Should Vodnik be happy about the sudden appearance of a daughter? Should he feel proud that she braved difficult travels to seek him out? Should he feel anything when he looks in her face, so like his own, and so like his mother's? He doesn't know what he should feel, but the truth is, he feels nothing.

Rowena's presence on the Ridge is, if anything, a nuisance to him. She is looking for guidance and seeks answers in Vodnik but Vodnik wants nothing more than to see her gone. He has no answers for her. He cannot breed her due to her close relation. Her bright innocence makes for insufferable company. She is of no use to him, except perhaps in a trade.

Vodnik has been contemplating his next move in his quest to acquire Macabre. It does tempt him to offer Ailill a trade, his daughter for Macabre, but such diplomacy would be out of character for the iron-fisted Vodnik. It would, however, be nice to get rid of the useless filly, and work on forging alliances instead of fueds with his neighbor. Hasn't he been trying to turn a new leaf and become more a leader and less the aggressive bachelor he once was?

Winding through the wooded slopes of his Ridge, Vodnik allows his thoughts to send his awareness adrift. The darkness under the canopy is nearly complete, but his horse's eyes have no difficulty navigating through the dark shapes of trees around him. He almost dismisses the flash of silver for a shimmer of moonlight in his periphery, but something compels him to do a double take.

The bay stallion feels the full force of reality return as his eyes fall upon the silhouette of a strange mare. All thoughts of Rowena, Ailill, and Macabre are forgotten in her image. She is stunning.

The stallion let's loose a low nicker of greeting. There is a question in the tone. Why is she here?