She felt even more alone than she had before as she paced uncertainly across the most open expanse of the Inlet. Her mother had kept her to the quiet edges of the forest, isolated from the majority of the herd. She knew little of the other residents of her chilly homeland, and the land remained foreign to her, but she was certain that she needed to do something. Her initial instinct to stay in place had not yielded results, so she sought help instead.

A figure moved toward her at speed and she stilled her hooves, her tiny muzzle lifting as she scented the stranger. The prospect of company both terrified and delighted her and she shivered, unable to stem the tiny flare of hope that this mare might be able to provide something to eat.

"Hi," she offered shyly, ducking her head and clacking her mouth. A bubble of hope swelled in her chest and she took a few tentative steps toward the mare. "Um, over there?"

She gestured toward the area from which she'd come, unsure of what else to refer to it as. Looking back reminds her of her mother and tears gather on her lower lashline. The slender filly ducks her head, ears splaying uncertainly for a moment as she considers the past. "Do you know where my momma is? Or Annie? I-I can't can't f-f-find them."

Her grasp of the language falters as the emotion rises within her, and sobs are held at bay with only the most massive effort. Lakota does not know this mare, but she has had precious little reason to distrust someone who seems nice. So she steps forward hesitantly at first, before her base desire to be comforted overrides her caution and with the blind trust of the very young, Lakota closes the remaining gap quickly and buries her head and neck against the mares forehand.

The dam breaks then and she cries quietly against this stranger's shoulder, her entire lean body pressed up against her with a hunger for touch she hadn't known she possessed.