Smokey ears flickered uncertainly and the young mare looked crestfallen. It broke her heart to meet others her age who had already seemed to have seen the darker sides of life and lose the innocence that she seemed to have in spades. A loss of the belief in magic and joy in the world, or even just a distaste for adventure broke off a little piece of hope in the young woman. First with the shattering dreams that were once held by Adelheid, and now the possibility of them never existing in this colt. Still, she pressed on hopefully.

“I may not be here in a few weeks. I would love to see what this place is like now! So if I do come back I can see a world reborn.” Taika smiled excitedly. True to her nature, her eyes had already begun to roam, looking for a path least traveled she could traverse with or without a guide and companion on her adventure. Her mother would find her eventually.

Orhan’s reaction caught the mare by surprise. The force with which his weight shifted and stamped into the ground along with the look he gave her told her she had touched on something deeper than what she had expected. When the meaning behind his actions and his words came through to her she shifted back, recoiling sadly from the son she had accidentally caused pain to. Instead of backing away completely, she did study his face and his features, trying to see her friend in his lines and his eyes. Their colorings completely different, there were still signs of each other there. Or so she told herself. Lowering her head, she reached out gently to him, ears flicking, hoping she would say the right thing. “She was my first friend on these islands. The last time I saw her she spoke about how she was proud of her son. She loved you Orhan.”

She gave him a moment before jumping to the topic change, giving him a chance to follow her down either path. One of his mother, or one of her own offspring. “Old enough to get in over his head with the world around him.” she said, chuckling, her tail flicking across her back. “He means well, but does not always think about his actions before he does them.” Her expression turned guilty. It was her who had unleashed souls such as Taika and Ailill on the land. Restless and wild spirits who raced ahead without looking down the trails they blazed. “I appologize for him, and hope he does not do ill to you. Or if he does, he learns his lessons properly. Speaking easier, she looked over at Koray. “Your son?