Despite her few years upon this earth, Veles had known far too many troubles. She had shared her history with Gnome on how she had come to be on the islands. How her family had given her back to the earth by sending her out to sea. But the sea had brought her here instead, offering her another chance at life instead of taking the sacrifice she had been willing to make. Though Veles cried, and mourned, she did not wish to waste that chance. Although, she did wish that the world was as kind as the stallion before her. She could hear the catch in his voice as he spoke. As if her tears were contagious and threatened to make him cry. He also offered her the comfort of scent, in which she dragged in on careful breaths when he had extended his nose. Just as Veles did not pull away when he pressed his gentle muzzle against her cheek. It helped to calm her breathing, to steady her and ground her where before she had been lost to the swirling blackness that had threatened to drown her.


“You do not have to go.” Veles finally said, once she felt grounded enough to speak again. It was in those moments she wondered if perhaps she should have sought out Gnome, to tell him of the disappearance of his son. So that maybe the stallion could go to search for him. Or in the very least, hate her for what she had done. Rather than standing here like a coward, soaking in the comfort from a stranger. Veles wondered if she even deserved that comfort.


“Please do not leave me alone.” The young mare finally whispered, the words escaping before she even realized she spoke them. The thought of returning to solitude when the stallion went on to find his sister caused her heart to skip a beat, and an ache of anxiety to fill her chest. “I…. I have lost my son.” Veles could barely speak the words to tell him why she was in such an emotional state. “I do not want to be lost too.”