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"We're lost."

Azrael took a deep breath struggling not to lay his ears back or snap at the phoenix crow sitting on his rump. Counting to ten, then back down he continued walking. "We are not lost Bird brain. We are simply taking a different route home. Hector suggested it."

The crow gave cross grumble fluttering his wings before speaking up again, "Yeah well we are still lost. Just cause you're a simp and follow whatever he wants blin-" He cut off with a squawk as Az finally gave into his frustration and bucked, tossing the bird into the air off his back.

"If you are so concerned, then go scout ahead!"

Watching with some amusement, Hector leaned and nibbled at Azrael's neck gently. "You are a bit of a simp." Was that about himself? Absolutely. Did he mind? He did not. But, Az was right, the crow could go scout ahead to find where they were.

Poking out of dark hair, Phillipe's nose twitched as he watched, then climbed out and adjusted his hat. "I could go with, an extra pair of eyes. Then he can focus on flying while I look at paths for us to follow."

Hector nodded, then let out a little sound when that made Phillipe nearly fall off. "Ah, sorry! And that's a great idea, Phil! You can ride on Andre's back, and keep an eye out. We'll keep trying to find our way down here on the ground." Looking to Az, Hector leaned up to play with his mane. "How does that sound, mi vida?"

"Do I get a say in this?" Andre huffed when there was a resounding no from the other three at the same time. Still, he flapped over onto Hector's back to let Phil climb on, muttering, "You better not pull my feathers this time. I don't care they make the perfect pen. They are mine!"

The phoenix-crow waited till the little mouse was settled before taking off to scout the road ahead.

Az huffed giving Hector a faux scowl, "I am not a simp, I simply love and appreciate your stunning brain and good looks and cunning and.." He trailed off playfully as he nudged the smaller stallion's shoulder lovingly as they ambled along on the trail.

Settling on the phoenix-crow's back, Phillipe let out a huff. "I can't help it your feathers are so perfect! And neither can you. Now, onward we go!"

Hector watched them go, amused, then grinned at Az. "I see... All the qualities of a simp, but you won't bare the title? Well, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck..." He trailed off, then playfully nipped at Az before setting off at a trot. "Come on, the quicker we go, the quicker we're sure to find our way! I'm sure this trail is the one to lead us out!" Nevermind that he'd been wrong before... As he moved, he ignored the sense they were being... Watched. After all, there were plenty of creatures in the canyon's woods, why wouldn't anything watch them? A handsome pair of equids like they were...

Az heaved a dramatic sigh as he followed after his mate, tossing his head to get his long black mane out of his eyes. "I can see someone is in a mood today. "

He had his reservations about this canyon, something didn't feel right but Hector was right in that the sooner they started the sooner they would be home. As they traveled, the clacking of their hooves on stone echoing about, the big war horse's ears started to tilt back as he rumbled under his breath, "Stay close my love. Something isn't right here..."

Opting to otherwise playfully ignore the statement about moods, Hector tossed a cheeky grin Az's way before hopping over a branch. "Oh, it's probably nothing, there's only us and whatever critters naturally live here. Look, see?" He nodded his head up at a tree. "A cute little chickadee! And over there! An adorable little bunny!" Granted it was wearing a bonnet, but that didn't make it less adorable.

Actually, why was it watching them like that? The rabbit gave Hector pause, one back leg in the air as he physically stopped and stared back at it. "Okay maybe the staring is a little unnerving..."

"Hector, come here. Now." There was no teasing in his tone now as he hurried to get between the 'threat' an his beloved.

"Oi! Relax there fella! Nothing to be up in arms about mate!" The figure that emerged from around the bend was much larger than the bonnet wearing rabbit but it still had the rabbit ears, tail, and big feet. At his feet hopped another bonnet wearing bunny who, when they stopped, sat up on her hind legs to study the two before them. She nodded her head to them before she began to clean her face, seemingly unworried about Hector or Az.

Ears moving back and forth, Hector froze, watching the rabbit stallion. Slowly, he started to back up, then turned and cantered back to Az. When he got to the bigger stallion, he moved strategically behind him, watching the stranger. "Okay, that's not what I expected, those aren't just... Little fluffy bunnies." After the last encounter with a horse-sized rabbit, Hector was, to say the least, nervous. "Relax? The last time we ran into anything like you it tried to eat us!"

A second, identical rabbit-eared horse stepped out, long ears folding back some. "I don't know what you lot've been through, but we're not in the business of eating other soquili!" He paused, considering, then said, "If I'm eatin' anythin' that's not a plant, it's some tasty eggs of some kind."

Az's ears laid flat back into his long dark mane as he stared at the two 'threats' before him. He moved the bulk of his body between his mate and these two. One alone had been dangerous but if both were...

"Oh relax," The multicolored little rabbit sighed as she finished washing her face and looked amused. "We are lost travelers not looking for enemies. Not that these two fluffbutts would be much of a threat."

"Oi! I could be a threat!! If I was wanting ta."

She rolled bright blue eyes looking at Hector and Az as if to say 'see what I have to deal with?'. "Knack, beloved idiot of mine. The point we are trying to make is that we are not a threat to these two gentlestallions."

"Oh! Right!" Knack gave a sheepish grin at them. "I'm Knack and this is my twin Knick! like Sassy said, we are new around here and kinda got lost in this here canyon. Do ya think you could help us out??"

Beside the first stallion, the second snorted, shaking his head and causing his ears to flop. "You're about as threatening as a powder puff." He shifted, then bowed his head when Knack introduced him, "Pleasure, mates." Lifting one hind paw, he used it to scratch the inside ankle of the other, then looked up at the canyon walls and the trees within it. "Like, the scenery's beautiful 'round here, but I don't wanna stay in here, ya know? None of us do."

Hector looked at Az, ears back, then back to the stallions and rabbit. After a moment, he asked, "You promise to not eat us or anything if we help you?"

Knack's own ears went back. "Mate I'm not a cannibal. I promise we won't eat ya, neither one of ya! 'Sides, why would we need to when there's all this 'round us?" Turning to his side, Knack bit off some leaves from a bush. When he'd swallowed it, he paused, then bit off more. Okay, maybe he was a bit hungry... "Oh this is a good one... Should take some with us."

Making a face somewhere between bafflement and amusement, Hector looked back to Az. "Okay, maybe we should help them... Before that one eats everything green in the canyon."

Heaving a sigh, Az studied them for another long moment before nodding, "Fine, but if you try anything, I will put your skulls through that rock." With that warning given, he turned to head on down the path, nudging Hector a head of him to stay between them all.

Knack blinked a few times muttering to his twin, "Esh. Rather intense that one."

"That is because you are an idiot."

"Oi!!"