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Ayita wickered a thank you for the carress before calling out a welcome to her friend Wambil and the strange foal she had not met before.

The smile that had spread across the shaman's face upon seeing Wambil turned into a frown as he took a closer look at the little one next to the dark mare. Then he nodded looking back up at Talasi.

"Hmm, that's not good. From what I can see I think he has hurt his leg. I wonder if Wambil was bringing him to me for a healing. That's what the dark winged soquili's name is by the way. You must remember her from the other day. She was the one who found you and came to get us." Foalen fininshed indicating Ayita and himself with a motion of his hand.

Digging in his ever present medicine bag he pulled out a few apples offering one to Talasi. If the foal was hurt by someone he or she might be fightened by strangers, if we approch them with a gift perhaps it will calm and reasure the little one."

Talasi merely accepted the apple and nodded, a grim set to her lips as she thought through the potential problem areas of making sure she didn't scare the foal. She thought back to when she first met Tuwa, and remembered what had helped her there. Presents of food had reassured the wolf, as had slow movements and speaking in a soft tone. Also, staring at Tuwa and looming over her had seemed to upset her. So, don't stare at the foal, and crouch down so as to not look so big. Offer him the apple with slow movements and speak quiet words of comfort.

Nodding firmly to herself now that she had a plan of action, Talasi slipped off of Ayita, giving the sweet mare a gentle pat. It wouldn't do to startle the foal by leaping off of her mount when he was closer. She cradled her apple close to her chest, but her mind seemed very focused on the path ahead.

Tuwa circled away to Ayita's far side and dropped back behind the group, agitated by her mistress' sudden vigilance. She sniffed the air warily, scenting old blood and more Soquili, including her friend from yesterday. "Ayita, what's happening? The dark one isn't hurt is she? I smell her, and blood," the wolf growled.

Briar hop-hobbled along beside Wambli. His leg still hurt, but he was in much better spirits now that he had new friends to look forward to. "Why don't you know much about the other twolegs? Is she new like me?"

Foalen watched his sister slide down from Ayita's back and took a few steps back pefering to let Talasi make the first contact. If they crowded the little one they might fighten the foal away.

Holding herself still as Talasi dismounted Ayita wuffled reasuringingly to Tuwa not wanting to upset the wounded youngster with any sudden movements. "Wambil is coming down the path with a foal I don't recognize and she's fine as far as I can see. The foal looks like he ran into some trouble though. He's limping, I assume that's where the blood scent is comming from."

Takota nodded in agreement with Ayita's and faded back alongside the wolf. The young colt might be skittish around preditors even one as small as a fox so he thought it best to stay out of the way until the twoleggers had properly greeted and cared for the young soquili.

"Ah, that must be it," the wolf said. She relaxed her hackles and allowed the group to drift farther ahead. The wounded youngling would explain Talasi's tenseness, and she would want to help. Turning to Takota, Tuwa said "Perhaps we should give them their distance. I don't want to scare the cu..er, foal." Tuwa shook herself and grinned abashedly. "And I need a nap, it would seem."

Talasi walked slowly towards the colt, watching him for any sign of nervousness. Mostly, though she watched his feet since she didn't want to stare at his eyes. That had seemed to upset Tuwa the most when they had first met.

Briar smiled up at Wambli. "Yes, ma'am, I'll be careful." He then proceeded at a more sedate pace towards the group of new people, ears up and his little poof of a tail twitching in greeting.

Talasi judged that the colt's mouth would be too small for the apple she held, so she knelt in front of him and took a bite out of the apple. She removed the small piece of fruit from her mouth and held that out in her hand for the colt.

He was so beautiful... her eyes roved over the red roan of his coat, his black feet, his charming silver-tipped tail... everywhere but his face. Mustn't stare into his eyes... It was so hard not to, as it was impolite for humans not to make eye contact. It felt like she was being rude, but she knew from Tuwa that animal rules were not the same as people rules, and animal rules said not to stare into another's eyes.

