He’s pleased to find that he has comforted her somewhat for the time being. She prances happily alongside him, sometimes trailing behind to bob and weave in the tropical foliage that surrounds them. While he keeps a watchful eye on Kolera (which mostly consisted of him stopping his search when needed if she lingers too long to inspect a certain flower or insect), his brilliant blue eyes scour his home for signs of her brother or mother. With the young filly’s descriptions, Warrick wasn’t too sure he’d be able to find them easily.
 
One time in their journey where the young girl had stopped to watch a butterfly, and Warrick stops his march to watch the insect as well. His blazing blue eyes follow the fluttering of its wings as she mentions a raven and that her family was near at hand, bobbing his head in acknowledgement. “A raven?” he asks curiously though he expects no explanation, his gaze finding hers once the butterfly had disappeared from their view. He searches the skies momentarily, wondering if he was supposed to send a message with the raven, or if the raven was going to return to them – in a world like Beqanna, Warrick was never truly sure with what he was dealing with.
 
Before he could press Kolera more about her family and where she was from, a large and sudden gust of wind was thrown against him and he nearly felt his breath get pulled from his throat. Warrick blinks rapidly, trying to bring moisture back into his now dry eyes. Once his view comes back into focus, he sees a dark purple colt with outstretched wings before him, staring at him maliciously. The boy’s words are unkindly thrown at Warrick and the bay stallion’s ears flick backwards with distaste. Warrick’s black tail brush against his hocks with exasperation, a sharp snort leaving his navy nostrils. The boy is worried about his sister and he is rightly so, though he finds it foolish that he had let her out of his sight in the first place. Warrick does not express his thoughts – Kolera was young and so was the colt before him. They will learn.
 
“We were searching for you, or your mother.”
 
Out of politeness, the stallion does take a few steps away from Kolera and who he could only assume was her brother. “She has found herself a long way from home.” Warrick nods knowingly in Kolera’s direction, his eyes calm and understanding. He raises his brows in amusement and says to Kolera, “You’re right. He looks nothing like me.”

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Warrick laughs genuinely with Kolera, almost surprising himself as he hears it. He doesn’t even remember the last time a laugh or a smile found him that was pure, free from the tangles of strife that plagues his mind constantly. Kolera had been a welcome distraction (her youthful energy was infectious, making it hard to be gloomy for the time being). The laugh that leaves his cobalt lips feels almost real and is so familiar, he wishes that he could capture the moment and hold onto it, but it is fleeting. His laughter dies and with it, the sparkle in his eyes.

Another makes their way to join them and Warrick pricks his ears forward curiously. Kolera was right for a second time – she really wasn’t lost; her family had been watching her the entire time. Confused, Warrick narrows his eyes, auburn lids hooding his bright blue pupils. He even tilts his head slightly as the dark bay mare joins them, her shadowy eyes steadfast on Warrick. Had this been a test? She says nothing at first, merely taking in his form and studying him. He’s unsure what to do beneath her gaze, unable to tell if the mother was angry or content. The emotion on her face did not reflect the situation at hand, leaving the bay stallion momentarily speechless.

Then, she speaks. Again? Warrick snorts sharply in surprise, drawing his chin into his chest as he curves his neck. Sparkling blue eyes scan the mare, desperately trying to put a name to the face. He has not met very many in his time in Beqanna so far, but he’s not sure if he recognizes the deep bay mare. “I’m sorry,” he says, his voice sincere. “Have we met before?”

It was not like Warrick to not introduce himself to another, but her statement has completely thrown him off guard, abandoning his normal polite pleasantries.

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With the presence of the mother and brother now in Tephra, Warrick’s facade changes slightly. A young filly wandering into the area accidentally was appropriate and even the appearance of her fledgling brother was not surprising. The fact that the mother has now also emerged into the tropical landscape, especially with such a laidback and relaxed manner, the auburn’s stallion’s muscles tighten suspiciously beneath his skin; coiled and at the ready if the trio was merely a distraction for a much grander scheme. A whole family would not simply wander into Tephra without a purpose. It was Warrick’s responsibility now to find out what that purpose is and whether the intent was malicious or just mere curiosity.

When the mare leans forward, her breathless whisper warm against his cobalt-tipped ears, Warrick responds with a curious (and slightly shocked) snort. He cannot tell if this was simply her personality (lavish, sly, and cunning) or if there was something else lingering behind her darkened gaze, some other motive. His crisp blue eyes follow her questioningly as she moves her lips away from his skin, returning to her stance before him. Her smile was mischievous, and though Warrick was not a foolish stallion, he returns her smile with one of his own, his indigo lips turning upwards as it slowly spreads. The bay and navy stallion dips his head to her in respect, “It’s nice to meet you, Karaugh,” he pauses, his eyes flickering to the lavender colt next to her, “Klaudius.”

“Sylva, you say?” Warrick’s gaze now falls back to Karaugh, inquisitive as always. Though his skin was still drawn taut over his muscles, his relaxed manner from previous moments has found his way back to him. Stating her reasons for their presence put him at ease to an extent, but still being relatively new to Tephra, he did not know for sure where the two kingdoms stood with each other. It was better to play it safe, for now. “You sure have come a long way to make a visit, Karaugh. Who was your father?” He knows little about Tephra’s history, but he felt it polite to inquire.

The russet mare mentions Kolera, and his brilliant blue gaze shifts to the young filly for a moment, a smile finding his lips. “She’s been no trouble at all,” he assures Karaugh, bobbing his head in Kolera’s direction. When his forelock settles, it covers one of his eyes as he peers at Karaugh once more. “She has a unique ability, if you haven’t already found out about it yet.” He mentions this to the bay mare out of concern; Kolera seemed particularly upset upon discovery of her ability and perhaps Karaugh could better comfort the young filly in ways that Warrick couldn’t in that moment, seeing has he was traitless and has no experience with magic.

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