“I can’t believe it either!” Carys agreed (though essentially just repeating what she’d just said previously), giving a bob of her tiny, slightly dished head, never once losing the bright smile she wore. She could not recall when last she’d felt this awash with joy. It was so great it felt as if it were radiating from within; warmth that began in her chest and spread throughout her veins, tingling along her gold and white pelt.

As if she were a child again, Carys wanted to kick up her heels and race through the desert without a care. But with only one look to Orhan, Carys quietly suppressed the urge.

Not that Orhan appeared cross, nor did he kill whatever glee was inside her. Quite the opposite. Carys was not blind and could see weariness in the lines of his expression, despite the joy that rested there also. Her smile softened for him, sympathizing with his aches though she knew not why he had them. She was remembering him from before, when they’d met on these dunes. Everything was so familiar and yet… not.

“Only today?” She said, eyes going wide in surprise as she looked from Orhan to Arcana and back again. As he went for the water, Carys returned her attention toward Arcana. “That’s incredible! How… oddly wonderful.” The wide, bright smile became her again, as though she was never too far away from it. She marveled for a moment at the wonders of the world and how fate worked in such strange, beautiful ways.

A happy sigh fell with content from her mouth. “I’m so happy to see you both again.”

And she never wanted to be apart from them. Ever again.

She thought of why she left last and saddened, just softly so. Her head dropped an inch, maybe two, and her blue eyes searched Arcana’s kind face before they fell to the sand at their hooves. “I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye last time. I have never forgiven myself for it.” Her blue eyes went to Arcana again and darted, just briefly, to Orhan. The apology was for them both and it was most heartfelt. She placed a tentative step closer to Arcana and offered her muzzle, intent on including a kind nuzzle along with her words.