[private] the ghosts that we knew

[Tarian]

Well, he certainly got a reaction.

Tarian had been expecting another toss of her spotted head, the flutter of her snow-white ears on the top of her skull. If she could summon some of that earlier flame, he doesn't doubt that she could summon the strength to take a step back. Perhaps she could even summon enough strength to turn on her heels and leave him standing here, allowing Tarian a few hours to patrol the area and lure any monsters away from Altissima. 

What he does not expect is for a pair of wings to explode into existence. His blue-eyed gaze drops for a moment as the realization dawns on him. She was a pegasus, like him.

Biting that shock down, his lips twitch at the mention that she'd be better off avoiding Loess. "Oh absolutely." He tells her, thinking that this is the first time they have ever agreed on anything. "The hot springs should be avoided at all costs." Tarian outright teases her, "A horse can enjoy themselves there and I doubt that would be something you could handle." Tilting his head, he tries to look at the shadows again but her wings distract him.

Altissima's voice shakes a little and Tarian is careful to quiet his so that he doesn't drown her out. (He wouldn't mind doing so if the circumstances were different, he tells himself.) "Fun?" he banters back, "Fun would be the look on your face when you don't make it past the first spires." The smile that he had been fighting breaks free, coaxed out by the amusement in the pale mare's eyes. "But I'll make you a bet."

"You sneak into Loess without my knowledge and I'll call myself whatever you see fit."

It's a bet he won't lose because Tarian is certain of this situation: he's certain that she'll never come.