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Azariel stood near her teepee, staring up at the clear morning sky. It had been a month since she had last seen Caelen. At least...she thought it had been. She hadn't had much of a sense of time passing since they had seperated, being wrapped up in her own thoughts could do that.

She made a sound similar to a chuckle at herself, shaking her head a bit. Ah, she could think about things too much sometimes. Her talk with Katarina had been a bit enlightening though, but if Caelen and her were going to make things work, some things would have to change.

Her long white tail flicked and fluttered a bit in the breeze, though her thoughts were wrapped in possibilities. She hoped this was the right day, it wouldn't do if she or he were early or late. Sighing again, she resisted the urge to pace. She wanted this over with.

Azariel's ears flicked slightly, catching the soft yet increasing soud of hoofbeats. She turned her head to follow the sound though becuse it sounded as if more than one soquili were coming, it couldn't be Caelen unless he was coming to show her his newly acquired love. Azariel snorted and dismiised the thought with a flourish, it couldn't be true...could it?

Still, as it clearly wasn't Caelen, who could it be? Perhaps a few friends coming to visit her? That would be a nice change of pace, having friends come visit her at her home. Truth be told, though, she would be a bit disappointed if this turned out to be the wrong day and she would get to have her talk with the shamrock stallion.

Azariel turned her head to look as well as hear the approaching hoof-beats. At first, when she had heard them slow, she had thought her initial assumption had been wrong, that the others were taking another path and not coming to her teepee, but it hadn't sounded like that they were still coming toward her and--was it? She scented the air, catching the distinct whiff of clover as well as another, unfamiliar scent.

For another second she assumed that Caelen was bringing another mare to their meeting, to show that he at least, had moved on. She was wrong in that assumption, when she finally caught sight of the two as they broke through the tree line.

The familiar green coat, shamrocks faintly visible was a dead give-away even if she hadn't scented him, but the little filly with him was quite a different story. If Azariel wasn't mistaken, this was the little child Caelen had once spoken about, the one where he told her he was a father. Huh.

At least she wasn't overly-anything. Her mane, already quite long (oh, dear, poor thing) was an interesting variation of blue and her coat, a nice silver, matched her mane quite well. For a moment, Az wondered if the filly had developed Caelen's accent and suprressed a chuckle. With Caelen as a father-figure, that was almost certain.

Raising her had, she whickered a wordless greeting, not giving ground by moving toward them, but showing that she wasn't hostile.

Azariel laughed and took a few steps forward, despite her earlier thoughts on not giving ground; there was nothing wrong with walking a few steps forward, well, as long as she didn't run to him. That would be a bit too much given for too little.

Was he finally within decent hearing range? Well, there was only one way to find out, "This is a surprise Caelen," She couldn't help but smile at the pair, "I didn't expect you to bring your little one." Her gaze dropped to the silver filly and she bobbed her head in greeting, "It's a pleasure to meet you,"

Her gaze lifted to Caelen, "And it's a pleasure to see you again, Caelen," She shook her head and tilted it back toward her home, "We should get into the shade. The sunlight isn't fond of me." She laughed softly at her own little joke, though it wasn't much of one.

Azariel's eyes flicked over his body. At least he hadn't let himself go in the month they had been gone, eh? She surprised herself with appreciate what she saw with more than just a general friendly admiration, but she quickly covered it up in favor of giving the little filly a proper greeting.

"Hello Ignacia," She greeted friendly, smiling, "I'm Azariel, that is," Her eyes flicked back to Caelen, "If you haven't already heard about me." She laughed softly and shook her head, "Ah, so I suppose you'd better be careful, eh, Ignacia?" She asked, grinning, "Wouldn't wanted to play a bit with another if he got too close?" She chuckled and brushed the implications away, she was too young to understand much of what the older mare was talking about. At least...Az hoped that was the case.

