The painted pony has a routine now, that she rarely deviates from. In the beginning of her stay here, it was necessary for her to feel any sort of the relief, and now it felt more like the motions of habit rather than a desperate race to see if she could cool off. Late morning meant a trip to the beach and her lone pine tree, where the ocean breeze could touch her and shade could mitigate the worst of the heat.

By the time afternoon hit, she had finally begun to take Gnome's advice and threaded her way through knee deep water until the sun no long made her want to pant. It always made her heart race to be that close to the fathomless depths, but it was either that or bake and she wasn't ready to die. Only in the late evenings and early mornings was she normally social, and even then, her time was largely spent with Pidgeon as it had in the Bay. Mares had so far served to be far better company than any of the stallions Grier had met since stepping onto the Lost Isles.

A movement, however, breaks Grier from her routine and her blue eyes track the grulla queen as she grazes. The pony had kept her distance since arriving, not wanting to step further into a situation that was clearly already fraught with drama, but her curiousity burned. She knew little of Zjeena, but what she had seen was definitely worth getting to know more deeply.

Tiny pink nostrils flutter with a gentle nicker before she approaches, a more open smile on her face than she'd offered to any of the other residents - save Pidge of course - on her lips. She's more o' a ruler than both boys put together. Too bad I can't pick 'er. Zjeena's kind greeting only reinforces this belief.

"Aye, we're getting used tae it, thank ye. Bit o' a shock, ne'er seen winter without a snow." The words are friendly as the pony mare settles, her pale leg cocking as she rested her weight. Sweat still gathered at opportune points of her body, but the worst of the acclimatization was passing. Still, she couldn't wait for her body to shed the thick fur of winter, even if it meant she would only be rounder about the middle.

"I hope ye don't mind me interruptin' ye. How're ye doin', all things considered?" Of this, Grier was genuinely curious. Not only had the start of the season been stressful for all involved, but Grier spent enough time on the beach to have scented Liland on the shores and heard his call for Zjeena. Honestly thought the man would call fer me, too, she muses as she listens for Zjeena's response. but I s'pose until the wean is born I'm hardly more'n a womb to 'im. Nae any different than in the Bay.

Finally after a pause she asks the question that's been niggling at the back of her mind since she came here. "I wanted to ask ye something, miss Zjeena, an I hope I dinnae come off too forward fer it. But why Rougaru?"

She pauses for a half a moment before considering, realizing that she hadn't exactly given the grulla mare much to go off of. "I get 'e's a handsome lad 'n all, but 'e seems tae be doing the same 'ol give an take that gets all men intae trouble eventually. What makes 'im different?"

There is no hostility in her voice as she asks, and open curiosity tints her blue eyes as she waits.