It'd been a few days since Pride had had any visitors. They came and went; there were enough of the Seven still around, and enough of his immediate family, that it wasn't uncommon at least. But it'd still been days, and so when he heard someone calling, his ears swept forward at once with pleasure. Both a visitor and family--that was good. Vivilene, if he wasn't mistaken.

His diamond armor was off, at the moment, stashed near the Throne--but that didn't stop Mischief from scampering over, leaning upward and waving paws in the air. He knew what she wanted: a free ride. The arctic hare was used to sitting on the armor, but he knelt nonetheless, allowing her to scramble up behind his shoulders, before he pushed up and moved on.

She braced herself, broadcasting cheerful energy along the familiar's link. Pride, for his part, found his mood improved: happy familiar, visiting family, it was hard to remain his usual stoic self. His approach toward where he'd heard Vivilene was swifter than usual, then, though with his typical precise, graceful steps. His hooves clicked on approach, and he called out: "Here; Vivilene, was that you?" It could be difficult to hear her, at times, but he-

Oh. A fawn? No, he realized, drawing closer. A foal. A--what was it. A horse. Yes? I think that was it--a horse. Now he was curious, too, but he kept a polite expression as he approached, inclining his head in greeting. "Hello," he offered, to them both.

The fact that Filth was a foal made its transgressions, minor as they were, wholly forgivable. "Hello," Pride started to respond, and then was amused to find it introducing his own grandchild. "Err--yes, we've met." As for the nibbling, Pride peered down, bemused. "Yes, I am a grandfather--there should be food, and a garden-... Ahh, these are antlers. I don't think so, not judging by the few of your kind that I have known, at least."

Thankfully, Vivilene was there to save the day--sort of. He offered her a warm eye-squint of a smile. "Hello. -Peaches," he corrected absently, for what had to be the thirtieth time. There was no heart in it; it was automatic, at this point. "Err. You can both live here for a bit, if you like? Erm. Generally children need food, yes, and also guidance..."

The stag trailed off, peering down to Filth. Then he looked back at Vivilene--and reality snapped in. Realization hit. His heart went from warm and amused to horrified and cold in a second. He'd forgotten-... she'd been asleep.

She doesn't know.

He'd thought of how to break this to her, but--here? Now, in front of a child? And she was... she struck him as delicate at the best of times, and...

Pride winced, a little, and spoke more softly.

"To begin with, I did need to speak to you--what do you both say we head to the garden? Then Filth can eat a full meal, and you and I can talk a little, meanwhile..?" He glanced down at the foal. "How does that sound?"

Pride blinked at Filth for a moment. He wasn't sure what the foal was asking. How is he supposed to tell who... what is, what? he thought, but before he could untangle the question, the foal had moved on. Vivilene tackled most of it. Pride simply nodded along, offering the correct sounds of agreement. "If you are a horse," he tacked on, when she is finished, "you will be much larger than I am. Double my size," he estimated. He'd only met a few, but they'd only ranged upward from more than double his weight.

He was pretty dang sure Filth would not, in fact, have antlers. He'd already said as much, but Vivilene gave the foal some hope (maybe) and he didn't want to warn against it now. So he said nothing, focusing instead on the conversation he was about to have to have.

He turned, picking his way back toward, and past, the throne, to the little grove of a garden that had been created and tended by the white lion Mercurious. It still grew; Pride still tended it himself, when needed, with water and light. Little baubled lights provided illumination; plenty of plants, most edible, grew in proliferation here. It was a good source of food for the herbivores of the Seven, though Pride often went to Eridanus anyway just so he didn't overtax the magic-grown plants here.

A foal, though, probably wouldn't be a problem. "Go on in. There should be more fruits, and plenty of grasses for you."

Then he stood quietly at the edge of the garden, waiting for a moment alone with Vivilene.

Pride's ears pricked up at the mention of 'smelling more different.' He, too, picked up on the apparent deficiency in the foal's sight, and after a moment's hesitation, committed it to memory without mentioning it. Maybe later on he could test that theory, and teach Filth other ways to 'see.'

He waited until the horse was eating before turning to Vivilene, drawing closer so as to speak quietly. He'd not gotten a word out before it was flailing, and he peered in some confusion. There were no thorns here, no toxic plants, so what-? Did it run into something? he wondered--if so, he hadn't seen it happen.

Either way, he didn't move at first; he just used his magic to reach out, like a giant hand, and attempted to gently right the foal and guide it to its feet. "Are you all right?" he called out, though now he was a little worried about this conversation that he had to have. Vivilene, as always, was gentle and calm. He hated to potentially break that (though truth be told, he had no idea how she'd react). But moreso, he feared the idea that she might have to leave before he could bring it up.

Once he was certain Filth was not actually injured, he leaned in and at least brought the topic up.

"I need to talk to you about Azizos," he told her quietly.