An invitation was sounded over the air ahead, the corporal raising her head and ears to observe the sound that ushered from the entryway into the copious mountain valley she called home. Her muzzle breathed in a deep and inquisitive chestful of cold air, smelling a familiar scent blended with that of a stranger, a pleasant smile etching it's way across her lips as she turned back to see if Gemini had heard the nicker as well. She had been checking in on the black unicorns progress occasionally, knowing that the path to the Basin was treacherous for those who were unfamiliar with it's winding and narrow stretch, and believing that one's ability to make their way up it's heights both proved their usefulness and displayed much of their character. It would seem that there would be two new recruits that had surmounted the task of climbing the mountain, and the pleasure that invoked within the golden laced unicorn inclined her to be particularly chatty and full of sunshine on this particular black afternoon...evening. Whichever it was, Illynx wore a jovial and welcoming grin as she entered into the Basin, the lake shimmering and elegant with the Haruspex lit up, it would seem, by a thousand stars all bundled together, various trees within the valley adorned with brightly glowing enchanted orbs.

"Want to go say hello?" she queried, gesturing with her horn to where she saw the others ahead, recognizing the dark bay mare from the herd meeting earlier in the season and admiring her catch as she drew nearer to the pair, not waiting to see if Gemini would follow, but keeping an ear tuned in to where the mare was. The two ahead were rather different from one another; where Lena was plain and elegant, the stallion was shaggy and wild looking, with a short black horn protruding from his expansively fluffy head. The various incarnations of her species never ceased to bewilder her, from ordinary and nearly equine in appearance to the exotic and strange, but she was not off-put by the appearance of this one as she was by those with demonic horn arrangements or other abnormalities. The blue stag was almost ethereal, seeming to stem from a bloodline ancient and old, and Illynx found herself intrigued almost instantaneously. "Welcome and salutations. I am Illynx, and the lovely miss accompanying me is Gemini," she ducked her head in a small bow of greeting and then directed her gaze to the star strewn unicorn that she had just met and saved from a life of romping through a frozen ice patch.

Gemini trotted over the frozen ground, her head swinging side to side at regular intervals to take in her surroundings. The basin was truly a gorgeous and magnificent place. She followed after Illynx, and marveled at the great beauty that lay in the Valley. In all her 5 years of existence, the black mare never saw something as beautiful as the Basin. The Aurora Basin shone, even in these dark times. Gemini sensed pride rolling off of Illynx in waves. Gem did a happy dance of sorts in her head. The corporal was proud of her. This only increased her excitement, of course. Gemini too, saw another pair of her kind.
“Of course I would like to go say hello,” Gemini said to Illynx. She trailed after Illynx, as the corporal drew closer to the pair. Now, she could see the two unicorns more clearly. One was obviously more elegant than the other, and Gemini thought that this was a unicorn that resided in the Basin for a substantial amount of time. Next to the graceful mare was a -for lack of a better word- rather furry unicorn. Illnyx did not seem surprised, and Gemini wasn’t either. Her kind came from different sizes, and builds, because they were so diverse. In this case, the thick-furred unicorn had a short, curved, black horn protruding from the skull. Gemini also bowed her head slightly at the pair. “Hello,” She murmured, just loud enough for only the horses surrounding her could hear. Gemini was always shy at first, and she hoped to come out of her shell while in the Basin.

