When Tarek grabbed Holly's hands it really caught her by surprise. She noticed his eyes and was able to study them for a while as he spoke to her. Though, the words didn't quite register in her mind. After staring at him for a few awkward seconds, Holly shook herself and answered back,

"It's... so lonely here. I've lived my whole life in this forest... but I've been alone most of my life. Only the butterflies, moths and woodland creatures keep my company. But they have each other. I have no one." Her solemn mood made her uncomfortable. She wasn't normally like this, then again, she wasn't normally NOT alone.

It was all so much to digest. Just the other day she was alone and didn't know anyone else existed in the world. The next thing she knows, there's humans! Only, they are trying to harm her. Then comes Tarek... Who is human... yet, doesn't want to bring her any harm. He carried no weapons (that she could see) and he didn't seem interested in harming her. Besides, he claims he had come from the other side of the mountains. Maybe things are different there.

It was all so much to digest. She didn't realize how lonely she was until Tarek had arrived in the forest. Not only did he arrive, but he'd have to leave every night to go back to the human village. The village with humans that wanted to hurt Holly. She didn't want her fear to be realized... That maybe one day he'd go into the village and come back to her with the intentions to harm her.

"Why do they want to hurt me?" Holly thought out loud. She wasn't really asking Tarek a question, her mind's thoughts just slipped passed the barrier of her tongue. She shook herself again, this time to shake off the solemn feeling that was weighing her down. She perked up again and smiled at Tarek. Well, if he was going to have to return to the human village, then she'd at least spend the few moments she had with him in a productive way.

Holly's hands slipped out of his and she looked at his eyes, still smiling. Then, she began to giggle and she tapped her hooves on the ground with excitement and cheer that wasn't there before. Or, maybe it was, it was just hidden. She tapped him on the shoulder. "Tarek, you're the one. You're the one, now you have to chase me!"

Holly could have taken off at full speed into the shadows of the trees, but she knew he'd not be able to catch up that quickly, so instead she slowly backed away to give him a chance to register that she wanted to play.