Sciannath and Claudya had grown and occasionally started to behave to the point where Adelheid felt more comfortable leaving them in the care of Wasp or Feuerherza. There were even times she had left them alone in their little clearing, after they had gone on adventures and she knew the duo would be resting, their curiosities satisfied for the day. The mare could not help but relish the time she had away from her children. She hated to admit the depth of her love for the young faces so often looking up at her every day. At the times she could get away she felt as though she were able to breath and steady herself. The days had gone on. With every hour she feared her ability to properly care for the lives that had come to depend on her. They had started to grow into their bodies and live in their skins. Adelheid hoped they had been growing in confidence and she had not been overbearing, but also not so absent they ever doubted they were loved by her, though she showed it in odd and curious ways. Her heart broke deep in her chest every time she looked down at them when she tried to take down her walls and let them in. She was lucky the two of them were so endearing their glances and their voices were enough to occasionally reduce her walls to rubble.

As the sun rose over the mountains, their long shadows were cast over the rolling hills of the lower lands. It was a day the Codebreaker felt would be good to take a walk around the Peak itself. Early in the day she handed the foals off to their favorite caretakers, confident they would behave better for a baby-sitter than for her. She moved easily along the well worn trails of the mountains. It was a patrol she had walked many times before. The ease of the travel almost automatic. As she started to traverse the paths leading further up into the mountains she hesitated. Rocks were more out of place than they would have for one just patrolling. Adelheid hesitated and lowered her nose to sniff at the scrapes on the trail. The metallic scent of blood stung her senses. In an instant she was on edge. Tension pierced through her. Concern for whoever was walking around, bleeding, she followed the disturbed trail higher into the mountains. The trail quickly started to turn treacherous. The mare balked at the thought of climbing higher. A year ago the proud Vulcan would have pressed on, heedless of her own danger and determined to find whoever was broken and bleeding in her home. Now, there were two other souls that could suffer if harm were to come to her. Baring her teeth in anger at herself, Adelheid called into the sky, issuing a promise this was not over, not knowing if whoever she had been following could hear her vow. Growling to herself, she turned back to return to her children.

Throughout the day she led the children on possibly one of the more rigorous adventures they had been on. Once she returned to them she announced she was going to truly teach them the paths of the lowlands, should they ever grow to need to know how to patrol. She took them on new trails, showing them what to look for if anything had been out of the ordinary. While she taught them, she looked for more signs of who had entered the Peak. As the day wore on, she was finding very little in regards to her target. To her distracted surprise the children had come to show themselves as apt investigators. In the back of her mind Adelheid made a note to foster these skills of theirs.

The sun started to kiss the eastern Peak and sunlight would soon become precious. Concern flickered in the Codebreaker’s throat. They had not seen any other clear signs of the wounded wanderer. With a glance at her children, she hoped they had been tired out by the day. Before sunset had truly gripped the territory she returned them to the clearing. With gentle brushes long their bodies, she tucked them into the safety. If she was swift, she hoped she would be able to do one more pass before the day was done and hope was lost. With a nod to others, trusting them once again to keep her children safe, she cantered away to walk the trails one last time.

It was not long before Adelheid stopped in her tracks. Deep grooves cut into the soft dirt under the grass. At first, Adelheid had to fight from being sick. A flash of a memory. A body falling from the sky, crashing down on a young filly into a pile of bones and sticks. Stilling herself, she moved again, knowing the situation was getting dire.

At last, she laid eyes on a two toned mare. The release of tension left Adelheid breathless. A quick look over her from the distance, it was clear this was the one she had been concerned about all day. Hey! she called after her, picking up to bring herself to the mare’s side. Dark eyes flickered over the mare, taking in her injuries and glanced up in the direction she had been going. Hey… her tone was more gentle now but trailed off. Adelheid actually did not know how to handle what stood before her. Uh, I don’t know where you are going. But it is late, and… you seem injured… She stood awkwardly. Her time in the Peak had given her far more skills to deal with intruders and stallions she wanted to chase from the haven. Accepting someone in to take care of them was otherwise completely forgien to her. Her children proof of this. She looked at the mare’s face, the tear stains obvious on her cheeks. Her head quirked to the side, attempting to adopt the body language her mute friend had animated to her many times. Are…. you … are you okay? Instantly, Adelheid regretted this question. With a snort her body language snapped to her instinct. Ears flicked back and she even shook her head in disgust at herself. Obviously you are not okay. What happened? This was a better question she figured, pleased with herself. Now at least she could possibly figure out what to do next.