stilt like limbs advanced my thick frame forth, into a place i hadn't been before. mismatching lenses observed the area around, halting at the ceiling as a drop of water dripped onto my face. i snorted and whinnied a juvenile neigh, forelimbs raising the torso as hind limbs acted as anchorage. my head tossed about in my awkward display of dislike, and when i'd finished a few little kicks were given from my hind legs. giving another loud snort, ears erected to a point as i surveyed everything around me. wondering where on earth i was, or who i'd come into contact with next. i tried to keep as quiet as possible as baby hooves clicked forward, clacking against the flooring and echoing outward. occasional shivers would travel up the sinew about my frame due to the colder temperatures here. i realized i didn't like the cold, didn't like the wet. but i'd have to get over it, or turn back and go back the way i'd came, to try and get back to the area i'd been hatched in. yeah, i'll do that. pistons pivoted, side stepping gracefully as i then turned my rump 'round and headed back toward... well whatever that place was called.

@eosphoros

Leaving Cetus was not an act that bore with it any difficulties or hindrances, in fact, Delphine was glad to be rid of the mist-filled room. Although she had had the pleasure of meeting the avian creature, Dark, it was in him alone did she find the remaining bravado to wander the bleak room. A part of her had almost been convinced that if he hadn't arrived, she would have departed much earlier if the opportunity presented itself. For that reason, she did bear some modicum of reservation in parting ways with the owl but in a world as small as their own, she thought they would meet again as they had many times prior. It was with this conciliatory notion in mind did the adolescent almost too happily extract herself from Cetus to traipse the familiar tunnels toward Eridanus. In truth, she felt as if she needed a gentle reset after seeing another verdant jungle except this one was wrought with a darker essence that had threatened to taint her from the very moment she stepped in.

Drops of water pattered against her black coat, forcing the Gembound to fight the urge to shiver from the light but chilly impact. It almost made the act of coming upon another a blessing when she rounded a bend and sighted the creature who was so much like herself and Meredith. The reaction was instantaneous as her ears perked and her emerald eyes widened with perceptible interest. She let loose a low nicker to announce her presence before stepping forward tentatively. "Hello..." Her low dulcet tones crooned from within the chilled space, "My name is Delphine."

ears swiveled in reverse as the soft nicker of another came to me, and i pivoted with swiftness to observe the larger, darker, beautiful anatomy of another creature like me. dappled stature zoomed forth to close the gap between us, smiling up at the larger mare.
"hi delphine! my name is jaidev."
i whinnied, tossing my skull about. flaxen tassel slashed at my hindquarters ever so, as mismatching lenses observed her.
"do you have any idea where we are?"
i asked her, looking about as thick limbs then advanced my stature around her and a few yards behind her, before pivoting again to bound back to her forefront.
"because i have no idea."
i summed up, facing her once again.

@delphine
@eosphoros

She imagined a number of responses most of which constituted some amount of shock and of late, fear. The child though would prove contrary; fast-stead in his approach. Delphine stilled to a halt and watched as the colt consumed the gap between them in a few bounds and a kind smile. Her eyes lit with amusement and she tossed her head, in turn. "Hello Jaidev." She greeted before allowing him the moment to circle her while shooting forth an inquiry regarding their location. The mare hummed agreeably and glance about, "We're in a tunnel that leads to Polaris, Pisces, Cetus and Eridanus." It was by far one of the most interconnected and largest, also the one she least appreciated given the collection of moisture now raining upon her back.

A thought crossed her mind and before she could second-guess herself, Delphine experimentally bumped her muzzle against the child's. "Where do you wish to go?" She inquired, curious to see his reaction where it seemed the invasion of personal space was not so much an infringement in the child's eye as it was to many others. Or perhaps he was very simply personable. The young mare was reminded of Athena and her smile only widened.

she was kind, loving. nuzzled me and asked where it was i wanted to go. i embraced the nuzzle, shrugging as i did.
"i don't know, i just had no idea where i'd gone. i was born in uhmmm. monoceros? something like that."
i struggled to pronounce the name of the cavern room.
"where do you want to go, delphine?"
i asked with a large smile, thick limbs prancing about beneath my small stature.

an ear swiveled around toward her as my face faced back where i'd come again, my rump half turned to the larger girl.
"where were you born?"
i asked absentmindedly, absorbing everything about this tunnel and the things she was saying. filing away all information for later when i'd need it.

