OOC: Once she settles down in front of Zjeena it's really just a bunch of her making faces so if you don't want to read the pointless length of Grier's thinking, feel free to skip to the last 4 paragraphs <3

I swear tae the gods I will murder him. Grier though venomously as she stumbled up the beaches of paradise, more than grateful to let the waves do the pushing. In all honesty, she wasn't even sure which "him" she was referring to. Both of 'em. I'll kill both o'em. Jus as soon as I can friggin breathe again.

It was all she could do to keep her knees from buckling gratefully as the threat of drowning faded behind her; her winter coated sides heaved with the effort of dragging in each precious breath against the burn of the seawater in her throat. Even in the height of summer, Grier wasn't what you would call a fit specimen, nor was she physically built for long periods of constant activity. This swim, on top of it being the middle of the damned winter and with a foal swelling her belly meant that it had been a gamble for her to even make it here.

Selfish ass. She heaved her figure up the sandy beach, her gaze going first to the lush green jungle that spread out before her. It was so absolutely foreign for her to look at that she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. It looked nothing like her old homeland, although she could sense the mystery that underlaid it, just like home. That soothed a bit of the mare's fear, although there was something ominous to looking at a wall of jungle that stretched many times over her head.

As she looked back down, her gaze slid over the young mare that was acting as a guard and a chaperone. Dunno who's side t'e lass is on, she thought as she trudged past her, nowt like it matters in t'e end. Still, there is no softness in the pony mare's face as she pads her way toward the grullo mare that stands before them, her tiny ears tucked so far into her thick mane that it would not be unreasonable to assume that she didn't have any to begin with.

Wordlessly, Grier approaches and then thinks better of it and looks for Pidgeon before settling down. The spotted mare was the only friendly face that she really knew by more than just name. Once settled, she looks toward the lead mare again, eyes narrowing as she considered her. I's she t'e one all t'e fuss is abowt? Grier vaguely recognized her scent; it had been on the shores of their home very briefly in the fall although she'd never really laid eyes on the mare.

Once the herd is all settled, she begins speaking, her cadence and tone measured. As she apologizes for the swim, the faintest flicker of softening can be seen on Grier's face. At least she's got manners. Very quickly, the mare begins to paint a portrait of her initial claimer that makes Grier reconsider what little she knows about Liland. Most of the first part of the mare's speech just sounds like typical stallion stupidity. Course 'e wouldn't listen to the lass's wisdom; e's a male. They only think with the one part o' their body that does no thinking at awl.

Still, the thought of a young mare that had given up as much as she could - liberty, time, foals, patience, love - to have to sit, captive, in someone else's lands while the stallion who claimed to love you did nothing to bring you home? It moved Grier in a way she hadn't thought it would and she finds her lips curling into a frown at the thought. Even more so considering the rumors of the lengths and dramatics that Liland went to over Wren. Mebbe all this with 'er changed 'im? An' that's why 'e was so adamant about Wren? She considered the questions silently, her gaze still on Zjeena.

The blonde mare does not judge Zjeena for letting Rougaru have his way. It was a business deal and from the sounds of it, the brown stallion hadn't put any demands on the mare. Liland's reaction, however, has a dark look brewing her Grier's gaze. Aye, I don't 'ave much loyalty to the lad other than the wean, but if'n 'e means tae use ma wee one for any sad such bargaining he's mighty wrong. It's mine more'n it's his. He can be it's da jus as much as t'e next shit for brains stallion. This thought makes her consider Rougaru in a new light. She knew little of him, ultimately. Most of the things that she knew of him were not great. What she had seen is that he was not adverse to making a small herd including two pregnant mares and foals swim the ocean in the winter. Definite bad mark. He was also not afraid to start an all out fight only scant feet away from said mares. Also not great.

However, from the way Zjeena spoke of him, the silver stallion was clearly not all bad.

Makes sense why t'e lad was afraid o' being interrupted in t'e Commons. She clearly remembered the way Liland had rushed her out with hardly more than a hello. Even then she'd felt very much like she was just a number he needed to collect, which is only reinforced by Zjeena's commentary regarding his pure blooded queen. Nowt that there's much tae look at here, really. But 'e seemed distant with Pidge too, and she'd been there longer. Plus she's a right bonny lass.

As the mare concludes her speech, the same not-quite-yearling colt that had lurked near Liland when they said their goodbyes spoke up. His words rubbed Grier the wrong way. Not only did he speak as though he were a full adult, but he seemed to have ignored the emotion in the mare's face and the heartfelt way that she laid it all out there. If Zjeena had stolen them to pad Rougaru's herd, that was one thing, but the mare was offering to let them all walk free. To once again seek out a new home.

At the colt's comment about Liland loving them all equally, the disgruntled pinto audibly scoffs. 'E was kind, sure. But love? 'E hardly knows anything abowt me. Not that I minded them, but 'e can hardly claim to have loved me without even knowin' ma past. Her thick tail switches the remnants of sea water over her coat as she ponders her own reply. Confusion colors her face at the colt's mention of someone being killed, as she hadn't heard anything regarding a death in the mare's words. Still Grier knows little of the equines that Zjeena spoke of, so she has no idea if an implication was made that she completely missed, or if the colt was simply making it up.

Further still, she finds the dramatic mentioning of the wolves again to grate her the wrong way. He was a capable herd stallion that had allies, apparently, and other herds on the land of Tinuvel. Perhaps he could speak to that independent buckskin mare and they could share a territory. Even if t'e lad doesnae wanna do so, there's always the commons. 'E could look for some new Fjord mare to keep 'im warm at night.

Clearing her throat gruffly the mare let her gaze pass over Pidgeon, curious as to her decision, before focusing on Zjeena. She nods her head once, a paltry way to acknowledge the soul baring the mare just did, but it is at least some sort of acknowledgement. "Thank ye lass, for that 'n all. It's much tae think on and I'm sorry fer yer troubles."

She glances toward the forest again before looking back to the mare and then to the colt. "Apologize to yer da fer me lad, but I'm not fit for another swim back. Nor am I willing tae risk ma wean on a swim back to a snowy land."

She hadn't really considered the luxuries such a warm territory would offer in the throes of winter and while she is certain that the thick plush of her winter coat would soon become a pain to deal with, it might be nice to not have to wear her hooves digging for slivers of frost bleached grass. "I'll be stayin' 'ere with miss Zjeena til spring at least, when the wean is born and strong."

Grier turns her gaze back to the mare with a curt nod of her head. It was not to Rougaru that Grier would look, it would be to Zjeena. If a girl could go through such a heartbreak and still be waiting on this side of it strong and undaunted, then she was a mare worth following. At least for now. Come Spring, she would decide where she would head next, whether it be to Liland, the Commons, or further into this accursed jungle.