Curious and happy, channeling his playful nature the boy continued to trot around the filly. His grin was was indeed charming, though his face looked anything but tricky. The joy he felt at being able to be around someone his own age, find someone he felt like he could talk to had lifted a weight from the colt. He felt like he did not have to fear her taking something away from him, or worry about her distaste at seeing him being so young and naive. Finally he could take off the mask of adulthood and enjoy a day of childhood in the sun.
Dancing just within reach of her, Ailill poked her swiftly on the barrel before leaping away. He laughed merrily at his own game, whether she played with him or not. Taika had always jumped to assist him in a game of chase, or tag. But when she was not around, and he had to play on his own, he was well versed in pretending he had a partner.
The filly spoke to him and he spun around to look at her. A chuckle so genuine sounded that even the waves seemed to laugh with his mirth. “They warned you about me? What spirits here knew of my arrival?” He straightened himself up, tilting his head to the side. “No trickery or charms! Just an invitation to laugh! And dance!” His head tossed up, front hooves leaving the sand by barely an inch. “And live!”
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