Pele wandered into the mating gounds. She was lonely and bored from the lack of action in the claiming grounds. Was there anyone left who would want her, a red fish-horse who was sick and tired of being ignored? Pele kicked a stone and watched it roll down the slope in front of her. "Idiots! Don't they know that I am comfortable in any place with running water and some Grador companions?" She thought out loud. A stream of water caught her attention. She waded in to feel the cool liquid running across her scales.

OOC: Helloooo! ANY grador can claim my mare. Not just a hippocampus!

Saqui was browsing the claiming grounds, looking for any Gradors. She wanted to help her herd. If only I was on wings, not feet, she thought bitterly. She just could not fly.

"Hello," she said without much feeling to Pele. "I have a herd, the lead is very busy and might not be able to come. I'm sure we have several streams deep enough for you to swim in." Once again, the usual enthusiasm was missing from her exhausted voice.

Her feet were still badly infected, and getting worse; her feathers drooped with sickness. She sniffed, and yelped in extreme pain as she accidentally stepped on a thorn, Saqui laid down. She wanted to weep out loud, but she couldn't, as a mare that could had good potential to be a member of her herd was right in front of her.

She prayed to StarHerd that the hippocampus wouldn't see this as a sign that her herd didn't take care of her well. This was all because she could not fly. She wanted to ride the wind more than anything else, and a single tear slid onto the grass.

Pele turned to look at the young horse. She noticed with alarm that the other had painful swelling on her hooves. She hesitated for a second before responding. "I AM looking for a place to stay. it's been a while since I've had company anywhere. But first things first. Let me find something for your hooves." Pele slid into the water of the stream and found what she was searching for: a weed that would bring down the swelling. "This should help. Just try to keep off your feet for a while." She murmured as she gently wrapped the other horse's ankles with the soaked weed. "So what's your name?"

"Thank you." Saqui paused. "I am called Saqui. My lead is called Brownfang, and his assistant- more playful if I do say so- is his sister, Whitefang. We roam Yan Forest, former home of the largest herd in Zanzira." She dipped her head and sneezed.

The weed stung madly, but she'd heard from her mother; "Many herbs sting, but all will help. Trust me, it's not nearly as bad as an infected wound." She recognized this particular one from when she'd cut her feet, though that wasn't even comparable to the pain she felt now.

Sensing Saqui's discomfort, Pele started talking. "My name's Pele. Tell me more about Yan Forest." She knew that the more the other horse talked, the less she would be concentrating on the pain of the fireweed. Pele waded into the cool water and lay in it, wet up to her neck. She nodded for Saqui to rest as she talked.