It doesn't take long for others to begin showing up. First, it was the form of a painted draft, whom he recalled as Aaron. He knew little of the young warrior, but was aware that he had once been of the Edge. For a moment, he wondered, would he be returning to the land of dragons to seek refuge?

At the other stallion's question, Xanthos breathed a soft sigh, one thick with sorrow and regret. The last thing he wanted to do was simply stand there and watch everything go down, powerless to stop the overthrowing of his mate's beloved homeland, but they would need more power than the grullo could offer in order to be successful. To say the least, Xanthos was disappointed in himself for not even trying, but he didn't need more enemies at his back. After all, Ophelia had given Romani back without much trouble, and that was more important to him than anything else.

"Unfortunately," he answered, his vocie thick with emotion. The situation as a whole was tearing him up, pulling his heartstrings every which way. Breathing another ragged sigh, the grullo finally tore his gaze from the impending battle and then looked down to see the paint's canine friend. Azel, who had settled between his front hooves, peered out from his hiding spot and offered a chur, a noise that warnanted uncertainty and curiosity towards the pup.

Not a moment later were they joined by another, her presence given away by the sound of buffeting wings. Mirage's secondary form no longer startled the stallion as it had back in the Basin, and instead, he looked upon her scaly form as a source of power. It radiated from her every fiber, even in these tense and dark times. It was painfully obvious how torn each and every one of them were, watching allies fight against allies, friends pitted friends.

"I don't like it," the grullo stated simply, giving a shake of his head when golden eyes found the distant group again. One side had grown rather large in size, while the other remained pitifully small. He wondered briefly which was the leader, but none seemed to step forth to lead the others in this time of turmoil. Did they even have one? Or were they simply too chicken to step up and defend a promise to their land and the ones who called it home?

When a voice sounded behind him, addressing his and Aaron's names, Xanthos once more turned his head to gaze upon the pale form of the young unicorn mare, giving her a nod of welcome. He recognized her as well, Nadira if he remembered correctly, a member of these very hills. She carried herself with grace, but it was not the same sort in which a warrior carried himself. Like Romani and Aaron, she, too, would not be participating in this battle for her home.

Accompanying her was a painted stallion of neutral coloring, who seemed a respectful creature as he offered his own welcomings. Nadira had introduced him as Tharos. Again, Xanthos dipped his head in greeting, and was about to speak when he was suddenly cut off by him. His words had been directed straight at Aaron, but the grullo found himself unable to ward off sudden, ill feelings towards Tharos. Unwillingly, black ears tipped back, and beneath him, Azel gave a cringe as he felt Xanthos' sudden change in emotion through the bond.

"There is more at stake here than a homeland," he said thickly, watching as the other stallion turned and began to move away. He doubted that Tharos would grant them a retort, for he seemed competent in his movement towards the gathering, and Xanthos found himself unsure of how to feel. There truly was more at stake here than the Foothills; the fragile alliances held between the groups hung in the air, ready to drop and shatter should one group make the wrong move. There were lives at stake, too, as this was quickly becoming a large scale battle. Tharos may not have stringed his words together in the kindest of ways, but his will to fight for the Foothills was comendable.

As the grey draft strode away, Xanthos turned his sights on Mirage, looking more desperate than ever. "Isn't there anything we can do? This feels sickeningly wrong, standing here and watching our allies fight one another."

"blather blather blather"