It had been too long since Impazienza had been home.

She strolled into the Peak on the last breath of summer, after fall had swallowed it with frosted teeth and pulled her breath from her lungs in a long, steamy cloud. She’d been gone longer than she had intended, but it had been for a good purpose. Unfortunately, Impa had departed Luthien with more questions than answers. With a toss of her head, she picked up her heavy feathered feet and trotted further into the Vulcan territory. Maybe Anath could help her puzzle out her family’s mysteries.

Anath, when Impa came upon her, stood near a hefty bay clydesdale mare, and beyond them both was the familiar grulla form of Mouse. Impa lifted her head and whinnied a greeting to her two friends, including the newcomer in her call. As she passed Mouse, she paused to give the mare a friendly nip and a push of her nose. “Glad you made it,” she grinned. “Sorry I took so long to join you.” In a fine mood, she motioned for the quiet mare to join Anath and her as she stopped beside the pale General’s shoulder.

Impa turned her head to view the bay mare with her good eye and bumped her muzzle against Anath’s right shoulder as she did so. “It’s good to see you again,” she told the General, catching a bit of mane in her teeth and giving it a light tug. Her right ear twisted toward the newcomer. Impa hadn’t arrived in time to hear Anath’s words (or anyone’s reply to them), and so she joined the conversation now as if it had not already started.

“Welcome to the Peak,” she said with a smile. “I’m Impa. This is Anath, our esteemed General, and that’s Mouse.” Impa lifted her head and snuffed the air, but all she detected was the clean, crisp scent of autumn. “There might be others around. Mares tend to come and go from here as it suits them.”