Everyone was joining us. It seemed that with the scent of a different person we had all come to investigate exactly what was happening. Good. It would keep us safe, keep us from randomly getting ambushed – even if most didn’t seem to necessarily be the strongest or most capable fighters. My name was squeaked by the young Pegasus, Amara. She pulled up beside me and began to ‘lead the way’ before I stopped near the tree, using it to lean up against and support my weaker frame. The filly continued to say my name, and I merely gave her a small nod, swishing my tail before asking Arlo exactly who the mare who was beside him.

Arlo said nothing, at first. No, he simply waited as the new mare allowed her voice to begin to emerge. But the voice does not emerge before the respect. She bows her frame down, dipping her head to the ground before she rises. My Queen. How lovely. Perhaps I could allow her to come into these ranks. Respect was evidently flowing from her maw and she did not allow any of it to seem sarcastic. Amara has granted her my name, but I cannot be mad at the young filly for she knows nothing better. Her soft voice welcomes the one whom I have taken under my non-existent wings and names her a ‘songbird’. That, yes that, I could definitely agree with.

He speaks up then, Arlo, giving greetings and then the black and white mare’s name. Circuta. She wishes to join and Arlo has given his miniscule mark of approval. He understands the final decision does last with us (both Eris and I) and then extends his apologies for not returning right away, acknowledging the burning questions in my skull as to where he had been. ”Another time. But, you are right. Questions are a plenty.” I state, yellow orbs obviously just a tad annoyed with this situation as a whole, but back to the possible new member. ”What about her makes you believe she is worthy of joining…” I pause, taking in a small breath before looking toward the one who had just bowed down a few minutes earlier. ”Circuta, in your opinion, why do you wish to seek refuge with us…” I say, this time actually addressing the mare now that I knew that she had come with Arlo and was not just some random person.
Of course, it didn’t take long for another unknown creature to come stumbling through quite rudely. The marsh waters were creating a sucking noise with each step of his hooves against the terrain as he sloshed his way closer and closer. I stood, ears pinned, as I awaited the frame that was bound to appear. Of course, before the frame appeared I felt the tree that was my stability. Idiot! The idiot seriously just slammed his body into a tree? He needs to learn how to control his own body! Schwere hissed, obviously as annoyed by the event as I, feeling his hooves connect with the tree again. And, as soon as he had seemed to collect his large frame he was pulling out into the middle of the gathering. His voice booming out and beginning to bother my ears as I pin them in annoyance at his lurking frame. ”What on earth is your problem?!” I hiss, yellow orbs glaring at him. ”And who the hell are you?!” My voice radiated anger, annoyance, authority. I was not in a good mood – and he would be the one answering for it, especially if he disturbed the tree that was keeping me standing again. It would definitely not be going well.

And then, Eris appeared as well, having shown up just as the stag had sworn about what everyone was looking at. A smile was given in my direction, and Amara’s, before she began to study Arlo and his new… companion. She said nothing for a few moments, her frame just moving to stand right beside me. The pain was still radiating through my body, my breaths small, short, fast. And my eyes still shone a fresh level of pain as my soul continued to fight with the young one’s soul that I had needed to channel for Amara. She asked the new mare who she was before a line of giggling notes filled the air.

Arlo snaps at the stag who had kicked the tree I was resting against and I cannot help but to laugh at his words. After all, it is true. So completely true. Circuta’s voice appears again, after having bowed down once more to Eris. Her words are a little strange, but I do not doubt that it is simply another thing that dares to set her apart from majority of this world. The only other strange tongue I had run across had been Confutatis, who we had not laid eyes upon in a while. Where is that violent mare with the skull-mask of a face who was used to cause death and destruction?