Briar cautiously edged forward towards the kneeling human. Had this one been the one to be hurt, or was it the healer? He looked up at Ayita, then at Foalen, uncertain of how to proceed. He then decided to sniff what the other human had in its hand. Talasi giggled a little and tried not to twitch; the pretty colt had awfully soft whiskers on his chin that tickled horribly.

Briar backed up a little as the human made a very strange noise and wiggled funny when he touched her. He looked back at Wambli, then back at Ayita. What the human had in its hand smelled very yummy, and he was pretty sure that noise and wiggling wasn't some kind of threat... He looked back at Wambli again. "Is it for me?"

Giving a soft yip of agreement Takota flicked his brown tail and led the way off the trail. "We should be able to find the two foots easily once you've rested. They'll either be at Foalen's teepee or in the village and I doubt they'd get into to much trouble in either place. So they should be safe enough for now. There's a small tree hollow not far from here that I think would be big enough for you."

Briar's tail twitched happily in anticipation of the sweet treat, and he lipped it delicately out of Talasi's hand. The girl only flinched a little at the tickly whiskers, and managed not to giggle at all. Once he'd eaten the bit of apple, he snuffled her hand for more, then looked at the human girl hopefully. "Can I have some more, please?"

Talasi blinked as the little foal whickered at her, then smiled. "You want some more, don't you," she said in a gentle voice. "Just a second." She took another bite from the apple and offered it to the foal, which he ate happily.

Talasi smiled past the little foal's fuzzy ears at Wambli, then looked back at Foalen and Ayita, her eyes shining. She dared to stroke the little foal's shoulder with a finger while he nibbled a third piece of apple, and began to grin like a fool when he didn't object. Gradually, she began to pet him more firmly and he leaned into her touch, eyes half-closed with pleasure.

The young woman looked back over her shoulder at her brother, smiling happily. "I don't think he's afraid of me," she said softly. "Should we try to lure him to the teepee or would you rather look at him here?"

Folaen smiled as he watched the sceen before him it was good to see Talasi relax so much around the soquli. He had been afraid that she might have trouble doing so with as much revence his tribe held for the wind children. But it looked like meeting the little colt was doing a good job of overcoming the awe.

"I'd like to look him over now, but we may want to watch him a few days so I may see what I can see before we go but we should also try to get him to follow us back to my teepee. That way we can keep him safe while he reovers."

Moving slowly and delibratly Foalen came close enough to see without being too near and knelt down inspecting the injury from a distance. "Hmm It looks like a cut or scrape but I don't think it's too deep. I have some ointment that will help."

Reaching gently into his pouch he carefully pulled a small pot out and held it out to Talasi. "I think you should rub it in since your doing so well with him. It wouldn't do to overwhelm him and risk frightening him away."

Talasi accepted the ointment from Foalen, keeping her movements slow and fluid. Briar sniffed the open jar as it passed him by. It smelled horrendous. He scrinched up his nose and whickered sharply, then looked back at Wambli and whinnied plaintively. "Smells bad!" He wasn't at all sure he liked this new development, and started to back away.

Talasi quickly bit off another piece of apple and offered it to the colt, somewhat clumsily since she now had the apple gripped in her teeth because her other hand was occupied with a pot of ointment, who sniffed this much happier-smelling treat and seemed to calm as he munched it.

Talasi shot a wordless look of relief to her brother over the apple in her mouth, then started shifting herself around slowly so that she could reach the roan foal's injured leg. She wound up sort of crabbed up half under his head with her arm extended along his flank. Briar didn't seem to mind as he had discovered Talasi's braid.

She smeared a dab of the smelly ointment on the injury while Briar explored her hair, sniffing it furiously and then giving it a taste. He flinched away when she touched his hurt leg at first, but the ointment was cool, so after the first ouchy contact he stayed still.

Talasi peeked over her shoulder, still clutching the apple by her teeth, to see what in the name of the spirits the colt had gotten up to back there. Seeing him chewing on her braid with such a serious, thoughtful expression, Talasi's eyes widened and she began to laugh uncontrollably, though silently. She had to sit down in the dust of the trail and set the jar of ointment beside her so that she could get rid of the fruit without choking on it as tears of silent laughter ran down her cheeks.

