The tone of voice that came from the young mare caused Ailill to study her with his pale eyes. There was a tone of sadness he could understand, but believed should never have existed in a child. He wished there was something he could have said, something he could have done that would have assured her that her mother was alive. Unjustified guilt seeped into him. He looked back to the world around them. The mountains were extensive and vast, there was a real chance others were hidden in the dark caves he, admittedly, had no desire to explore. A deep breath pushed through him. The others who knew more stepped up to say the words he could not.

The stallion wanted to speak, to say more to the man who had once threatened his life. For this moment of vulnerability their strife was almost forgotten. But the threats still lingered between them. Friendship could never hang between them and it had been clear from Nephilim’s visit to Paradise so long ago that even peace would be a struggle. Both stallions had changed, drastically. Ailill wondered if it were possible to reopen negotiations. He remembered the rage Nephilim burned with on the white shores of his home. The harsh words and the threats. He remembered Vodnik’s massive body rising to challenge him, and him stepping forward to meet the blow. He needed friends in this world, he did not know if it would be Nephilim, no matter how they had changed.

Nephilim’s words poked through his thoughts and he brought himself back to here and now. His eyes hardened and ears flicked back against his skull. There was no stallion there to harass. You need not worry. The Inlet is empty. His heart sank but flickered in uncertain hope. But they had a daughter. She means something to me. He looked at his one-time enemy and sighed heavily. If you come across her, I want… To be honest he wanted her. He wanted the daughter of Amica within the realm of Paradise. To fulfil the promise Amica herself had once made. ... I just want to see her. And I want her to be happy. If you come across her…