Blind to the arrival of the adult behind her, one large doe-like eye centered on the handsome hybrid. He has caught sight of her play, and light butterfly kisses of warmth dance along her cheekbones in embarrassment. Here she stands before a yearling she does not know, having been caught playing about in a way she does not even show her twin. Caught, she feels, to have been seen doing something like this. Raeden would mercilessly tease her for partaking in such joyful ventures, and no experience has told her otherwise in her young life that this colt would not think the same. Surprisingly enough his crown dropped, smile warming his face into something far friendlier than his untouchable aristocratic features alluded to. Her own glowed upon her face like an ember, despite the shy child in her shielding her visage halfway with her forelock. Ophelia's name had both auds pricking up happily, recognition sparking on her face. "Yes! Ophelia is my mother's leader, she's very kind to me." Soft joy alit upon her face at Ophelia's name. She was far kinder than Ktulu, and scared Hotaru far less than her twin. Hope lay in that pale maiden's form, that Hotaru could perhaps have a good relationship with her own twin, be that strong too.

Question was never answered, for instead of a young masculine voice responding a deeper one of adulthood rang out. Hotaru moved towards Mesec, though his name at that point was still unknown to her. Though all her friends were adults, the sudden appearance of this stallion did nothing to comfort her. Approaching without notifying her, though perhaps she had not heard, the tiny filly sidled a little closer to the midnight adolescent. Pale muzzle reached out to him, extending in the only greeting she was used to using. Touch was something she loved, if only because she was starved of it so often. Hope glittered in her visible iris, hoping that Mesec would become yet another companion. Smile still remained in a sweet crease on her lips, unchanged despite the jolt of surprise the warrior had given her.

Despite the kind tone with which the adult spoke, something that spoke of the person Hotaru would become sparked up at his interest in Mesec. Question of name and title was only asked of him, despite the strawberry princess not knowing who this brute was either. She was not like Raeden, and did not pout, but instead stood as tall as she could. It was not a decent height, for she would be on the smaller scale most of her life, but she faced this Murdock fellow with a steady gaze that spoke of the injustice she felt. Was she simply reading his question wrong? Even if he had heard her speak her name to the colt, it was insulting that he would ignore her in such a manner. True, she smelled of the Foothills more than Mesec, but it burned her to be ignored once again. No, Hotaru had had enough for that day of being ignored. Always ignored for favor of Raeden, or her mother, or her aunts. Always ignored, always. "Kind of you to ask my name, sir Murdock." Despite the displeasure on her face, she took a smooth intake of breath that swelled her tiny ribcage and with a flutter it all disappeared. She would not turn into a brat, not like her twin, though those thoughts were not good for a twin to think.

Instead, she focused on Mesec. Answering his question, though with a certainly different level of kindness than what she had momentarily lost with Murdock. "I...well I don't do much, but I would like to be a fighter like my Aunt Lakota. Maybe not now but...I do not want to be a spy like my mother." Delicate muzzle wrinkled in distaste at the thought. No, spying and lying, deceiving...that was not the lifestyle she wanted. Feeling she had perhaps wounded Murdock with her disrespect, she flickered her sea green gaze up to him once more with a slightly more apologetic expression. "I apologize sir, it is just I have always been ignored. I am tired of living in another's shadow, even if it is Mesec's, whom has just arrived. Welcome to the Foothills, Mesec," she amended, turning and smiling shyly at him once more. Pale hooves danced idly, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Was it strange that she had picked up the delicate, eloquent speech of Ophelia and Lakota? That she did not care for fanciful sentences like her mother and twin? Perhaps she ought to leave them to their peace...