Desert

No trace of irritation manages to escape the firm control that the chocolate mare holds over her emotions, but Vivienne reads the promise of it in the slight pause before she replies, and in the way her eyes grow fierce in contemplation. The young girl hardly took any offense. She was untried, untested, and unknown. As likely to be a lead weight around Nyimara's ankles as she was any sort of help, and by virtue of their sire, also predisposed to a streak of independence that would not be quelled.

Vivi hums softly in response to Nyimara's agreement, but does not elaborate. In truth, her irritation with Paradise's population had far less to do with the bodies themselves and far more to do with the fact that it was simply harder to sharpen her claws on creatures that were wary of her. How would she learn to ply her mother's trade better than her dam if all of her subjects refused to play ball?

Together the finely matched pair of mares - alike enough to be mistaken for mother and daughter rather than siblings - sauntered up the rise of a nearby hill to survey the land before them. What Vivienne saw was not particularly inviting. Instead of the dark, claustrophobic shadows of Paradise, wide-open and empty space rolled out as far as the eye could see, broken only by uneven hills and valleys devoid of easily recognizable plant life. In a way, the picturesque setting was almost inspiring, but it was certainly not why Vivi had bothered to swim two islands away. A pretty view was nice but hardly worth the effort.

Beside her, the silver-haired witch speaks again and Vivi casts her pretty dark eyes toward her to listen, fluted ears tipped to attention. The words she offered are more of the velvety sort of language that she had used in Paradise - the type that seemed superfluous, on the surface, but important if you listened. Not necessarily only because of what she was saying, but the how and the why of it. Nyimara had something up her sleeve, if the young mare had to guess, and was winding up for the main event.

"But you are not tame, are you, Queen Nyimara?" Vivi offers softly, weaving a gentle compliment in, even as a mirroring smile twisted along her lips. And then it comes, and the girl chuckles softly, allowing her gaze to duck away for a moment before meeting her sibling's frankly. "Come now, sister. What could I possibly hope to offer you as proof of my worth?" Her finely dished head tilted sweetly. "All that I can call my own are my youth and good looks… and perhaps a passable imitation of a young girl's naivety."

Vivi lets a pause stretch for a moment, suspecting that the mention of her youth and looks had probably wiped out any brownie points she had managed to earn with her compliment. It struck her, suddenly, that Nyimara had no real reason to keep her around and that if she didn't play her cards right, she was likely to be escorted out with a few new scuffs on her pretty little rump.

"If you do not want me here, I shall take my leave and find a way to be useful to someone else." Her gaze tips away from Nyimara's briefly to dance back across the ocean in the general direction of her childhood home. "With the war, I'm sure daddy wouldn't mind me testing out the crossing." She contemplated pointing out how vulnerable a young girl like herself might be on the Crossing in the midst of fall, but thought better of it. Nyimara was a strong and capable mare, and if Vivi had to guess, would not be easily swayed by the prospect of any danger she might put herself in. "Besides," she finishes airily, returning her gaze back to the imposing mare. "I've accomplished most of what I intended to just by following you."

Tipping her head just so, Vivi allows a confident smile to spread across her pale lips. "Buuut, should you want me to stay... I can become whatever you want me to be."

Movement to their side announces the arrival of yet another young mare - and clearly not one from Paradise. Despite her sudden and unreasonable annoyance at being interrupted by a stranger, Vivienne offers a sweet smile that does not reach her eyes, and then turns back to Nyimara to gauge her reaction to this interloper crashing the tender family reunion.