Lena
I'm buried and covered peaceful under millions of stars

The Basin welcomed its newcomer with open arms, rustling and whispering approval from the wooden lanterns with their sleek embers and soft glow, to the trickle of idle currents of the lake, and along the snowy boundaries, mountains cast in listless, languid repose. It answered her call with cordiality, amiable and pressing against the chilling, glacial wind, a warm, tender caress in the map of valleys and rivers, streams and glaciers. Her eyes watched his features as they gazed across the endless, eternal view of darkness and peaks, summits and massifs, and when a grin enlightened his face, she became all the more pleased. Perhaps there would be no disappointment strung from his frame, no far away look that christened his disregard for their shadowed, dangerous and beautiful world, maybe the allure was strong enough to pull him within its embrace, its caress, its shelter and sanctuary. Amongst Leovan’s silence, the nymph took the time to stare against the horizon, waiting for the shadows to unravel their prizes from the depths of their darkened abyss, shed the labyrinthine fingers and grasp over the hold of their nestled inhabitants. When they appeared, a short chirp burst from Imogen, followed by Lena’s well-worn smile. First Illynx, the golden Corporal, a trusted individual molded and sculpted from their old heathen raptures of the Edge, and her appearance reminded the seraph of days spent by rocky shoal, gliding near cliffs, risk and hazard forever strung to their movements, before they’d lost a kingdom and gained another throne. She offered the fellow mare a similar, modest bow, pressed her regal cranium towards her cranium, then retaining her former position with the smile still in place. Melody lingered from her throat, maintaining the harmonious rapture and reverie of her singsong creation, postured and prospered for the warrioress. “Its good to see you again, Illynx.” The gilded one’s vocals urged Lena to curiosity and intrigue, a mention of another heralded from the fathoms of darkness, and she blinked against the twilight, found shadow and stars painted across another shape. Fey and fairy grinned once more, the eternal bliss of a pleasant, beneficent candor. “A pleasure, Gemini. I’m Lena.” The kitsune danced between her front legs, a cunning ghost on the waves of snow and ice, staring at the new faces, throwing her nose to the air to take in their scents, capture their smells, then disappearing beneath the sienna’s body to glance back at the stag and his chiseled brow. Lena’s affectionate stare followed suit, glimpsed towards Leovan once, a steady wink unfolding from one of the lids, trusting he’d be capable of introducing himself, that she wouldn’t need to prosper his name to the heavens when he was strong enough to do so. Instead, she unfurled her affable, genial chords back towards the celestial maiden. “I trust the Basin has treated you well?”

It had been a long while since last she had seen Lena, the healer one of her kin that she had never come to know as well as she should have, but the familiar warmth of a face that she could name without asking was pleasant, and she was pleased to see that it would seem the elegant bay unicorn remembered her, as well. From the corner of her eye, she observed the fox demon that accompanied the nurse, failing to recall the name or even the prior existence of the pretty thing from their days along the Edge or from the long trek up the mountain, following the Time God into their new and much adored home. "And to see you, as well, Lena," stated Illynx, and for once, she was not truly biting her own tongue as she spoke. The corporal had seen much of this one in her life among the Plague, and as she felt towards all of her kin who had proven their loyalty over the years, was comfortable in her company and pleased to find that the mare seemed to be doing quite well for both herself and their herd.

The meek nature of Gemini when presented with some of the members of their large family was in contrast to the chatty and amiable mare she had met in the woods, but she supposed that even then the mare had been nervous, and Illynx had simply missed it in her aggravation towards the Assassin. She cast a golden gaze to the star strewn unicorn, the orbs gentle despite the affirmation Illynx gave herself that it was best to have introduced her to the others herself. When Leovan introduced himself, however, her eyes moved to his shaggy features, her ears pricking forward and her whole face lighting up with curiosity as to what, precisely, this Endless Ocean could be; the thought that the stallion had risen from the sea to walk upon the earth seemed ludicrous, though not impossible. Instead, Illynx settled upon the theory that Leovan was from a group of nomadic sea folk, who traveled along the shore lines throughout the year, thus making the ocean endless.

No matter the truth of it, she found she could not be bothered to ask; over time, she would come to know anyway, so long as Leovan decided to remain within the Basin.

The kitsune that appeared from beneath her bonded drew another amused expression to the features of the corporal, who admired the fox demon as her small, pointed muzzle scented the air for the individual odors of the four unicorns. While Illynx believed the obtainment of a companion to be a great weakness, she could not help but feel a gentling within herself any time she got to see one of these particular creatures; they were beautiful, to be sure, and the power held within their petite and graceful figures was rather too much to be believably housed in such a delightfully elegant and silky package. "Pleased to meet you," she stated, her gaze returning to Leovan as she spoke, and then turning to Gemini, "I hope the climb was not too hard on either of you; I know it's rather daunting when one is not used to it."

