The rose-gray mare took to prowling the lower hills in the early morning hours when Ryvar still slumbered in dreamland. The assault from the silver-haired beast had left its mark upon the small bay filly, turning her usually happy dreams to nightmares. Many a night since Marceline beat the Lagoon boss back, Khar’pern awakens to the little filly mumbling and cringing against her flank. It would take time for her to learn that she had nothing to fear for as long as she lived in the Peaks, but what if Marceline had not been there? What if they returned?

these thoughts plague her mind and cause her to seek her own company if only to free her daughter from the shadows of concern that dance behind her own eyes. Ice and snow crunch beneath her jagged hooves as Khar’pern crosses the open hillside, finding comfort in the cold of the winter wind that snakes its way down the mountain slope. The Arabic mare has grown used to the cold zephyrs here, but her body has never quite grown the same thick winter coat as some of the other mares. A shiver races down her spine as she pauses to cast her silver eyes over the serene landscape that stretches before her. It was peaceful, but not entirely as lonely as she first believed.

Pale gaze settles on the tri-colored mare that stood with her gaze scanning the distant horizon. She too, seemed lost deep in thought but not as at peace as Khar’pern herself felt. Even from this distance, the ex-minister can see the myriad of emotions that hang behind the mare’s azure eyes. For a moment, Khar’pern debates over altering her own path and leaving the mare to her thoughts. However, something in the stillness of her form causes the mare of pre-dawn hues to huff a soft breath into the stillness, alerting the woman of her approach before moving slowly to stand aside her. ”A beautiful sight isn’t it?” she begins, pausing a moment to let the words linger between them before continuing again, a warm smile curving the corners of her ashen labrums upwards in the beginnings of a smile. ”Not many ever see such views in their lifetime. It always reminds me of how small we are and how large our world is….” she murmurs, letting her voice trail off for a moment before turning her clear gaze to her new companion. ”My name is Khar’pern by the way. I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting before....”