Nothing in this entire situation had gone the way that Karlach had expected. Not the stallion. Not the first sister. Not even the second sister - although she was willing to give Harmonie a pass, given the weirdness she'd walked into.

Rather than feeling like she'd valiantly defended a sister in need against the ever-villanous Lagoon, she felt moreso like she'd crash landed into an emotionally charged scenario in which neither person played a part she was familiar with. Had it been any other scenario and had duty not glued her dark hooves to the stony floor, Kar might have booked it for the high peaks so she could mull over this strange encounter with the certainty she would not be interrupted.

She spared a glance for the red mare and the faintest smile of gratitude before the other graying mare commanded her attention again with a sudden lurch forward. Karlach took a step back, nostrils flaring, as she tried to work through what was going on here. The apology and then the thanks clashed against each other but the young mare absorbed them and then nodded, brow furrowed. "You're... um, you're welcome."

Her tail flicked at her haunches as the mare curled in on herself, leaving the younger mare uncertain on how to proceed. If this had been Ryvar (it wouldn't be, she'd be chasing the stallion away with teeth, too), she would have gone up and curled up beside her. But this mare was a stranger, and her situation stranger still.

Even so, she is a sister, and sisters were to be protected.

Frowning and tentative, Kar walked forward until she was just beside the paling mare. Lowering her head so that she could drop the volume of her voice, she peered at the mare with concern. "Are you okay?"