The shadow-mare had always been fond of the night, and this night was no exception. Others might admire the beauty of the moonlight on the hot springs, the lovely myriad values of blue in the trees and on the mountainsides. But she liked it simply because she was able to blend in. Pure black, she blended effortlessly in among the shadows of the night in stark opposition to how obvious her form was in sunlight. And besides, the dark was so much easier to operate in. She could go here and there, and no one would ever know that she had been there. It was a valuable time for one that was everything that she was.

The Crux was not particularly restless on this night, but she was still out and about. During the day, she was confident of her herd's ability to watch the mouth of the valley for threats, but not all of them were are used to the night as she was. It would be easier for an enemy to sneak past their defenses, and gods knew they had their share of enemies. A frown crossed her maw, here in the blackness where none could see the creases of worry. She had plans, of course she had plans, but her plans had quickly become dependent on others. She did not trust others' ability to do what she wanted done, and so she worried. It would be so much better if she could simply clone herself - now, there's a thought, a voice said in her mind, bringing a smile to her face - but there you are. It's not so simple as that.

She moved silently through the dark forms of her herd - a rather large one, in fact. She was proud of them, proud of those that brought them to her, proud of those that chose to stay. She was particularly proud of those that chose to join the ranks of her secret organization. Regardless of their political affiliation, though, she wanted them loyal to her, and so she had taken Mauja's unspoken advice. Make them love you. It seemed to be working in her favor thus far, as their ranks swelled with newcomers - but even with them, she still wanted more. It was simply in her nature.

A white shadow caught her attention as she departed the warmth of the herd and moved toward the solitude of the mountain pass to the Steppe. It would seem that she was not the only one out and about on this night. Several unicorns of that coloration had joined their ranks, and so it was not until she heard the soft giggle that she recognized the form to be Kou. With another smile, the shadow-mare approached. Had she ever taken the time to converse with the Nurse? She couldn't really remember, but now seemed as good a time as any. "A bit late for a walk, wouldn't you say, my dear?" she asked with a pleasant smile. Socializing. It was a new concept, but one that she was learning quickly.

"Talk talk talk."