For awhile it had seemed as though the blanketed stallion had come to some sort of unspoken agreement with Rougaru. He kept his head down, performed the border patrols, and minded his small family. Of course, he’d had qualms about the silver bay - his attitude toward females remained a source of dismay for Gnome, as well as the war. Lilika’s sudden arrival and the birth of his son had distracted him from his discomfort for a time, but another stallion had appeared shortly before the heat of Paradise had become too oppressive.

Gnome had observed from afar; he did not miss the demeanor of the painted chestnut, nor the fresh, earthy scent of the Prairie. This piqued his interest. Had he been traded to Rougaru as well? Not wanting to ruffle feathers, he had kept his distance despite his intense curiosity and continued to tend to his family.

That is, until a few nights prior. The sun had fallen and Gnome had watched from afar as a dark mare blanketed in white had been ushered onto the shore. There was no outward violence, and he had been unable to hear their words, but the tone of her voice had been tense. Her body language, too, spoke that she did not wish to come. Rather than the mingled scents of the common, she carried with her another aroma of Luthien. Gnome couldn’t place it exactly, but in addition to the woody, earthen scents of the island there was a strong scent of heat and stallion - not Rougaru. Unease had settled into his heart. It seemed that Rougaru could not release whatever vendetta he held against Luthien.

Gnome knew in his heart that staying in Paradise any longer than necessary would be wrong. He needed to get Lilika and Veles and Corzan away from this place. He set out looking for the painted chestnut from the Prairie. Maybe, despite his association with Rougaru, Gnome could appeal to this stranger to allow him return to the Prairie. He had to be careful how he played his hand, however. The last thing he would want is to direct more of Rougaru’s negative attention at his old homeland.

His hooves dug into the sandy earth as he ventured down to the coast this evening, assuming that a resident of the Prairie, like he used to be, would prefer to stay more in the open rather than in the tangles of the jungle. The sun was setting, casting a golden-orange glow on Paradise. It truly was beautiful here, though this thought left a bitter taste in his mouth knowing what he now knew.

The younger stallion was standing on the beach, apparently alone. Gnome cleared his throat as he approached, as the sand was muffling his steps. He kept his distance and lowered his head when he had stopped, lest the other male feel threatened by him. “Evening. I know this might seem out of nowhere, given that you’ve been here awhile and I have yet to introduce myself…but, well, I wanted to introduce myself.” He paused for a moment, and offered a small smile. “I’m Gnome, the Beta here. Are you from the Prairie?”

Gnome