Solomon knows that he is not alone in his grief, but knowing it in his mind was different from truly understanding it. Despite the way that the Ridge guardians seek to comfort him with words and worried expressions, the lean tobiano knows that the added guilt makes his grief that much harder to bear. As much as he might like to push some of the blame onto their shoulders for not visiting, he could not do so in good conscience. It had been his responsibility to keep Çiçek safe, and he had failed.

Even as he rambles out his request for an alliance, he knows that he is crumbling. This had been his last best hope, the only other place he could fathom that she would run to if not to him. To know that she was not here among the guardians of the Ridge meant that she was really gone, not just gone from him. As if sensing his quick descent into blubbering, Rivaini stepped forward and embraced him, offering just enough support to prevent him from turning tail and fleeing into the respite of the ocean. Solomon does not move - he cannot or he will disintegrate into a thousand small regrets - but his eyes slide closed and he takes a shaky breath in against the chocolate skin of Rivaini's neck.

After a long moment and a shaky exhale, he abandons his rigid caution and steps forward into her embrace to hook his neck over her shoulder. It is not the same as hugging Çiçek, but it's some small measure of comfort to know that she is here and that he won't be the only one to hold her in his heart, even if she was gone. Still, being this close to Rivaini - whose coat was saturated in the scent of the jungle and the heavy flowers therein - was its own sweet torture and after a moment he releases her with a somber smile and steps back to give her space.

"Thank you," he says softly, although whether it is meant in regards to her offer to continue searching or for the hug is unclear. His gaze rises to Faolain then, and he listens quietly as she lays out her own relationship with Rougaru. He can sense the tension beneath the surface, but considering what little he knows of his Paradisian ally hinged mainly on the silver stallion's mutual dislike of mare leaders, he is not surprised to sense that there was more that was being left unsaid.

"It is a good decision on his part, although not one I would expect from him. Clearly, you've impressed him as well." Solomon's gaze dropped then and switched to the beach as it spiraled away from them toward Paradise and the Shore. He wasn't sure he was fully recovered enough to face down Rougaru, but perhaps he could take his time by circling back to Xiomara first. They were not true allies, not yet, but he would be a fool to turn down any help he could get in searching for Çi.

Sighing softly, he nodded to himself and looked between the two of them. "I should be going now. I'll let you know as soon as I know anything." A somber half-smile managed to curl on his lips as he made his farewell. "Take care you two." Then, without waiting for any more sappy goodbyes that would further ruin his resolve, he turned and picked his way away from them at a resolute trot. The sooner he got all eyes looking for her the better.

Solomon