Arkana knows her sister well, and so Sabran’s reaction is not unexpected; if anything, it’s exactly what Arkana had hoped for, for teasing her sisters is one of the simplest pleasures she enjoys. Her smile broadens and her eyes glitter to see Sabran squirm at the mere idea of male attention, and when her face contorts into one of fearful borderline disgust, Arkana wheezes with laughter that ends with a coughing fit.

She’s blinking tears from her mismatched eyes when she’s finally able to respond. “I wouldn’t expect any less from you,” she says, reaching out to bump her dark muzzle against her sister’s roan shoulder. “In either sense, I mean.” Lifting her head, her gaze finds the dappled-green canvas of the canopy overhead, and she lets out a heavy sigh. “He didn’t say, but I don’t think he’ll keep me waiting for too long. At least, I hope.”

There’s a quiet moment in which Arkana is lost in a reverie as the breeze rustles the foliage all around them. When she comes to, her face is solemn, yet thoughtful. “What if he never comes, Sab? Maybe… Maybe you and I are destined to be like Mama and Aunt Sephy: forever bound to a life of spinsterhood.” Her lips pull to one side in a smirk, but even as the words leave her mouth they don’t feel quite right. While neither of their mothers seem interested in allowing a stallion to lead the herd or get in the way of their close bond - not even Shamwari - Arkana isn’t sure ‘spinster’ is an accurate way to describe them. There’s always been a cloud of ambiguity over their relationship, but it’s clear they are devoted to one another.

Arkana chews her lip and hesitates before voicing the thought that’s on her mind, as though she’s breaking some unspoken taboo by breathing it into existence. “This is a weird question, but… do you ever get the vibe that something’s going on between them? I’ve always kind of assumed it, but neither of them have ever said anything about it. Or am I crazy?” Her eyes are wide and shining with anticipation as she awaits her sister’s response.