But then a polite cough echoed from the trees, bringing two pairs of eyes to bear upon the black dun who lingered there, disguising his awkward discomfort in a mirroring of behavior. A white-edged ear flickered curiously, wondering what all he'd seen, as the grulla mare continued to chew the mouthful of grass she held. A silent debate swirled in her mind, deciding, before she ambled a few steps closer, swallowing as she did so. "Morning, Paladin. Did the night treat you well?"
Beside her in the grass, Zaffre hopped closer, arching absurdly into the air to clear a frost-tipped tuft of grass that grew higher than its neighbors. There was an aura of utter confidence about the little blue, certain that he had nothing to be concerned about while he scuffled about the Wild Rose's hooves in a vain search for bugs to snack on.