Eventually, after about a full week of traveling, the duo reached the edge of the desert. The path continued through an open field. "Grassland. Welcome to the Beyond, Lyrica," Bluebolt said to the small Aurleon, though she was unheard because Lyrica was busy taking in the new scenery.

Was he imagining things? A muzzle softly touched his own as intimate as a kiss. Was his unconscious mind playing tricks on him or was his nose picking up the warm aroma of a mare's breath in his nostrils? He couldn't remember what caused the pain that made him slip out of consciousness, but he felt his life force was trying to heal. [ "You can't give up that easily!" she seemingly shouted... ]

A cool wet splash of mud against his chest, followed by a body pressing warm against him, and the familiar feel of her breath against his neck. Did she nip the nape of his neck, or was that too just a figment of his imagination? Suddenly a warm sensation filled his being, his life force mended and no longer ebbing out into the ether. He was still tired but he was alert again. There was a warm body against him! He opened his eyes and saw Meara, her head leaning into his neck. As she started falling away, he lifted his tail out of the mud and caught the most of her head, neck and shoulder. He tucked it in as close as he could and allowed her to lay on his fin-wing so she wouldn't suffocate in the mud. He looked at Meara warmly, grateful that she was good at what she did, he pressed his muzzle against Meara's cheek and lick kissed her willingly.

[ "Are you hurt?...!" She said... ]Just as soon as he heard Kanakwella's sweet, young voice his head snapped up, weary as he was. "Kanakwella!" He hailed back with a smile. "I'll be fine, Meara is amazing at what she can do." Just as soon as the princess was close enough he nuzzled her cheek and kissed her young muzzle unashamedly. "I am so glad to see you are okay, dearest. How is your brother?" He swooned a little and lay his head against Kanakwella's shoulder. "Please sit for a moment and lend me your strength." He begged his beloved princess. Given the moment he looked over to see how Amethyst and her baby brother were doing. Raka seemed to have refreshed again and had arisen to do who knows what. But the salty swagger of Smit's voice and Dhuka's grumbling about the adventure were almost music to his ears. Everyone was fine.
"Welcome Smitty, for a lubber ye fight like a sea warrior if err I saw one. Seems adventure is looking for us more than we are looking for it. And we could use a fighter with a little piss and vinegar in his blood. "

Of course he chuckled as Dhuka told him directly what she thought of their adventures thus far. He still didn't know her name, and expected that she liked it that way. To which he said. "What else would you rather be doing on a day like this milady morkko?" He expected she would have a remark. To the prone Amara, he looked at her when she opened her eyes. He gave her a smile and a wink. Perhaps she understood that he at least would be happy to have her company too.

Mermydon was feeling his physical tiredness and nestled himself against the princess when he felt the mud flop up and down under his hoof. He moved it enough for Kipper to poke her little head out. He had no idea that their little encounter virtually buried Kip underneath them in the safety of a cool pool of mud.

"You are one very lucky sylvorpa."

Amethyst hugged her brother kindly. He made a happy sound. He smiled. "Ame?" He said cautiously yet he didn't know why. Amethyst smiled and hugged him kindly. He flinched slightly at the contact but then relaxed. Yal wasn't the scared little foal he had been. His body showed it because underneath were his muscles that had been worked hard and now he could swim to see if he wanted with stopping on occasions for food. He closed his eyes and wished for the moment to last.

(OOC: not to sound rude but, I am a little perplexed as to why no one thought the appearance of the spirit and his fusing with Raka was worth noting. Just in case you didn't quite understand, his change in appearance occurs in the story its not just me wanting to change his design)

(OOC: Sorry)

(OOC: true, I wasn't clear but the spirit was in an entirely physical form at the time. Plus there is a lot going on that people need to respond to other than that. I think I mentioned that the spirit was in physical form in my earlier post, but removed it since the actions he took contradicted your previous post.)