Djinni knows that she’s probably overloaded the other mare with information, so she’s content to stand in silence for a while as the other mare processes it all. In fact, her attention has started to drift toward the horizon when Raxa snorts and rears up. The sudden movement startles Djinni, who takes several steps back and eyes Raxa with something akin to concern. It seems the idea of a bachelor kingdom has irritated the brindle roan mare, and while Djinni does agree (and shows it with an agreeable nod) she’s not quiete sure it’s worth fussing over. The cold is what deters her from that kingdom, not the gender of the inhabitants.
She gives Raxa more time to think, and this time when the other mare speaks up, Djinni is not surprised. Raxa asks a personal question –the first of their conversation – and Djinni wonders if perhaps this means that they might be friends. Djinni does love friends, but their initial interactions had given her the idea that perhaps they’d started off on the wrong hoof.
“My parents left the kingdom when I was still a child.” She says, “They left Beqanna and I went with them for a while.” To the Otherlands, to the world outside Beqanna, but she doesn’t feel the need to name it. “Now that I’m back, the Desert doesn’t feel like home without them. I’m still looking for somewhere to belong.” She knows where she’d like to be – happy in a herd with Walter – but the palomino stallion has never been the kind to tell Djinni what she wants to hear, and so she’s taking charge of her own destiny. She’ll live in the Chamber, or the Meadow, or perhaps leave Beqanna entirely, but the choice is still hers to make.
“Why didn’t you stick around your home?”