Her reaction to the offer came so immediate and bloomed so visibly upon her features that Lace couldn't help but laugh. Pale draconic eyes watched him with mild curiosity for a moment, then the White spread her wings wide and slipped off from the gold-dusted back. When he laughed like that, how could she keep cleaning herself in peace and quiet? It wasn't even very funny, the reaction of the winged mare; did he not realize that she thought him a fool for being so kind? Yet he didn't care, instead only returning her incredulous expression with one that was cheerful, tinted with just a little bit of smugness once he managed to contain the laughter.
"Sorry... but even though we are few in number, I very much doubt that one mare, however beautiful or strong, could pose much of a threat to us. I'm not saying you have to stay; just linger for a few days, rest your wings and recuperate. Whether you wish to remain among us and whether we want you to stick around, that's something that can only be decided with time, don't you think?"
The smile on his lips turned lopsided, the tone of the voice light and playful to take the edge of words that otherwise might be taken as condescending. That was not his purpose, not in the slightest; she was very right to distrust, in the same way as he distrusted anyone who hadn't earned his faith. He just didn't want her to think that he was risking anything by speaking to her. The things he had to loose were stronger than that, those precious things not so easily lost that a stranger could sweep them away with a beat of pale wings.
"Besides, whether we've just met or not, I don't think that you are a bad person. I've lived for a long time and seen much in this world, and while I don't know you at all, the fact that you haven't bit my nose off yet is a good indicator for the future. Whether I'll end up being right or wrong..."
He shrugged and allowed the words to trail off, suggesting that there was no way to know right now anyway, and that the future would tell if he'd end up regretting his offer. For now, the only thing he knew was that she was a foreigner, tired and lonely - she said so herself after all - and most likely ignorant of the land and the peculiarities that dwell within it. Surely she didn't know about the bloodthirsty racists that lingered up north, or the scorching deserts of the south; nor could she have any knowledge about the smoking Heart and the endless depths in guarded, or anything that dealt with the blue-veined region that played host to the shrines of the gods.
There were plenty of dangers residing beyond this windblown forest, and it would be wise to pause and listen to those who had lived here longer than she before continuing. At least, that was what he felt.
"In any case, the offer still stands. It's for you to accept or decline as you wish; I won't force you to go anywhere. There are other herds besides mine, and I know of a few outcast bands as well that might be willing to accept you; whatever you're searching for here in Helovia, whether its a home, adventure or a life close to the Gods, I can probably point you in the right direction at least."
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