Lithe muscles bunched and coiled, springing forth moments later as they propelled the ivory creature forward at her leisurely pace. She moved in a smooth, graceful lope, her hooves striking the earth with little force. As she moved, Isra’s magnificent wings expanded, the wind dancing through her feathers and rippling the appendages in almost a comforting way. It seemed that as soon as her game of imaginary chase began, however, it came to a close as Israfel slowed to a stop, her gold-engraved wings beating at the air in a show of prowess. Oh, what a lovely day!

… Or, it was lovely until she noticed the presence of another. It seemed that she was no longer alone. In one swift move, the little Demi-Goddess pulled her wings close to her body, tucking them safely at her sides. Cloven hooves turned the ivory filly around so that her creamy rump was facing the new girl, vermillion eyes focusing solely on the other creature who had dared to join her with an elegant twist of her neck. Had it just been moments before that she had wondered where everyone else was? Giving her head a slight toss, Isra gave a snort. Her eyes stayed on the other filly, a Pegasus by the looks of her. Pink-hued nostrils flared as Isra scented the air, the familiar, musty smell of the Edge wafting off of the newcomer in waves. So… She was from the Edge as well? Strange how they hadn’t met yet…

The Girl’s coat was similar to hers, the same cremello color, but what truly caught Israfel’s attention were the four wings that sprouted from the newcomer’s shoulders. The child of light’s jaw nearly dropped, for she couldn’t imagine such a thing. How did this filly have four wings? They were a marvel, beautiful in their own way, and Israfel couldn’t help the feeling of envy that suddenly sprouted in her chest. Who was this filly, and why did she deserve to have four wings?

The filly stood, then approached, albeit timidly, then introduced herself. Azale Moniet; that was her name. It was a pretty name, Isra decided… But not as pretty as hers. For a moment the Demi-Goddess stood there, uncertain as to how to respond. This four-winged girl seemed nice enough, but…

“My name is Israfel. Israfel Azardokht.” She paused, her pink lips remaining in a straight line as the child-goddess turned her lithe body around, so that she was completely facing Azale. “But you can call me Isra.” Her words were neither condescending nor happy, as she honestly wasn’t sure just how she felt about this Azale Moniet. Only time would tell.

Israfel’s eyes lingered on the other filly’s, absorbing each detail about her in an act that was, perhaps, too old for her age. Azale’s orange eyes looked incredibly sad, as if she alone was carrying some large burden, and briefly Isra wondered what that could be. Should she ask? Was that okay? Was Azale hurt? Was she lost? It wasn’t like the Heavenly Fields was terribly close to the Edge, after all… Instead, the only one question ended up crossing her spluttering lips was:

“… Why do you have four wings?”