As the air whistles through his downy white wings and keeps him afloat high above Nerine, Walter remembers the Before.
He doesn’t often (and doesn’t care to, not really). Thinking on the past only brings back unpleasant memories of wasted years and broken promises. He tries to forget the man he’d been before their world had shifted around them, if only because he is so much better now. When he lost his supernatural ability to read emotions, he’d been forced to sort his own out. Naturally, without aid. He’d examined himself at the atomic level, all the layers he’d put on had been peeled back and splayed open for anyone to see. What he found buried so far inside had been the lonely boy who’d been abandoned just after birth. A boy who had never known touch – not even that of a mother – and had balked at it ever since.
The Reckoning had been like a balm to his very soul.
The breeze changes, suddenly, and the golden pegasus feels the first inklings of an oncoming storm. He thinks about how different they are here than they were in the Chamber. He remembers, in his old home, how the residents had sheltered under the thick pine trees. The distinct smell of the trees after a good soaking had been such a pleasant smell. He remembers, too, how the thunder had made no difference; it rumbled under their feet just the same as the living heart had.
Here in Nerine, there are only the few caves carved deeply into the limestone cliffs to hide within. Walter angles his wings and tilts down, meaning to do just that before the new sisterhood fills it. He much prefers the wild northern parts of the kingdom where fewer venture. But today, he’s searching for Djinni in the more populated area when the storm takes him by surprise. He won’t make it back before nature lashes out at them. The dot of bright yellow against the dark grey sky becomes bigger as he descends. Down, down, until the warm sand cushions his landing.
And he sees he isn’t the first to scope out the cave.
A black mare stands nearby, eying the shoreline but not venturing within the sheltered place. He has half a mind to take it first – finders keepers and all that – but he rolls his eyes and steps closer to her instead. His footsteps are expertly and unintentionally quiet. He never thought he’d get used to walking on the slippery substrate, but here he is, walking as silent as a soldier. The woman looks drawn in thought. He recognizes the look well, but isn’t so keen dealing with it on others. A sigh passes between his greyed lips. The first crash of thunder races towards them across the waves. “Hey,” he says, not smiling. Not yet. “Got a lot on your mind or are you thinking about jumping in?”
Walter
you should come back home
@[Hestia]