Stella had successfully snuck up on Levi in the fields, although Phae attributed that mostly to the fact that the grulla stallion was asleep. Stella's movements were still choppy, and the little chick didn't have a firm grasp on where to best place herself, to make the least amount of noise. Still, she was coming along nicely - and was even better in the air. However, there were too many places in Helovia that required one to walk, for Stella to only be stealthy while in flight. So Phae had brought Stella here, to the Grove, where it was usually silent, so that Stella's mistakes would ring out loudly, and could be corrected. The two walked in silence; Phae with her wings tucked neatly by her sides, and Stella's with hers stretched open wide, to aid in balance. Phae could see the frustration on her brilliant yellow face, at being forced to walk, but she bided this patiently enough.

Although the bond between Phae and Stella was mute, the little bird had learned enough about her bonded to know her preferences. So when they entered a small clearing and Stella saw a male unicorn lounging in the waters ahead, she could not have anticipated the reaction he would illicit from Phae. Stella immediately took to the air, spreading her white wings easily. She almost appeared to be a white bird, who had decided to wear black pants, for her thighs and legs were completely black. Gracefully, she dove into the water head-first, her orange-yellow feather less mask breaking the surface easily. As she came up for air, she splashed around happily, letting the water roll off of her feathers. She looked up at the big cinnamon stallion and trilled happily, tilting her head in a manner suggesting curiosity, as she had seen Phaedra do.

NO Phae though urgently, the second they moved into the clearing. She would recognized his burned cinnamon hide anywhere, but the brilliant white streaks in his mane and tail sealed his identity in her mind. She stretched her neck out, hoping to catch the little chick in mid-flight, but was too slow. Tolio was the last stallion she ever wanted to see. An immediate fiery rage exploded in her chest just at the sight of him. She cursed the God's for taking away the mental bond between companions - they could have avoided this if Phae could have called into the little birds' mind. She also cursed herself for not scouting the area first, to ensure that mishaps like this did not happen.

As she stood just on the inside of the ring of trees that held the pool of water that Stella and Tolio now lounged in, she spread her wings defiantly, tossing her muzzle towards the sky. "Stella. To me." She demanded, her voice calm but forceful. She couldn't say here, not with him. She had gained much confidence since their last meeting, but she knew in her heart that it would not hold. That the damn which held back her emotions could only last so long, when she was in such close proximity to Tolio. Deep down, she was also inclined to think that if they both just apologized, that this could be all over…that they could go back to the way things were…But as that thought rolled through her mind, her anger was renewed; she had nothing to apologize for! She had not spoken a single word which was not true. She snapped her tail with agitation as the small bird sulkily remained in the water, flapping her wings and pouting.

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