Tallsun was creeping back in, and it was not a thing Mauja approved of. The days grew longer and hotter, the nights shorter and brighter; the oppressive heat would soon settle like a blanket, smothering. Would this summer bring fits of rage and droughts, too, or would they be allowed to suffer it in peace at least? The last time the season had come around had been, quite literally, hell for the frost-lover, with heat haze dancing upon a torrid horizon and nothing but arid steppes were lush meadows had been. Snorting, he hoofed it through the Threshold forest. The Sun had been on a rampage the last time around — if he behaved this year, would it be more pleasant? Was it just his bad experience speaking through faithless voices? Maybe. Maybe not.

He stalled for a moment, teetering on the brink between truly stopping and moving forward, his eyes growing clouded with thought. Having been on some trip through time and space, into a world that sometimes was merely alternate, and sometimes ancient, had somehow given his thoughts more channels to run through. How had the summers been back then, in the land he had walked alone, the land which had largely been untouched by hoof and horn, and never known the shade of wings? No point in wondering, lest the playful spirit which had pulled him there felt his curiosity and took him back. Curious he might be, but Mauja had no desire to return to that place. His life was here, and bit by bit he was starting to believe that he truly was back.

Moving on, the alabaster stallion swept through the forest on familiar paths, eventually climbing one of the knolls merely because a not too old trail led up there. Flicking his tail behind him in a fruitless attempt to fan his hocks. One oak, older than the rest, towered above the small hill, and beneath it slept a dark shape. Or rested — he couldn't quite tell. A shimmering black hide covered a sleek shape, her mane and tail white as the newly fallen snow (not that you'd see any of that in summer), and the sunlight glittered upon a gold-trimmed horn. The regal Mauja crept closer, the sounds of his frosted hooves meeting the earth like a whisper. "It is unwise to sleep in the Threshold." His voice held amusement, and a small smile played upon his face. Either she was very confident, or very stupid, to sleep in such an unknown place. "It can be dangerous here."

At least she had reactions still. His expression did not change much when she started — perhaps his smile lost a little of its warmth, and the curiosity in his blue gaze hardened to something colder. Protective, stupid, ignorant. The muscles of his jaws hardened as he clenched them shut, biting back the angry retorts and harsh words he wished to spill on her ears. She said that her name was Divinity, suddenly smiling like the sun as if nothing at all had happened, even asked for his — again, he bridled his tongue, curled it back in his mouth and kept his voice within. Shallow and stupid she went on, rambling about the day and getting up. As the twig broke one of his ears twitched, otherwise he did not look away from her. Moment by moment his mood sank and his eyes grew darker, and in silence he stood as she inspected every inch of him. Leyra's revelation about her emotions had made him wary of praise, so when her mindless tongue started spouting things about his eyes and horn the last of the warmth faded. Darkness edged his cold eyes and his smile had nothing but frost around the edges.

"I am Mauja," he responded coolly to her earlier inquiry. Was she stupid? Her mouth kept going too fast, first with a bitchy comeback to his advice, and then suddenly happy, and, what, flirtatious? Slowly his ears fell back against his neck. "And you, Divinity, should not so easily brush off the advice of a native. I know this forest better than you do," and he felt the cold creep in his veins, slowly leeching it into her blood, aiming to drop the temperature in her chest a degree or so. "- and it is not the forest which chills your blood, is it?" He snorted and whipped his tail against his hocks, before releasing the magic, thawing the crystals of ice he'd planted in her veins. He allowed his gaze to trail away, out across the forest, one ear rotating in her direction to keep alert — he wouldn't be surprised if she burst into flame and turned out to be the Demon Mare from Hell or something. Sometimes deities cloaked themselves as idiots to see how they were treated, and if he'd pissed off something powerful it wouldn't surprise him.

"This is a dangerous place," he said quietly, trying to forget about the whole episode, of her words about his eyes and horn.

She stared and he stared back, more neutrality in his eyes than chill now; sometimes you had to beat a fellow on the head a little to make them think straight, and when she spoke his ears swept forward to catch the words. A small, grim smile curled his lips. This forest is much different... But perhaps she was seeing that for herself now anyway, having been subjected to a, perhaps, less than pleasant encounter. "You don't have to go," he told her even as she was turning away, blinking his blue eyes slowly. At least she was somewhat aware of her rather, uneven mood, and perhaps living with the Basin unicorns would straighten her out some. Flicking his white, raven-feathered tail he sighed a little, tilting his head to one side and stretching the muscles of his neck. "But it's up to you, I guess, if you want a home or not." She was already walking away, and he wasn't going to hunt her down, but there was no harm in teasing her a little.. seeing if he'd catch himself a fish when he'd put the bait on the hook and stopped trying to jab her with it in the first place. Ultimately, it was up to her, and he watched her curiously, wondering if her motions would stop, and rewind, or if she'd keep walking away.

( up to you if you want to keep walking away or keep threading. ^^ )

His words had the intended effect, though part of him wished she'd just keep walking. Flick her tail, pretend she hadn't heard. But, no. The allure of a home often hooked strangers, the concept of belonging, being protected, safe. Such a foolish notion, yet that base need drove them all. Divinity's voice broke the silence, and his ears flicked forward. What's a home? An illusion, something you covet, yet it can be torn from you in the darkness of night. He pushed the bitter smile down, watching her with enigmatic, curious eyes instead. Better to seem open and kind. Best of all to be it, but today was one of those glitched days when it felt like fiery snakes crawled under his skin. Giving his head a shake to try and clear it he drew a step closer, trying to gauge her reaction. Run away, or stay?

"A home is a wonderful place," he began, his voice smooth and faintly warm again, like the touch of sunlight on a winter's day. "Somewhere to be safe and cherished, a place to belong to. There are many unicorns in our valley, so you would not be alone." With me. Because, he was quite certain that unless his mood drastically changed, he would do bad things to her if they were left alone for too long. Forcing patience upon himself he flicked tail and ears both, listening through an owl's ears to the sound of wings and wind. Calm. "What say you?" he asked with the sun glistening in his eyes, and a bent little smile upon his lips.

He was not entirely surprised with her answer — most who came through wanted one, for one reason or another. The prospect of safety, comfort, a family, it lured many in, but Mauja knew that it was nothing but a false security that could be broken, shattered, any moment. But, it was the sense of connection, belonging, which made even those of different ideals fight together and unite when danger came. He would not turn away anyone who might make a difference in keeping them safe.

"I'm afraid there's no forests nearby my home," he told her, a hint of sadness in his voice. His old home had been full of trees and fog, and this new one was.. devoid of both. It felt a bit odd. At her next words however, he gave her a rather quizzical look. "Why? Don't be silly — but if you'd rather find a home with trees, I shan't stop you. If you'd still like to come to mine, you're welcome to." With a flick of his tail and another smile, he turned around, seeking to fall back into his calm, and began to wander north. If she wanted to live in the Basin, she could come along. If she didn't wan to.. he gave a small shrug. Then it was not his problem anymore.