The dark maiden cast a westerly glance over her shoulder, looking back in the direction she'd come from. Far across the water lay the Ruins and what remained of her family. Her mother Zaulane had perished some months ago now, but the girl remembered the scene vividly. Who could possibly have known that a creature so small -- the black thing she recalled, laying crushed beneath her dam's hooves -- could have ended a full-grown mare so quickly?
Alicante had been heading east the last few days, though her heart wasn't in the journey. It had simply been too difficult to keep looking at her father and his other mares, who had lived and followed Vadim to the Ruins. Too difficult to watch little Dio whimper for their dam in his sleep. She had to escape. If only for a little while. Only until the pain stopped. It had to stop at some point, right?
The dark smoky black had only just willed the new bout of tears away when she noticed someone approaching her. It was a stallion, black as the night. He spoke gently to her from a few meters away, asking after her well-being and the morning around them. Alicante appreciated the space, leaning away from him. The small swish of her tail and the indirectness of her gaze were what betrayed her discomfort.
She had only just gotten used to those living in the Badlands when her dam died. Before then, Zaulane had kept them isolated in the wilds of the Crossing. Meeting strangers with any sense of confidence wasn't exactly in her wheelhouse, but.. he seemed nice enough, though definitely older than she was. He had even offered to show her around some of the sights nearby.
Alicante tried to straighten a little and offer a tentative smile as she began to win the struggle to speak to him. "Thank you, Zurok," Alicante said hesitantly. "I admire your enthusiasm. I.. suppose it would be nice to wander with someone new for a little while." A stray breeze lifted a few strands of her mane, fluttering the reddened tips against the dark span of her neck.