Dante visibly relaxed as the mare seemed to forget all her assumptions of him being an evil demon. His expression, however, first crumpled into confusion: first Malachite and now Aruna; these were not names he was familiar with from any lore he had ever heard. He opened his mouth hesitantly to ask who this Aruna person was, but the stranger continued then and he thought it best not to interrupt her lest she go back on her decision not to flee from or attack him.

“Of course,” he agreed eagerly, pleased by the mare’s offer of a fresh start. With a small, friendly smile, he lifted his head, calmer now, and offered her a polite introduction: “I’m Dante, welcome to the Paradise.”

Before she could respond, however, Dante noticed her attention being drawn elsewhere, and instinctively followed her gaze to watch as another unfamiliar mare came into view, splashed boldly with white. Cautiously, he took a step forward to stand beside his first visitor as she turned her head to question him. He squinted out at the young mare with his one good eye, but he couldn’t recall ever having seen her before.

“No.”

Uncertain, his mismatched gaze flickered back to the mare at his side for a moment before returning to the latest arrival. She wasn’t far away, and if she hadn’t already she would no doubt notice the pair stood staring at her any minute now. Not wanting to scare two unsuspecting women one after the other, he called out, whinnying quietly but hopefully loud enough to attract the mare’s attention before she was startled by them.

He was certainly a popular boy today.

DANTE
a man possessed of some radical notions