Briar's ears perked and he looked down at the human in alarm, the braid still in his mouth. It hadn't tasted too bad, but now the human was wiggling even more and making a very wierd noise. Without releasing his prize- he wasn't sure he was done with it yet, he nosed Talasi's cheek to see if she was allright.

Talasi had almost gotten a grip on herself when the little rascal shoved those horrible tickly whiskers right into the side of her neck. With a surprisingly soft though strangled shriek- she did what she could to remain quiet, but some things were just beyond her- Talasi toppled right over onto her side and curled up around herself. She was laughing so very hard it hurt!

Briar stared down at the human in shock, then looked back at Wambli, somewhat fearfully. "Did I break it? I didn't mean to!"

The wind mare swished her tail in amusement. He was so adorable! She hoped the foals that she was carrying were just as forthright in thier view of things.
"You didn't break her, Briar," she said as she came up beside them. "She is laughing. I think you tickled her - like this!" Wamblic ouldn't resist - she reached out with one wingtip and brushed it along the foal's neck and shoulder.

Foalen stood back a comforting presence watching silently as Talasi tended to the little foal. He didn't want to upset the tenuious situation by making any sudden sounds or movements. But he couldn't help but grin at the little colt's antics.

"Breath, Talasi," He suggested helpfully in a soft amused voice.

Ayita wickered in good humor as she watched Wambil make her tickle attack. "Feathers are good for tickling." She observed smiling.

"Trying..." Talasi sputtered between giggles. She just couldn't seem to stop; it was as if all the tension of the past weeks was escaping from her as peals of laughter, thanks to the colt. After what seemed an eternity of helpless mirth, she got hold of herself and sat up, gasping and wiping away tears.

Briar squeeked and bucked when Wambli tickled him. He wound up hiding behind Talasi, though she didn't even come up to his knee curled up like that, mock-glaring at Wambli. "Mean," he exclaimed, but he couldn't help grinning and his eyes twinkled like he thought it was a great joke too.

When she sat up he nuzzled her shoulder gently to make sure she was ok, and she reached up around his head and rubbed his ear, half hugging his head in the process. Closing his eyes in pleasure Briar leaned into her shoulder. Still panting slightly and holding her sore ribs with her other hand, Talasi looked back at Foalen and smiled. "I think if we promise him more apples and petting he'd follow us anywhere," she said in a soft voice. "Do we want to head back to the teepee now so you can get a better look at his wound?"

"You know, I think you may be right. He probably would follow us anywhere." Foalen said with a smile and tilt of his hear.

"And yes I think it might be a good idea to get a beter look at the wound. Besides he should be able to get more rest at the teepee than he would in the village with cuirous villigers coming to meet him. If I move some of the skins around we should be able to make some room for him to sit by the fire. And a little bit of rest would do you both good I think." The shaman nodded decisively. "It looks as if your still a bit sore yourself."

"Eh, a little. Mostly I just hurt myself laughing." She turned back to the foal. "Come on, little one. Want some more apple?" Talasi backed up a few paces and held out a piece of apple to the colt.

Briar looked back at Wambli, and seeing no expression of concern on her face, happily followed the woman down the trail, twitching his tail joyously whenever he was rewarded with a morsel of fruit.

As the entered the forest clearng where Foalen's teepee rested the shaman motioned for his sister to stay with the young soquili. "I think I'm going to go clear a space for our little friend so he can rest by the fire when I am finished tending him. If you like you can stay with him. I think it might help him feel more comfortable in this new place. Oh and this might help."

Slowly he took off his pouch and held it out for Talasi to take. "Here take this there should be some corn and a few more apples in there incase you need them. Once I have everything ready I'll come out and check on you both."

Listening to the rythmic sound of the shaman's voice Ayita walked across the clearing to stand watch over the far side of the area just to make sure she could head off any trouble that might come there way. Not that she expected any trouble. But it never hurt to be prepared just in case.