The two were a queer sight, being that father towered over child by tenfold. He moved with cat-like grace and she seemed to blunder about in his wake, darting through his shadow as if it were some game. She had managed to clip his heels a few times in her ruthless assault and he prayed that she would settle at some point throughout the trip. He had requested a little bit of alone time with the filly and perhaps he thought her capable of accompanying him to the Threshold, but she was quickly proving that particular theory wrong. From time to time she would squeal and hiccup and try her best to lay ruin to the silence as if it were her personal mission while her father wondered if they would even be able to get within fifty feet of another living creature.

When the path into the claiming grounds finally opened enough for her to pass her hefty guardian, the small badger-faced child ran forth into the open forest. Her pitchy song was enough to allow her father to follow in her distant footsteps and scowl at her “obedience” despite her mother’s chiding otherwise. It would appear that bringing her along was a bad idea, but he was focused enough and perhaps patient enough to decide that once she was within his grasp once more, they would simply return home.

However, by chance, as the filly floundered through the shade of the pines and the watchful gaze of the oaks, she happened upon another like herself. She’d never witnessed such a thing in her few short weeks and her obnoxious squealing after such a discovery had the stallion hot on her heels. She wasn’t sure what he would do about the filly but her fascination was clearly piqued by the other silvery child. Her face widened and contorted into what she would soon know to be a smile but no words could pass due to her tender age.

There was a strange stallion in her company as well, one that looked entirely out of place beside such a young symbol of life. Thor bristled at the thought of leaving them alone because with a child of his own, he couldn’t be sure. His introduction was enough to warn the rigid father of the nonexistent bond between the two and he stepped forward before snorting at his daughter in order to keep her seated at his flanks. She wasn’t happy about his command but stood trembling alongside him with bright eyes focused on the other girl. “You speak as if your home in the wilds would be more suitable for a child so small.” His voice was gruff and perhaps a bit protective because he could only imagine how he would feel if it were Essetia standing in this filly’s place.

As if on cue, his daughter rumbled with greeting as she drew closer to the older fillyl, her small velvety muzzle extended in hopeful acceptance. She danced in place with as much grace as she could muster, though it wasn’t much before turning back to gaze into the warm eyes of her cherished patriarch. He mumbled slightly, unsure of the pallid brute who spoke words that were almost sickly sweet. The child didn’t appear to find comfort at his side and neither Thor nor Essetia could recognize a relationship between the two. Thor wasn’t even certain if her mother would soon appear from the shade of the trees and chastise their presence or if she had somehow ended up here alone. But the longer he stood, attempting to block excited advances from his own child as she nipped and nibbled at his toes, he realized that the other was truly abandoned, aside from what appeared to be an unwanted guest.

Essetia whickered to the filly, inviting her away from her loneliness if even for a short time; for she had no concept of such a fate should they leave the girl alone with the young brute. She was clearly intrigued with the other child and wanted nothing more than to reel off into the trees with her, but once again a hardened grunt held her to place. “Come little one, Essetia and I will escort you to the World’s Edge and see that you are taken care of properly” His tone admonished the other brute, obviously unimpressed with his attempt to carry her off into the harsh world of the wilds. She was not meant for the life of a rogue and he would see to it that she wasn’t left to such.