The isle of Atlantis had brought many surprises. There were creatures here that Gnome could not have dreamed up in his wildest imagination – the colorful birds were his favorite – and vibrant foliage that stimulated all of his senses at once. Even the texture of the earth shifted; sometimes it seemed with each step he felt something different beneath his hooves, from the shifting of sand to the rigidity of stone. Possibly the most unpredictable surprises he’d encountered were the sudden storms that would arise out of nowhere. One minute the sky shone blue, and a few moments later heavy iron clouds would arrive to hang low and release their deluge. He had to admit that they brought a welcome reprieve from the heat.

Gnome spent most of his days methodically, almost robotically, patrolling the borders of Paradise. He was not particularly enthusiastic about doing Rougaru’s bidding, but he was trying to be grateful for a safe home for the time being. Still, it was getting monotonous to trot the same path, day after day. He had yet to run across anyone who didn’t belong.

The splotched dun and white stallion expected today to be no different. He navigated smoothly through the denser parts of the territory, moving along the borders with the Ridge and Shore. When he was halfway to the beach, the sky dimmed suddenly and a gale picked up, teasing at his pale red mane. He paused for a moment, debating whether to turn back and finish this patrol later. Deciding to just get it over with, he ducked his head against the wind and pushed on as the rain began to fall. By the time he reached the coastline, the waves were quite high. He blinked against the heavy raindrops as he turned to continue further south, resolving to get this done as quickly as possible.

His plan was foiled by the sudden appearance of a very large, very waterlogged stranger. Gnome was so startled by the change in routine that he forgot to react for a few moments. He watched the cream-colored draft trot inland and out of sight, and then realized that this was exactly why he was still out in this ridiculous storm. With a shake of his head, he too headed toward the copse of palm trees. By the time he reached it, the new arrival was huddled beneath one of the trees. As soon as Gnome caught sight of him, he called out. ”Hey!” His tone was not unfriendly; it was not really in his nature. Aloof, perhaps, but not unwelcoming.

As he drew nearer, Gnome thought he noticed something familiar about the other stallion, but couldn’t quite place why. The wetness of the rainstorm dampened any scent he might otherwise have been able to pick up. Water rolled down his nose, dripping to the saturated earth, as his mismatched eyes scanned from the perlino’s feathered hooves up to his face. ”Hey…do I know you?”

Gnome