[OOC: *kicks post for failing so hard*]

Gemini took this time to admire her surroundings more thoroughly. The Basin was quite an exquisite place, filled with wonders. She looked at the graceful bay that was Lena, as she introduced herself. “A pleasure to meet you too, Lena,” Gemini said respectfully. Her eye caught on something emerging from in between the mare’s legs. Gemini was surprised a little, as she had never seen such a creature, besides foxes, which were quite similar. A small smile danced upon her maw as she spotted the small fox like animal. She looked up and returned the corporal’s gentle gaze with eyes that danced with excitement.
Gemini then returned Leovan’s greeting. “Hello, Leovan,” She said, as another small grin broke out. It was nice to meet new individuals like herself. It reminded her that she was not alone.
The large, shaggy unicorn spoke of the Endless Ocean, and Gemini could not help but be curious. She knew that there were more of her kin out there, but she had never heard of the Endless Ocean. On the other hand, she did not hear of Helovia before either. Oh well. Gemini tried to picture the Endless Ocean. The ocean might’ve seemed endless, but all things must come to an end, one way or another. She imagined the Endless Ocean to be a magnificent, sprawling territory by the ocean. It was fitting that the herd lived by the ocean, hence their name. It was very intriguing and interesting, nevertheless.
Gemini turned to the corporal, who had asked her if the climb up the Basin was difficult and scary. The mountain was steep, but nothing she couldn’t take. However, Gemini knew she had to be careful while going up. It was always better safe than sorry. “The climb up to the Basin was not particularly difficult, Corporal. Just new sights and new surroundings is all,” Gemini answered honestly.

Lena
I'm buried and covered peaceful under millions of stars

A slate of repose, enlightening and tranquil, brewed amongst comrades, new and old. She hastened the continuing delight and intrigue of her fellow inhabitants, appealed to their well-meaning gestures and flights of curiosity encompassing her regal cranium. The sylph would have liked to know each and every individual within the vast, unwinding kingdom, their favorite sanctum, their blessed aspirations and convictions, the glow of their pride, the arch and lilt of their wondrous dispositions, how they conquered demons when the perils of hazardous faults and flaws seemed to garner their livelihood. Instead of asking, however, she remained the ever silent, compassionate dove, because prying, because querying, because ruminating and exploring meant the same would be done to her, and despite every ounce of tenderness floating through her veins, she was still covered with furtive, clandestine secrets. In order to remain in knots, she had to tie her tongue, refrain from untangling webs and allowing others to fold back the resplendent enamel. They all spoke in turn, twisting the fashions of their calls and dubbings without hesitance, and she captured the celestial one’s, to remember, to collect, to reflect, Gemini - cleverly fitting – listened to the gentle ebb and flow of voices pervading the eerie surroundings. Leovan, with his Endless Ocean homeland continuing to enter her inquisitive mind, Illynx with her corporal, stately presence, Gemini with her shy exterior; all of it a warming, graceful nuance of shared twilight, amiable shade. A glow amongst the growing, pressing shadows, brethren so frequently in arms, relaxed and serene in the rapture and face of dominating supremacy, of misgivings and callous, unending, nocturne veils.

Even Imogen pressed herself further into the gathered, noting the gilded officer’s attention, inching out underneath Lena’s sienna frame to tap at the other lady’s hooves, batting at them with slender, dainty paws, before chirping and twirling, amassing herself upon convening swords and hearts. The nymph glanced towards the kitsune, bestowing a single glance, and the kit pirouetted towards Gemini too, offering her presence with a tilted head and a guttural warble. The song of Lena soon followed suit, the same, melodic tune postured again, calmness and compassion brewing harmony from the corridors of her sanguine lips. “My apologies for not introducing her sooner. This is Imogen.” In response, the ivory-coated beast allowed another brief trill to surface from her lungs, a ghost into the paradise of cold vapor. The fairy’s attention drifted towards the two newcomers thereafter, uttering a simpler question, not burying them within the confines of cloaks and daggers, hostilities and animosities, but a simple pondering of what they would do, what they would become, how they were going to serve the glacial land (and perhaps, how she could assist them in their endeavors). “Have either of you thought of which rank you’d like to hold?” She paused, eyes roaming the lengthening horizon of midnight oils and Stygian pursuits, before setting them back upon Leovan and Gemini in turn. Did they lust for power? Did they seek absolution, assuaging, soothing alms? Did they cross the wilds for a slender touch of wisdom? Did they crave the nuances, the throngs, the din of battle?