The best thing about having Dia around was there was someone else who loved running as much as he did in Paradise. Mera had a fondness for racing, yes, but she was still too short to keep up with a full grown horse at a flat-out gallop. Şahin was looking forward to the day she grew into her legs and could outrun him, although he hoped that day would not come too soon. He was quite fond of her as a filly, and he wanted to keep pretending for awhile longer, at least, that she was his little girl and she would be around forever. Then he would never be lonely again.

He followed the deep hoofprints down the beach at an easy canter, certain that Dia had been this way and curious if she was interested in a run through the middle of the territory later. It had been awhile since he’d marked the border of the herdlands on the inside of Paradise and it might be a good idea to go remind his neighbor that he was still around. Maybe he’d pop over the border and meet the guy, too. With these thoughts rattling about in his head, Şahin glanced to the left and saw the pretty palomino standing with a shorter horse, one who was distinctly not-Mera. As none of the mares he was living with aside from Skylar had been pregnant this last season and as far as he was aware, Lyden’s mare was still carrying her foal, he was surprised and curious to know who the foal belonged to.

Had this foal gotten lost, or was it exploring much as Mera had been when he first met her? The stallion slowed to a trot and eventually came to a complete stop at the Akhal-Teke’s skinny shoulder. The foal was not quite so young as he had initially assumed, although it couldn’t be more than a year old. Şahin glanced around reflexively to see if its dam was anywhere nearby before he added his own voice to the conversation. His dark eyes fell on the colt, who looked a little like Dia in color but lacked the luster that both he and the Akhal-Teke’s coat shared. “Well, and who’s this then?” Şahin smiled as he spoke, ears forward and voice light to avoid frightening the colt. "Have you brought us more company, Dia?"