Again, another one showed up. The antlered mare, covered completely in mud. She appears from the area where most of the dead shrubs had been before her voice rings out and twists around the floating cadavers. ”And I thought one might be able to know how to keep themselves clean when they are of the age you are, Agrona…” I shoot back, a smirk resting upon my maw as I gently dip my cranium in a form of welcome, listening as she also asks who the new black and white mare is. But no one was asking who this stag was that had so rudely stumbled in and almost caused my legs to give out and my frame to collapse on this disgusting land. Another laugh, and then she edges toward the stag who, upon closer inspection, was really just a bunch of skin and bones. Agrona labeled him as Oxy with her gruff voice before resting her frame near his left side. ”How do you know him? Did you bring this bumbling buffoon here?” I continue, glaring toward Agrona . This bag of skin and bones had disturbed me, and almost made me look even weaker than I ever wished to appear by nearly knocking my frame off of the tree. I wanted to know if he was simply a friend, or someone she had wished to recruit into our ranks.

Circuta seems to know that Agrona is not a leader, and so, while a little hesitant, she responds when not directly spoken to. A pleasure, she calls it, and I can already feel myself quite glad that she might be joining our ranks. Respect. Soft voice. Definitely someone who could coerce others into liking her presence and possibly gain information. She would have a place with us, if Eris also agreed with this information. Arlo speaks to Agrona, dawning her dearest and part of me is wondering what is so different about her that she is given the name dearest and some affectionate tones. But, it does not bother me. After all, I can still feel a small twinge of feeling at the idea of Tio. I would need to bring him here soon – find a way to aid him on his quest so that he no longer has to be crippled anymore. Just the image of him crippled sickens me. He had been strong. He had been someone I hadn’t minded joining ranks with. I did not wish to see him so. Amara and he – they were the only ones I had felt anything for since stumbling into these lands. I hoped that would not change.

More people. So wonderful. This time it was Sonya – the mare stricken with amnesia. She said no words, but shifted her weight as she stood off to the side, watching every single person that was present at this gathering. Watching. Waiting. Attempting to figure out where she fit into the equation. We would find something for her to accomplish – we would. It would just take us a little bit. She wasn’t a fighter, she had no muscle for it. Perhaps when we gave this new mare and this buffoon their jobs she would be granted something to work at as well. Maybe, just maybe, she could concentrate on the art of healing and learn basic herbal remedies. Perhaps attempting to save our already ruined souls would be of a better avenue than attempting to tear more away from their vessels.

Arlo speaks to Sonya, sweet calm, polite. Trying to pull her out of her shell. ”Sonya, do not be afraid. You are doing well, I see?” I say, giving her gentle bob of my head in welcoming. And, then, I see Circuta has pulled herself in closer to Arlo’s frame – as if for protection. I feel as though this had been done during the chaos that was this ‘Oxy’s’ arrival, but I cannot be sure. I wince a little in pain before Arlo’s voice calls back out, saying to not be rude. He closes the little bit of distance left between himself and Circuta and allows his taller, white frame to rest up against hers, offering her something stable to lean against.

A ragged breath escapes my mouth before I open it to speak only to stop suddenly and pin my ears again. Another is approaching, and once more I do not recognize the scent that has lingered into my nares. The stag lingers for a moment. No horn on his head, no wings upon his back. Thin build, slanting shoulders, but he does not look weak. That is good. He nods in the direction of Eris and I and gives a thin smile, but since I do not recognize him I can only assume he has seen Eris before. He scans everyone, as if sizing them up, before his voice fills the air. Skywalker. A warrior. Wishing to join our ranks.

I pause, no longer willing to offer my name as I had been planning on doing a few moments earlier. ”And what, dear Skywalker, makes your soul tortured enough to wish to join a band of crazed minds and tortured souls?” I question, feeling all of the souls as they cackle in laughter and joy at the meeting of crazed souls. They had found a home, because of Eris and I, and they were more than willing to welcome all of these new creatures into our holds.

All the new people, the familiar faces, and the questions. It was never-ending. Though, I couldn’t help but to enjoy the fact that we were gaining new family members.

SEELE