Having paused from the seemingly interminable search for his sister to rest in the cool shade of the forest, Leander was one of those to whom the lilac mare nodded as she passed. Of course, Lee had nodded back, offering a small smile as she went – but as he didn’t intend on staying in the lush wood much longer, he hadn’t immediately sought out conversation as he was sometimes wont to do. The palomino overo was stronger now that a few months had passed since his healing from the plague, but he still found he required a measure of respite after long flights such as the one he had been on yesterday.

Unluckily for him, Kora continued to elude him. Having no further clues as to her whereabouts, Lee was now at somewhat of a loss. After yesterday’s fruitlessness, the winged stallion decided that he would return to the start – to Icicle Isle – and from there, he would start the search all over again. Heaving a sigh, he glanced up at the blazing sun through the forest’s canopy. As much as he loved soaring through the open sky, he supposed he should wait until the heat of the day faded to a more tolerable temperature in which to take wing.

To pass the time, he looked around the small clearing and noticed the cream-and-lilac mare that had passed him earlier leaning against a birch tree a short distance away. She had an open, contented look about her that seemed pleasant enough, and so Leander picked his way through the wood and came to stand nearby, brown eyes meeting her startlingly violet gaze. “Hello,” he greeted in a friendly tone. “I’m Leander. Is it all right if I join you for a little while, miss..?” Here Lee trailed off, pausing in case she were to offer her own name in return.