[private] Under a dark blanket of stars [Isra]

[Yanhua]

And when all the lights are broken, You keep the fire going

Her laughter won’t be lonely. Yanhua found the best conversations were the ones built on humor, and Isra had an acute sense of one. He appreciated the light prodding at herself, wished he could find the time to slip in more of it at home, but held out judgement on her so-called “chatter” for later, after they talked a bit. Truth was, he didn’t mind the company in the least bit. Isra was welcome to take his mind of the weird thoughts centering on his ability to produce musical notes. Whatever that meant.

“Well, let me be one of the first to welcome you back.” Yan sympathized, finding it hard to imagine himself displaced from Taiga for any expanse of time without good reason. He was only out here today to stretch his legs, really. Clear his thoughts up a bit. “Hopefully you’ve found the world agreeable so far?” He said, humorously.

How would it be, he wondered, to leave a place so well-known and loved only to return and find it mostly unchanged, yet so different from when you last visited? Familiar faces gone, old haunts overgrown, maybe some things out of place or forgotten by time. How sad, he thought. How bittersweet.

After a moment of quiet contemplation and listening to Isra’s reply (if she gave one), Yanhua asked, “Where are you from, originally?”

Before he flicked his golden tail side-to-side against lean, coppery haunches and peered out across the rapids flowing downstream. The hazy cover of mist just above its surface floated peacefully along, obscuring anything that might be lingering on the other riverbank. Visibility was low, but the sun still peeked in slanting rays of light between gathering clouds overhead. Tonight it would rain, perhaps.

He glanced back at the stone-and-sea mare with a soft half-smile, just studious enough to avoid being coy.

And when all the nights feel like they're closing, You're leaving an opening

@[isra]