Her own frustration grew as the dingo persisted in her stubborn antics. If she were truly a beast of terror perhaps she would have been more lenient but that the two were opposites in that she was the herbivore and the other the meat-eater, it should have been her who was reacting as thus. Instead the young mare was subject to an alienation she derived no pleasure from, not even in the way the dog was attempting to ameliorate the situation. Her gaze shot to the floors and her brows furrowed pensively. Surely she could make the other see that she as well was a creature of marvels. It was then that she decidedly lowered her head to nudge a number of rocks together, forming a small cluster to which she directed her magic. Delphine was adamant on banishing all doubts but even then, a nervousness seeped through her as she expelled her energy and pressed it unto the pile of debris. Something shifted as the cluster shook and trembled but else wise remained untouched. Her heart fell and in a rare show of failure, the young mare kicked the pile with reserved anger. It was only then did a too small piece dislodge itself from the cluster, glinting against the dull topography. Only then did she realize she'd been successful, barely so but successful nonetheless. Before them lay a small diamond, too tiny to do much else but marvel at it for a moment or two. "For you." She nudged the gift of armistice forth, pushing it toward the shiba and dingo and hoping that it would bring change to their dynamic.

Feral flinched and cowered as the light version of herself darted toward her, frolicking far too close for comfort, right around her head. She dropped back, baring teeth briefly, hackles raised; she was uncertain, nervous.

Then the large black filly was moving again, and Feral felt the tingle of magic--strange, again, and distracting. She quickly scrabbled a few paces backwards, near to bolting away, and the situation wasn't helped with Delphine kicked (albeit gently) a bit of stone. Feral flinched, but before she could decide whether to turn and flee, the horse was nudging something toward her.

The creature's head being low to the ground was reassuring, at least, and she herself slunk forward, sniffing closely at the diamond. Her eyes briefly flicked down to it, and then to the dog, before lingering on the too-close horse.

The urge to spring at it, to tear into its face with her long fangs, to rip and pull and shred and eat, was suddenly near-overwhelming. It was close, it was vulnerable, and the dingo--frozen, poised near the dirt and tensed--stared at her with intense amber eyes. She remained like this for a long moment, motionless and staring, her instincts torn.

The only reason she didn't leap to the attack was Delphine's size. The horse was far larger than she, and she'd already been afraid of it before; that didn't change now. The concept of a gift, though, was foreign to the feral dog, and she simply snatched the diamond up in her jaws and leapt back, turning to trot uneasily a few paces away. Then she turned, flopping down and chewing the rock, eyeing the other two strangers suspiciously.

This was her rock, and she had to be ready in case they tried to steal it.

((ooc -- @Farrah ))

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All her attention fell over to the glossy black mare as the attempted to use their magic again. Eagerly she watched as stones were pulled together, not anything fancy but it did work unlike the first time. So small, but it still was something rather beautiful. "See, you did it!" Exclaiming as she turned to face the young dingo again, watching as they came closer to get a better look at what was made and being shared. The golden shiba walked over to them before the simple minded female snatched the diamond and laid down away from them with the gift. A sigh of releif was given, this was a start yes?

Turning to look up at the young Delphine, "It seems your gift was accepted, and a very pretty thing you made might I add." She slid down and laid herself onto the cool forest floor, tail wagging slowly on her rump with her gem glittering. Farrah watched the odd speechless female as they seem to guard the gift, but she would not try to take it from her since it was for the dingo alone. Even though she wasn't able to convince the dingo to make friends with Delphine, this was a good start. But she is acting weird, why isn't she jumping at the chance of friendship? The shiba had a lot to catch up on, being gone for so long.

"I didn't get to explain my reasoning to send out a beacon by the way." Ears twitched as she glanced over to Phine, "The cave kept me . . . on an adventure away from everyone else for a great many cycles." Not lost, she wasn't lost. That would be silly, but maybe she was? "I thought it was be a fast way to meet others here in the caves." Focusing on the great mushroom before them, staring up at it but a smile grew on her face. "Glad it worked!"

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"speech"
Thinking

OOC: silly farrah

@delphine

The Shiba's attempts to reassure her were received with a small smile as her lips parted to express her gratitude, "Thank you..." She replied though her short-won happiness was too soon dashed when the dingo neared in what was a flicker of hope for reconciliation but instead turned out to be a desire to snatch her gift away. Not that it was hers anymore but that they were now to be treated as thieves for something none of them thought to contest for seemed almost ridiculous and if Delphine had half the mind, she would have been insulted. Except all she felt was a deepening misery for what seemed impossible. Glad for the distraction, the young mare watched as the brighter of the pair laid upon the cool forest floors and explained her reasoning for her rather voracious greeting. Again she smiled hesitantly before tilting her head to one side, "However did the cave manage to keep you from others though I am glad to have met you now, Farrah." She nodded her head just once before sneaking a glance to the dingo who still remained some distance away. Would it be better if she left, it certainly seemed the case and in truth, Delphine did not know if her fragile heart was one made to endure so much rejection. It certainly hadn't been when she was younger and not much had changed now.

She'd been contemplating simply bolting, taking her new toy and dashing off into the brush, vanishing into the shadows of the trees.

But it seemed it wasn't needed. The other dog, and the large black thing, were both moving away, their attention off of her, and she relaxed immediately. Shoulders sagged and loosened, and her chewing became less nervous and frantic and more idle; she readjusted her position on the ground, then tilted her ears forward and peered down at the rock.

It was pretty, a nice crystal, reflecting the light around it; and her teeth hardly seemed to make a dent. Tilting her head to and fro she tackled it from the other side, but no, it was equally hard here.

With a mental shrug the dingo idly mouthed the rock, not so stupid as to bite into diamond but equally unwilling to relinquish her prize just yet. Quiet and unobtrusive she merely relaxed in the background, not interrupting the other two, perhaps being forgotten in favor of their conversation--like a dog lounging beside a hearthfire, chewing on a toy, while company shared dinner.

((ooc -- @Farrah ))