@delphine
@eosphoros

A small smile lit her features when the colt accepted her nuzzle and continued to speak. He was far more eloquent than she had been during her first cycle and all the better for it for there lay between them no linguistic barrier. She hummed an affirmation, eyes twinkling with familiarity when Monoceros had been mentioned. "I've a dear friend who lives in Monoceros." She declared with a huff of pride. It'd been some time now since she'd last seen Magdalena and much of it was attributed to the fact that the only other time she visited, she'd run into Baratheon. Reminded then of her promise to the pale Gembound, the young mare tucked it away for future notice.

Her attention shifted to the child and her lips pursed in feigned contemplation. "Well, I was born in Polaris but right now, I'm headed toward Eridanus. It's a large room filled with green trees, grass and foliage. It has a large mushroom in the center of the room; we call it the Monarch. Would you like to accompany me?" Her voice warmed considerably as she described her home, reflecting on the verdant haven with a knowing glint in her eye. "It's that way," She flicked her nose toward the direction they were facing although she was halted mid-step when a thought occurred to her. "Or if you want, I'll accompany you to where you wish to go."

tall grasses sounded quite wonderful, so i couldn't help it when the sly smirk crossed my lips, and little flaxen tail shimmied about.
"eridanus sounds heavenly, i think i'd love to eat some tall grasses."
i trotted up to her side, little limbs prancing about beneath my thick frame.
"a dear friend? what's a friend?"
i asked curiously, ears swiveling toward the larger, darker creature with magnificent, emerald thnigs about her nogen. my eyes narrowed in quizzical fashion as my neck stretched to gesture toward the pair atop her skull.
"and those..what are those?"
so many questions asked, yet i couldn't help but pelt her with them.
"and...this monarch, is it huge? i'd definitely like to see."
for i had not a place to tie me down, a free spirit in all senses of the term. i then flashed her an innocent smile - though the innocence was rather faked and forced, flagrantly so.

@delphine

She smiled and nodded excitedly upon hearing the colt's affirmation, Eridanus' tall grass were quite enjoyable. "Yes, it is and I think I'll join you." Delphine muttered more to herself than anyone else before directing her attention to his inquiry with a tilt of her head. She'd never been asked what a friend was, it'd simply been another piece of knowledge that she simply came upon without explanation. Now that it came to elaborate on its meaning, the young mare found herself at a loss for words. "Well... A friend is someone who you trust, someone who makes you happy and warm on the inside. Sometimes you can get into fights or arguments but in the end, if you're true friends, you'll be able to forgive one another..." She paused, dissatisfied with her answer and jostling her head for yet more. "It's someone who you care about... Worry about... Someone you'd want by your side because they make you smile. We could be friends, if you wanted." Delphine offered in the way of making up for her lack of eloquence.

Then her gaze flitted upward, unable to actually see her horns but knowing what they looked like from their reflections. "They're my gems, everyone has one! You should have one too." She chuckled, playfully nudging the child on his side and rump in search of his gem though her quips would be forgotten beneath the tirade of yet another question. "Oh yes, it is much bigger than you and I both. You would love it, come, let's go." With another playful shove, Delphine began to trot through the tunnels, picking up her pace as if to see if the colt with his spindly legs would keep up. If it'd been her at that age, she'd have already fallen on the floor twenty times over.

i listened as she spoke, and she mentioned i should have a gem too. i stopped abruptly, looking about my body in any way my head and neck would allow, looking for my own gem. to no avail, i grew frustrated and threw my chin groove downward, tucking it in toward my chest cavity with eyes squeezed shut. they barely pried open when she mentioned being friends, then she kicked up into a trot. i noticed a faint shining thing upon my chest, and there it was - my gem! i was overjoyed, and i smiled wide, exerting a loud nicker before galloping toward her, slowing to a prancing trot next to the older mare with a happy whinny.
"look! it's there, on my chest! it's almost the same color as i am, that's why it's hard to find."
i chuckled loudly, keeping up with ease as my little stilt like limbs spread wide, the strides long and fluid, as if floating upon clouds.
"yes delphine, i'd love to be friends."
off to the monarch we go.

@Delphine

As she galloped through the tunnels, the colt's voice called her attention to his gem and indeed, what she had earlier missed was just as easily corrected with some amount of focus. "Oh! It's lovely, Jai— if I may call you that." And indeed, though it camouflaged well with his pelt, once seen, she could not unsee its glint and subtle call for attention. Her smile only widened before breaking out into a small laugh, celebrating in the new bonds now formed between them. "Wonderful," she responds. "You can call me Del or Phin, if you'd like.."

It was in little moments like these where the mare derived the most joy. So simple a task it was to greet one another, perhaps even assert the title of friends but for each and every time such a thing occurred, her heart would warm significantly for she also knew the taste of rejection and fear. For that, she reveled in her smaller victories and merely hummed her approval of Jaidev as they raced through the tunnels and made their way to Eridanus.

exit delphine!