She glanced at Caelen again and noticed he seemed a bit...agitated. She wondered why for a moment and then shrugged it off. Why not let him stew, if only for a bit longer? Grinning, she opened her mouth to chat a bit more with Ignacia when--

"Azariel, are you tormenting that poor stallion?" Called a voice archly from nearby. Azariel turned slightly and gave the human a cool look, which was promptly ignored.

"I'm sorry to barge in..." Ha, sorry Az's a**, "...but I think these two have a lot to talk about," Mashki held out a gentle hand to the little filly, "Shall we go exploring around the area, then? These adults," She emphasized the word as if it were demeaning, "need to talk about private things and you and I won't be interested in. What do you say?" Mashki was calm on the outside, but inside she was simply giggling. Ah...perhaps it was finally time?

Azariel flicked her tail absently as she watched the filly be lead away, only half-promising to get the human back for what she had done later. This was going to be important for the both of them, whether or not she wanted to discuss such things so soon.

Snorting softly, she turned to lead the way to the shade, "HUmph, the same could be said of you, couldn't it?" She retorted, wordlessly extending the same compliment to him. She'd never say such a thing out loud.

Green-blue eyes glanced back at him, the vaguest surprise outlined in her gaze. He was being serious for once. Well, at least this time she wouldn't have to work for it. That was a definite improvement. She nudged his shoulder at his movements to the contrary, "You just can't stay serious, can you?" She grumbled, not really minding.

She was silent for a moments, mused over her thoughts, "I missed you as well, but it was nice to have some time without constant arguing." She snorted and simply didn't look at him, "And already you want to argue again?" She looked up at him with an incredulous look, "You're impossible. Honestly."

Azariel's ears flicked, though she remained quite silent once the phrase, "Onto to business" passed dark greens lips.

She listened quietly as he spoke and explained, her own thoughts whirring over his words and her own thoughts. THe jumbled mass was becomnig just a bit ordered, though it was nowhere close to being organized.

"You can't sleep with me close," She pointed out, finding herself unable to be serious even when the situation screamed for it. Whenever Caelen tried to be serious, she couldn't be. Now that was screwed up, "You and I don't live together, sleeping with me close would be impossible unless one of us moved into the others home." Her lips tugged into a smile, oh man, Caelen might just kill her.

"But..." She sighed and looked away, having found herself in a situation she had never wanted to be in. Surprisingly, she didn't mind as much as she thought she would have. "I suppose I can live with that," Green-blue eyes glanced back at him, "Are you asking--in a round-about and far off way--if I want to be your mate, Caelen?" She might as well get the implications out into the open.

Ahhh, it felt so good to give Caelen a bit of his own medicine, Azariel couldn't help but wonder if Caelen wanted to annoy her just so he could feel like that. Talk about a strange way to have fun.

Watching him, she could see him stew inwardly, and it made her grin, oh what fun she could have with him! Sadly, it appeared that she herself would only be able to tease him when he was trying to be serious. Bah, she could try that whenever she liked.

"Move in...?" Now that was not acceptable, "Hey now, I have as much a right to my privacy as you," She pointed out smoothly, he would not be moving in regardless of any conclusion they came to, "And besides, what about Ignacia? Lovey? You have your own family just as I do."

She was silent for a moment, musing. Did she want him to be with her? Would she be able to handle the fact of him next to her? Always in her hair and never leaving her alone, always making her angry just to soothe her down.

.........at least then life wouldn't be boring.

It wasn't the only reason. She liked Caelen well enough, perhaps even insofar as to say the l-word (not something she would readily say). But...was she ready to give up her freedom? Of being able to stay out for days or weeks and return home with no one questioning her? But on the other hoof...she'd have someone to come home to who would be there for her and her alone. Of course, life wouldn't be life without fighting--and she could guarantee there would be fights in the future.

"I would like you next to me." Ah, she was being serious, that wouldn't last--"Even if you do love to tangle your tail in mine and infuriate me up the wazoo."