02-21-2017, 02:32 PM
He had been light for one rare moment, and it pains Djinni to see the brightness fade from his face. Empathy is a weakness that the grullo mare has only recently begun to develop. She usually squashes it quickly, but this is Zai, and her innate distrust of others has always been dampened around the spotted stallion.
"Not forever," she tells him, reaching out to press her dark muzzle to his shoulder. She doesn't know if he'll brush her off - soldier on - but she doesn't want to risk not trying either. She knows the sadness that comes from missing one's family, but at least she knows where hers is. Far away, beyond Beqanna, but there if she were to ever need them.
He shakes his head, becomes stoney again (but at least no longer sorrowful? An improvement?) and Djinni looks up to meet his gaze. Zai tells her he is glad she stayed, and she does feel inclined to tell him that she hadn't wanted to. She'd only been doing Nayl a favor and teasing Raene in the process, but then she'd stepped into a moment where she didn't quite belong, and now the forest of Sylva is under her protection. Well, hers and Stillwater's, she supposes, but she's avoiding thinking of the stallion for the time being.
"Only because you taught me," she responds. They both know what a terrible warrior she had been when they had first met. Djinni had never had a reason to learn to spar: why exert herself when she could simply wish herself the victor? Of course, fighting is not a requisite skill for a leader, and that holds especially true in this new and quieter Beqanna.
She lights up at his small smile, hopeful that he might show more of the young adventurer that she had met those years ago. Of course, it's more than likely time has changed him just as it has her.
"Are you here to stay?" She asks, her green eyes curious. "We could always use more handsome men wandering about the woods to scare off intruders." The wink she offers him is more playful than flirtatious; she has (almost) learned her lesson when it comes to teasing stallions in the Fall.
"Not forever," she tells him, reaching out to press her dark muzzle to his shoulder. She doesn't know if he'll brush her off - soldier on - but she doesn't want to risk not trying either. She knows the sadness that comes from missing one's family, but at least she knows where hers is. Far away, beyond Beqanna, but there if she were to ever need them.
He shakes his head, becomes stoney again (but at least no longer sorrowful? An improvement?) and Djinni looks up to meet his gaze. Zai tells her he is glad she stayed, and she does feel inclined to tell him that she hadn't wanted to. She'd only been doing Nayl a favor and teasing Raene in the process, but then she'd stepped into a moment where she didn't quite belong, and now the forest of Sylva is under her protection. Well, hers and Stillwater's, she supposes, but she's avoiding thinking of the stallion for the time being.
"Only because you taught me," she responds. They both know what a terrible warrior she had been when they had first met. Djinni had never had a reason to learn to spar: why exert herself when she could simply wish herself the victor? Of course, fighting is not a requisite skill for a leader, and that holds especially true in this new and quieter Beqanna.
She lights up at his small smile, hopeful that he might show more of the young adventurer that she had met those years ago. Of course, it's more than likely time has changed him just as it has her.
"Are you here to stay?" She asks, her green eyes curious. "We could always use more handsome men wandering about the woods to scare off intruders." The wink she offers him is more playful than flirtatious; she has (almost) learned her lesson when it comes to teasing stallions in the Fall.
D J I N N I
genie | rose gold tobiano dun | trickster