Little Mane was not the only soot-camouflaged character the group of our pen and paper RPG encountered in Cloudsdale. A soot-blackened Pegasus styling himself as "Greencloud" turned out to be Woodwinger, the very same pony who had been in a very high rank in the organization we were working against and who had left said organization after we had opened his eyes with some proof about the vicious intentions of their leader.
However, Woodwinger was well aware that this organization was not the kind where you just resign and walk away (Shut Eye had paid a high price (not her life) for the attempt), especially not with the kind of delicate knowledge about the organization, its plans and their leader that Woodwinger had gained through his high rank within the organization.
So for a while now Woodwinger had been on the run, changed the style of his mane and tail, sooted his coat and tinted his Cutie Mark to adopt a fake identity to hide from any pursuers from that organization. It had also been Woodwinger's old uniform that the members of our group had seen worn by Slowdrops.
Ironically Woodwinger himself, while in the organization, had pursued the "deserter" Backfire who was at this very time hiding within Cloudsdale too. To top it all Little Mane (Backfire's foal son) ran / flew into the camouflaged Woodwinger. Far too young for being either a member of the organization or for understanding their schemes Little Mane (an bundle of energy and explorative spirit) had just flown off. Since Little Mane's mother, Inky Page (more on her later) was still in the organization and had risen to high rank after the previous events Woodwinger expected that pursuers of the organization would be after Little Mane too.
Maybe to make up for some of his earlier actions Woodwinger camouflaged Little Mane too and hoped to find Backfire, not as a pursuer but a companion in misfortune, and unite him with his son. Seeking not to draw any attention Woodwinger had sent Little Mane to our group with the letter with the order not to search for him. Obviously that only increased their efforts to find the author of said letter.
Thanks and credit for the background of this image go to Anunium :)