ooc: Lmao I totally missed that Ailill was on the beach in the first post WHOOPS

With her hooves planted at the transition between sand and grass, Faolain watched the pale gold stallion swing around to face her. Lady Faolain, he said, and the inky mare blinked. No one had called her ‘lady’ before. The slender black ‘Teke had never thought of herself as a particularly feminine individual, and as such she rarely received feminine compliments. Usually, she would have disregarded the term ‘lady’ as incorrect, or a nuisance, depending on the context. The way Ailill said it though, made it sound like a title. It sounded regal.

But Faolain did not consider herself powerful in that sense, and she smiled and shook her head gently. "I’m flattered, but just Faolain is fine. Can’t let titles get to my head, after all." She watched silently as Ailill began to sway once again. Dancing. She was familiar with the word, but had never seen this expression of it. She knew it as a ritual for colorful birds, or for snakes just before battling. In these expressions, dancing had a purpose: to attract a mate, or to challenge. She could not tell what Ailill’s purpose was; she did not get the sense he was seducing her (though that sort of thing went over Faolain’s head every time it occurred, without fail) and she was even more certain he was not trying to provoke her to fight. "What is the purpose of it?" she asked, but he was already answering her question, or so she thought.

She did not understand how rhythm could be a purpose, but she enjoyed watching him demonstrate. The sighing of the waves and the whispering of the breeze were soothing, and Faolain’s body was softening with the heartbeat of the ocean. She was beginning to feel the way she did when she meditated, and then it clicked. That must be the purpose of Ailill’s dance; to clear the mind and heart and soothe the body. It must be his form of meditation, she thought, and she felt satisfied she had figured it out.

Until he offered to teach her, and Faolain was reminded that there was always more to learn. One should never be satisfied with the knowledge they have; one should always seek to know more.

The sleek mare nodded decisively. "Yes, please. I would like to learn." She stepped forward, letting the calm waves slide over her small, dark hooves. Facing Ailill, she awaited his instruction.