Locket decided to take an impromptu adventure out of the Foothills for the first time since joining the Grey. The land of rolling hills and hardy grasses was a delightful place to be but the flighty warrior was aching to see more of the mysterious land. He was sure his new role would likely take him far and wide so surely it wouldn't hurt to know a little about the surrounding areas. Over the past few days Locket had been thinking about a lot of things and his mood fluctuated between frightened uncertainty and a fiery pride. These two emotions constantly clashed within him making him more and more withdrawn with each passing day. He felt a sense of guilt for it seemed to any watching that he had simply given up the Foothills, Locket had never had so much on his small shoulders before and he constantly worried over whether he made the wrong decision. It was almost like in that very moment, when Ophelia had turned to him plea for them to surrender, that he was almost Chief himself. He made the decision that should have been Jackals.

Now he was paying the price for that responsibility.

There was no one to tell him whether he had been right or wrong, whether he had done the sensible thing to turn the land over to the Grey or whether he had trembled in cowardice. Should he have died that day? If his blood had been spilt, choked his last breath and his heart stuttered to a stop would that have been the more honourable, heroic thing to do? Locket found that his heart had begun to ache for his mother, he figure so vivid in his mind, the curls that wove round her delicate horn and her eyes that shone with nothing but a dam's love for her child. She would know what to say, she would know how to make everything feel okay and nip his flank in playful love. Yet he was grown now and a stallion of war at that, these things shouldn't trouble his mind. He had played with the idea about talking to Archibald about his emotional trouble, but he was frightened the brute would look down upon him in disappointment. So he kept his alabaster mouth firmly shut.

In his sour musings Locket had roamed far and only noticed when he felt the rise in heat. Ears roved in uncertainty whilst his gaze searched for the source only to find two others already inspecting the blazing hole. The night drew on and day would come soon, but still the red hues were stark against the midnight sky. For a moment all Locket could do was watch, captured by the beauty of colours that melded together in beautiful dance. Slowly he dragged his gaze away from the scene and looked upon the two strangers, a roan and a white. Both spotted.

The warrior was a little dumb founded as to what to do next, for between them there seemed a certain knowing, certainly from the mare in any case. The bigger one with a blue horn spoke in some language he didn't understand and the mare appeared to be apologizing for no reason. What a strange pair they were! Locket felt like he was almost intruding even from where he was standing, but surely they had sensed him and it would be rude to simply walk away now without speaking. With cautious steps the panda faced lad made his way over to the pair, his face a mask of uncertainty when he stopped before them adorned in masses of curly mane. "Mornin'" he said simply.

For what else could he say?

Locket watched the two warily, something in the air wasn't quite right here, was it the emotionless statue of the spotted giant that caused the fur to prickle on his spine. Or was it the feeling on intrusion, that these two knew each other and maybe he was interfering on personal business. Yet neither had shown him a harsh word when they addressed him, but neither were the words they offered given in kindness. Who were these two strangers and why was there such a foul taste to the air that almost made Locket want to jump into the pit. He shook himself free of the notion, berated himself for being a coward, if he could fight in a forsaken battle and live to tell the tale, then why should this day be any different. The panda boy took in a deep breath and stood a little firmer on his tiny, split hooves. There was nothing here to suggest that these two were any better than him, these uneasy emotions were unnecessary.

It took some effort, but Locket managed to drag a simple smile to his alabaster lips, cute ears curving forwards as merry green eyes glistened. Ignoring the niggling to snap at the blue mare for her seemingly demanding words. "My name is 'ocket. What is yours?" He asked of both of them. A name was okay to give he supposed, he couldn't even pronounce it properly anyway and he often wandered how many of the horses he had met actually knew his true name was Locket and not Rocket. His strange way of speaking and his odd appearance often had him branded a clown or a jester. The Warrior wondered if these two would take him seriously, so far most had, even most of the mares had put up with his flirting affliction and his roguish attitude. For that he was grateful.

Silently, he began to shuffle his feet again, wandering what he could say to maybe strike up a conversation. The air was stifling and he so much wanted to laugh, to lightened the mood and jest. Whatever it is, surely, it can't be that bad he thought with amusement, staring at their faces. He wondered briefly what it was that the blue roan had apologized for, it wasn't everyday a mare admitted she was wrong, it must've been something cruel. Locket shook his head and cleared his mind of assumptions, "I'm sorry if I'm intruding on something... Private." He said with an absolute straight face, looking between the pair with only a slight glint in his eye.

Locket watched the pair with calm, calculating eyes that noted each movement they made. Both seemed almost like the wrong ends of a magnet trying to connect, the closer one got the further away the other moved. What a strange pair indeed! The warrior switched between feeling a strange discomfort and a compelling interest, to which he silently cursed his nosey nature to constantly want to know other people's business. His mother had always said it would be the death of him one day, he'd stick his nose in too far and get his head chopped off. Ah, but silly mother, life was for living and Locket meant to live every second. Even if it meant a premature death. Vagabond's never lived very long anyway. He watched as the white brute turned to stare at him and the panda boy resisted the urge to pull faces at 'spots' whilst he was 'examined', he also noted the way his over grown feathered feet liked to dance near the edge of the hole. Yet, the warrior said nothing. If he was stupid enough to fall in then he was not going to be the idiot that fumbled in after him.

Alas, he managed to stay on solid non burning earth long enough to softly state his name. Mauja. Had Locket been a more well informed animal then he might have recognised the name, yet he did not and so remained blissfully ignorant of the legendary stud that moped before him. Though he had to think it sounded like a fine name, you could have some fun bellowing that across an echoing canyon. Snowy accents that painted his brows lifted when Mauja shoved towards the blue mare, announcing her name as Leyra and changed his stance into one that spoke of distrust. Which proved to intrigue the panda boy even more, did he think she'd push him down into the fiery pits? It almost made him laugh how he was the stranger, yet this Mauja distrusted the one he already knew.

The day had not yet begun and already it was among one of his strangest.

He nodded his head to both in acknowledgement of their names and stored them into his memory bank. The orange chap then looked to the pit of doom and swung his gaze back to spots, arching a brow and then nodded to the hole. "If you're considering death I can't say I'd advise jumping in there. We'd be ab'e to hear your screams for 'eagues" his smile had a morbid touch before he dropped the matter and turned his attention towards the mare. She was a quiet one it seemed, he wondered if she was simply this stallion's property? It wasn't unheard of, some mares even preferred that kind of life or maybe she owed him. Locket didn't voice his speculations, knowing such presumptions might insult the quiet mare. Who knows, maybe she was just shy.

Mauja spoke to him again and his white ears tweaked at the mention of Ophelia. So he was acquainted with their pale Leader then. Either he was dealing with a very important stallion or this one got around a bit. Just exactly who was he? Locket smiled faintly and then nodded once in compliance "in a way yes, though I answer to her sister." He wasn't going to embarrass himself by attempting to say Ktulu. They'd be there all morning, afternoon and night whilst he tried to spit out that blight of a name. He looked to Mauja then with a rekindled curiosity, eyes narrowing as he watched him edge closer to his death. "How is it you know our Chieftess? An admirer or have you a'ready... Admired?"

He laughed then, boring questions were... Well... Boring and he turned to look upon the blue mare with a questionable gaze. There were many things he could ask, gone was his frozen tongue and out came the mischievous traveller who probed at strangers until he found out what he wanted. "So, what's your story 'eyra? What brings you to the heart of He'ovia when morn is just a babe?" Would she tell him, he did not know, but if you didn't ask you never got. You could only find out so much by another's body language before the tongue itched for more.