With the onset of the cooler weather and red-gold leaves of breeding season has come a realization for Evren. Having lived through a dozen autumns in her life, she's no stranger to the rush of hormones this time of year - or the restlessness and shorter tempers they bring - but the added context of Aysu's loss has made them that much harder to ignore. There's been a hole inside her the past six months: a hole which, she now realizes, can only be filled by a child.

She's given herself the first few weeks of autumn to mull this over, during which time she's kept a close eye on Arkana and the other girls. Eadaz and Sabran in particular have shown significant interest in exploring outside the sanctuary of the Forest, but Evren has not scented any stallions on them yet. In contrast, Arkana has shown little interest in leaving the Forest at all. While the young mare is somewhat more of her old smiling, sweet, and playful self than she had been six months ago after giving birth, the entire order seems to have shaken her and made her much more cautious. For that, Evren is grateful, though deep down her heart aches to see her daughter so traumatized. Evren knows all too well what it is to lose a child at such a young age, whether you had wanted it or not.

Twigs crack beneath her hooves as she follows the trails searching for Persephone one cool, overcast day. Though she smiles when she finally spots the roan mare through the trees, nerves are lodged in her throat like a stone as she approaches her. "There you are," she says, playfully lipping at the soft tip of Persephone's ear. "Thought you could escape from me, hm? Let's walk. I need a distraction from my thoughts."