force myself to continue. He has been strong and confided in me; so too will I confide in him. I take a deep breath, turning again to him, regretting the decision to stop touching him, even if it had been only instinct. "But scars remind us who we are. They remind us what we fight for, what we believe in." There. That was the most important part. "Your scar is physical, but there are also mental scars that run deeper than any wound." My cranium stretches, maw pressing again to the scar tissue along his side. It is a light touch, for I fear that it pains him, but it is a touch nonetheless. "Yours was well-earned," I whisper.

I close my eyes for a moment, allowing my own pain to wash over me in waves. My pelt bears no marks of my past, and for that I am grateful, for I was truly blessed by the gods on the day my family perished, as odd as that may sound. But my mind is riddled with lacerations, deep marks in the fabric of my soul, that heal over only to break open again. My scars are mental, and for once, I feel that someone would understand.

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

"My mother told me that scars define us. She said that each scar came at a price. Many times, it may be a price we were willing to pay to make things right, as you did. Other times, it may be a price that we never wanted to consider." rang Sohalia's voice in the silence between them. She turned away, and her voice turned bitter. It pained Note to see her like this, hurt. He had to wonder if she had a horrific past as well.

"But scars remind us who we are. They remind us what we fight for, what we believe in." She continued, lightly touching his scar. It tingled at her touch, "Your scar is physical, but there are also mental scars that run deeper than any wound. Yours was well-earned." He leaned towards her, lightly touching her soft, white cheek, his eyes revealing the reassuring emotion beneath them that burned to hold inside.

But now, Note understood. He understood why he was so attracted to her. She had scars like his own, you just couldn't see them in the way most horses would. But Note saw them, yet he didn't itch to know anymore. When she was ready to tell him the full story, she would.

"Thank you," Note whispered to her, "and keep in mind that I would rather die than let you down in anyway. If you ever need to talk, I'll be here for you." He smiled at her, doing his best to lift the eerie spirits that lingered into a more happier tone.

His touch is a surprise and a comfort, the velvet of his muzzle soft on my cheek. I raised my gaze to meet his, and in his eyes I saw a kindred spirit. I know that the mental scars he bears must match my own in gruesome, horrific ways, though our outsides do not necessarily match. A soft sigh leaves my lips, and it is one of comfort as I shift to press my cheek to his. "Thank you," he whispers, and I feel as though I have liberated him in some small way. But there is more: "and keep in mind that I would rather die than let you down in any way. If you ever need to talk, I'll be here for you."

His words are very much like the undying avowals of affection that so commonly leave the maws of stallions, sent to bewitch their unsuspecting prey; but from him, it rings with truth, and though I have only met him a short time ago, it does not feel rushed or forced. I wonder if this is what it felt like for my parents, who were so deeply committed to one another? I wonder if everyone feels the same when they fall in love? Is it always so sudden, so easy, as though slipping on a once-lost glove? It is easy, with Note, and for that, I am thankful. I must remember to thank Phaedra.

"I am quite sure of that," I acknowledge his promise with a smile and kind tones. "And I can promise the same to you," I add, affectionately lipping his mane and tugging playfully. I can feel the mood lightening, and with that, I am even more aware of the effect that we have on one another. "I believe you were going to show me around?" I prompt. It's very convenient that I was on my way to join this herd. I wonder if Phaedra knew.

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

Sohalia raised her eyes to meet his own, moving her head so her cheek touched his. Note closed his eyes, getting lost in her touch, her kind words and gentle voice. He listened to the gentle inhale and exhale of her breath on his cheek. He could've stayed there, content, for days.

"And I can promise the same to you," the mare added to her words, nipping affectionally at his dark gray mane. He felt her tug at wisps of his hair. His mane and tail had begone to grow thin, just another affect the desert had on him.

"I believe you were going to show me around?" she spoke, the palpable mood in the air lifting to a happier spirit. He opened his bright green eyes, smiling like a lunatic. "Of course," Note said, prancing a little in place. He wasn't one to say much, for he was a horse of few words. He moved swiftly past Sohalia, spreading his wings out to their full length. He began to flap them, bounding into the air with a single leap.

The tug and pull of the beating of his wings started to make his scar ache, but he didn't mind. It wasn't too terribly painful, not to mention the fact that he was enjoying his flight far too much to even care. His mane and tail flowed everywhere in all different directions, wrapping around his legs, neck, and ears. He maneuvered easily in the air, shaky at first, but got the hang of it after a while of climbing farther into the atmosphere.

It wasn't a new experience for the stallion, but it awoke old feelings he had forgotten about. The thrill he had found in flying was wonderful, but he knew he'd like it better with Sohalia near him. Everything seemed to be better, more vivid and alive, when she was with him. Once Note was at a decent spot, he looked back for the mare, not even knowing if she had followed him.

He agrees to my comment, moves around me, and leaps into flight. He is a tad awkward at first, and I wonder how long it has been since he has done so. For a moment, I simply stand and watch, my gaze soft as I look at him. Then, with a smile and a shake of my head, I push myself into a slow canter, spread my wings, and leap.

My wings flare with the sudden weight of my body as I thrust downwards, hard. It takes a series of quick, short flaps to get myself airborne, the muscles in my shoulders straining, throwing myself upward and forward. But once I have gained altitude, I can glide easily, the heat rising off the dunes of the desert providing warm thermals to catch my body and propel me forward. I catch up to Note easily, flying to his right, before I gleefully tuck my left wing, barrel roll under him, and end up to his left. I grin gleefully at him, just enjoying the feeling of being airborne, flying close enough that my wingtip just ever-so-slightly brushes his...

It sends my heart into a frenzy each time we brush one another. This light, accidental touch is somehow more head that deliberate gestures, flooding my bloodstream with some feeling akin to adoration. It must be love, for my heart to be beating this erratic tempo, for my smile to be pasted idiotically on my face, for my imagination to be running wild with so many possibilities. There is nothing to say; I do not need to talk to feel the electricity between us.

"talk talk talk"

I want to live inspired

There she was. Sohalia's smile and sparkling dual-colored eyes were catching up to him quick, nearing the right side of Note's body. She looked so graceful, and at home in the sky. He felt he paled in comparison to the mare he had found so much happiness in.

Note's eyes trailed after Sohalia, grinning as she ducked, then rolled underneath him to where she was now on his right. He was impressed, and truly hoped she knew it, but now was not the time for words. Their wingtips lightly brushed each other's as they rhythmically flapped their wings to keep a float in the sky. The softness of her feathers brushing his own made his heart go wild, and his mind fill with endless possibilities of a life with her. He laughed softly, for no particular reason at all. His wings ached with their new found use other than hiding his scar - his history - and strained his muscles, even though he could easily ride the wind.

The dusty bay stallion rose farther into the air, letting his legs hang loosely about, and lifting his head up to the sky. He swooped around to her backside, rolling once in the air to get there, his body a silhouette against the pulsing sun. He pulled his head down to her cheek, but didn't touch anything else on the mare's body.

"Over there is the oasis, and the Dragon's Blood, a tree that produces red sap," Note whispered, looking at a bright green patch in the desert, then turned his own head, as well as hers to a small red patch off in the distance, "and there's the Fire of the Diviner, an ever burning fire where our Diviner gets knowledge from the Sun God, and the Heart of Helovia is behind us, but it's not even in the Throat's territory," he added with a soft laugh before continuing, "but there's really not much to see here besides that. There's your typical mountains, and the ocean is on three sides of the land, but I suggest going down there. The sand gives way to incredibly rough stone. Of course, you can fly, but you'd fall and break a wing before you could reach the air."