Faolain’s head tilted in a cat-like expression of curiosity as Ailill described dancing with a partner. Faolain had done few things with a partner, and of those things, almost none of them involved touching. She had groomed others before, but the purpose of that gesture was clear and easy to understand, as was its social context. This was… much more complex. Still, she could understand the champagne stallion’s description of the act, which further cemented her idea that this was a form of meditation. Was dancing with a partner like meditating with a partner? She had never considered doing such a thing in any manner other than isolation. There was a first time for everything, she supposed; it couldn’t hurt to try.

Faolain allowed Ailill to step close, swinging his body so they were parallel to one another. His warning of touch beforehand was welcome, and the Akhal-Teke expressed this with a relieved smile and a quick bow of her head. She always liked to know what she was getting into; the black mare wasn’t a fan, per se, of surprises. If Ailill had touched her without permission, Faolain might not have chased him away, but her impression of him would have darkened - which, if this dancing was anything like meditation, would have been a substantial obstacle in her path toward the release and synchronization Ailill had described. Her respect for him grew because of his decision to inform her transparently of his intentions.

Even with the advantage of their smooth onset, Faolain discovered that picking up the rhythm was tricky. Ailill’s instructions were helpful, but not stepping on his hooves - and being wary of her own small hooves being trodden - was a distracting worry she seemed unable to banish. She felt she might need Ailill to lead her through the motions a hundred times before she would get it right.

With time and repetition, however, the thought slowly abated. In fact, it only took a handful of motions for her to realize she was just over thinking; once aware, Faolain effectively cleared her mind, focusing only on the heartbeats. Why had she not done this before? The steps fell in neatly, though she would need practice if she wanted it to look pretty at all. Luckily, she cared little how it looked, focusing her efforts into making it enjoyable.

As they stepped, Faolain relaxed and listened as Ailill spoke of Siobhan and his daughter. It made her feel less nervous about Siobhan and the fillies, knowing Ailill was supporting them. She had felt guilty over their disappearance into the depths of the jungle to avoid her, the stranger who had taken over their home, but she could not expect them to trust her ability to protect them. She could not expect them to know exactly what to do or where to go after their lives had been uprooted. It would take time, but she breathed a gentle sigh of relief; with Ailill, they had the luxury of time to decide what to do.

”I do not know you,” Faolain began after giving the golden stallion a few moments of silence to think about his words. It wasn’t that she was reconsidering her offer, and she hoped it did not come across that way. She was still partially in a meditative state, so speaking aloud was a slow process, but she was also trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to say. She had spent a bit of time in the presence of other leaders, and discovered that there was a language of leadership that she wasn’t sure she liked. It had gotten into her head for the past few days - mainly when she was thinking about approaching the members of the previous Ridge herd - and now she was trying to dispel it. Ailill deserved transparency, and so did Siobhan and her daughters. Not the hollow, carefully constructed jargon of authority.

”I do not know you, yet,” she began again. ”I would like the chance to get to know you, and Siobhan and her daughters. It would honor me if you stayed here, and I appreciate your offer of protection more than you know.” She smiled then as they pivoted, a genuine smile with a hint of dry humor behind it. ”I’m sure you’ve noticed by now; I’m at a bit of a physical disadvantage when it comes to fighting off enemies all by myself.”