Gentle ripples tickled Faolain’s thin legs as Rivaini followed her into the water. She turned to look at the reddish mare, offering a cheeky smile. "I thought water was cursed with you in it," she joked, though she made no move to step out just yet, and her eyes slid back to watch the glassy surface as she listened to the other mare speak. She had not expected words of an affectionate nature from Rivaini, at least not toward Faolain, and she blinked slowly - much like a cat in a show of trust - and nodded her dark head. "Moments like this have been rare in our lives. I hope they become less so."

Finally she did step out of the water, but her ears remained focused on Rivaini, and she faced the lake as she nosed the ground for a bite of grass. She listened to the silver bay’s fears, and her gut clenched a bit at the suggestion of separating again. Rivaini was right, and Faolain could understand both the logical standpoint of keeping watch over the Ridge while Rivaini journeyed back, as well as any emotional reasoning her companion might have. She could not be certain, and she knew it was technically none of her business, but Faolain had considered Rivaini’s desire to be reunited with Iscariot without an audience. It was not something Faolain had ever experienced, at least from the siblings’ side, but she knew that emotions acted differently with a stranger present, and Faolain had been the stranger last time. She did not mind, but she also did not wish Rivaini and Iscariot to hold back from each other. Until now, it seemed it had been the two of them against the world. Even if Rivaini had asked Faolain to stay purely for the sense of normalcy, the black mare would have done so.

But she did still worry. One guardian of their home was better than none, but it was not ideal. Still, it was their only option. She nodded, grateful for the clarity and conciseness of Rivaini’s plan. It was always good to think ahead, and to think of all possibilities, even if some of them were bad. She nodded gratefully to the other mare. "I will be here for you both, when you return," she said, in case it wasn’t obvious. It probably could have gone without saying.

Faolain discovered it was easier to banish her fears of the unknown by planning for all outcomes, as Rivaini had done. There were many uncertainties in their future, but she found there were many certainties as well. She was certain she would fight for their home if the challenge arose, and she was certain they would remain together even if the Ridge was taken. They could always find a different home, even if they had to return to the Crossing for a time, and it would always be okay as long as they remained together. It was a comforting thought.