The beast did not turn back, but that did not stop Hymn from listening for him, certain he would continue to be a threat until his attention turned elsewhere or he was ousted from Paradise somehow. Sigurdr's proclamation brought her back to the present and she blinked twice before focusing back on him. Beside her, Promise's attention was raptly fixed on the monochrome stallion, curious as to how he knew her momma's name.

Safe. He'd said, but was she? He'd said that before, or if the exact words had not left his lips, he'd at least implied it with his claim. The elder mare drew in a breath but did not immediately speak, watching silently while he lowered his head to speak to their daughter. It occurred to her that for Promise, this man was nothing but a stranger. A helpful wanderer who had opted to stand in for them when Lucifer tried to test his boundaries with Annubis, but ultimately still a stranger.

Would it be better for her if he remained that way? If Hymn turned them both to the greenery and chose this life, this new life, with Annubis?

"Lucifer," their daughter replied in her mother's stead, fascinated with the new stallion. "He's the beta stallion under 'Nubis," she offered with a helpful, eager grin. She was rarely morose, and even now was eager to make a good impression on this new arrival. After all, he might be as good at playing treasure hunt and tag as Annubis was.

"And this is my momma, Hymn, but you seem to know her already, dont'cha?" Heat flushed across Hymn's cheeks and she reached to touch her daughter's shoulder, causing the filly to look up at her momma with a questioning look.

"Yes," she confirmed, swallowing her nerves. "Promise, meet your father... Sigurdr."

Speechless, for once, and suddenly bashful, Promise turned her wide green eyes toward her father and simply stared as if she were seeing a ghost.