Tucked into her den, Evangeline carefully manipulated the bits of this and that that she settled gems into. Darting back and forth between her and her cache of goods, Marmalade brought her different gems. The mare hummed, carefully picking one up in her claws to examine, then set it aside. "No, not that one... Perhaps the citrine? I think it would look wonderful with the emeralds."

Marmalade considered, then went to dig in the cache. After a moment, the mouse returned with several small citrines. "How about these?"

Evangeline leaned in, considering them, then nodded. "Those will do wonderfully. They're too small for me to set, though. Could you be a dear...?"

"Of course!" Getting to work, the mouse started working the small citrines in. After a moment, she looked outside. "Evangeline, do you think the snow will ever go away? I miss the green of spring..."

The mare lifted her head, looking out as well. To her, the snow was near nothing, easy to traverse and still easier to fly above. She knew, though, that to her dear little mouse friend, it was easy to get lost in. She let out a sigh, breath misting just slightly, then smiled back down at Marmalade. "Of course it'll go away. It never sticks around forever, spring is just around the corner and the sun will become strong enough to chase the cold from the shadows. And then we'll come upon summer and hope for the heat to go away and start missing the snow!"

Giggling, Marmalade wiggled her little fingers at Evangeline. "I can't say you're wrong! It gets so oppressively hot and nothing seems to help." It wasn't like a mouse could easily go swimming in the stream, even that could be too strong for such a tiny body. She'd have to see about a small pond, actually. That might be safer, especially if it didn't have big fish in it. After a moment of working, the mouse asked, "Do you have any plans for the spring?"

Crossing her foreclaws over each other, Evangeline was contemplative. "I'm not sure. Maybe see about foals? There's a green stallion I've seen outside the flock's lands that hangs around that group of Usdia stallions... I think he's their collective son or something. But I feel like he'd make for lovely foals, and they'd potentially have multiple pairs of wings..." The rings he wore were also fascinating and gorgeous, and while she didn't understand how the magic of the lands worked, she had a feeling at least one foal of his might inherit them, or something like them. "But if not him, then perhaps Remiel, that one purple stallion within the herd. I love his markings, he looks like striated stone, some kind of... Marble... Or quartz."

The mouse climbed up onto Evangeline's back and settled in her mane. "I'd say more quartz. Me, I might see about some little mice. I don't know with who yet, though, I just know I'll find someone." Like Evangeline, Marmalade didn't understand the magic of the lands. But she knew they could work in mysterious ways, and an owl could have children with a wolf, which fascinated her. The spirits would bless her with something, someday, and she could hardly wait to see what. Then she blinked, climbing up to sit on top of the mare's head. "Would you bring that male into the flock? I think I've seen him, he looks like he could do with protection."

Evangeline shook her head. "No, the little stallions seem to be doing a good job with him. He's fed and such, at least, and they seem to care a lot about him. Even the spotted tan one who seems to be afraid of everything!"

That got a little laugh from Marmalade. "The one with the goat that sticks to his side? Oh that poor little stallion, if he was bigger he'd probably do best in the flock, now that's somebody who needs protecting!"

"Perhaps, but he looks comfortable with the others." Then, amused, Evangeline asked, "Do you suppose they're having trouble in the snow, themselves? They are rather small."

"Oh no," Marmalade said, "There's a big bear-pawed stallion that hangs around with them, too, and I think he's clearing the snow for them where he can." Then she let out a gasp. "Oh, that could certainly help me! Clearing snow paths would make it so much easier to get around for a bit, and then if it's tall-sided paths I could easily dig into the snow in the sides to hide if something tries to eat me!"

"That actually sounds like a great idea, then you don't have to stay cooped up in here all day." Humming Evangeline looked down at the necklace they'd been making, then smiled. "Oh this looks perfect, the citrine frames the emerald in the best possible way. Thank you, Marmalade, with your help."

"Of course! Now I'm gonna hide in your hair so I can stay warm."

"You do that, dearest."