Quiet thunder rumbled through the humid summer air, soft enough that Faolain could still hear the sound of hooves coming toward her. She looked up as Rivaini called out to her, leaving her brother behind in a metaphorical cloud of dust. Faolain responded with a whinny of her own, stepping out of the shallow water to nearly collide with the silver bay. She wound around her friend like a cat before dashing after her into the water, a squeal leaving her lips at the nip that left no actual sting on her neck, only a slight ticking sensation.

It was freeing to do something as childish as play in the water with her companions. The weight of the past few weeks seemed to wash away, and when she turned to greet Iscariot as he followed his sister, her face held an uncharacteristic expression of giddy joy.

"I’ve missed you," she said, and though her face was at this moment pressed against Iscariot’s shoulder as he was pressed against her, the sentiment was intended for both of them. "I’m sorry I’ve been absent." When she pulled away, her expression was a bit more sober, but still bright with happiness at the company of her friends. "How have you been? Was the swim alright?" It was dawning on her that she had not seen them since Rivaini left to guide Iscariot to Atlantis, except for her brief meeting with Iscariot on the beach with Shamwari. Guilt crept into her mind at the memory of that meeting, which felt so long ago. She did not like the way Iscariot’s excitement had dissolved that day, and she felt even guiltier about not having found him sooner to check on him.

Part of her wanted to release her frustrations and vent to the siblings, but a bigger part of her just wanted to forget about her responsibilities for now. She should be grateful for this time, and enjoy it while it lasted; she hoped she would not experience such distance from her friends again as they all adapted, but there was no way to tell for sure, and she did not want to take it for granted.

Instead, as she listened to any stories they might have about their new jungle home or the journey over, she began to scrape her teeth against first Iscariot’s withers, then Rivaini’s. Grooming made her think of her meeting with Ailill, and the strangeness of his dancing. She still did not fully understand the act, and witnessing it made her appreciate the straightforwardness of grooming a companion. In Faolain’s mind, grooming was helpful and easily reciprocated. It was a good way to show someone that you cared. Faolain had seen others groom in the past, but before her first day in the Ridge with Rivaini, she had rarely participated.

It was soothing. It was soothing just to exist here with her companions. For the time being, Faolain let herself forget about the scarier changes to her life and embraced only this one.