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[Scorch]

WATCH THE FLAMES CLIMB HIGH INTO THE NIGHT

For Scorch, there'd been only one time when she felt powerless to the pull of her metaphorical ocean, subject to the whim of its tide. When her mother had been murdered, she'd been passionately dejected of all things - loudly daring death to come find her. But what had left her crippled and careless to the fates had been the birth of her stillborn daughter, Rain, decades ago in the Valley where she'd been kept captive for a year at that time. She'd tried to fight off the wolves who came to scavenge the filly's body, but all that'd been left when they over powered her had been two rib bones. Taking her with them back to the Jungle, the magic of that land had placed the bones in tattoos across her chest, to be remembered forever... And had it not been for the solace offered to her by her best friend Kagerou, who'd also lost a child that spring, she would have been like Vi: lying prone on the cusp between death and life, bleary-eyed and utterly without the strength in her very lungs to take a single more breath.

But as Kag had been to Scorch, so too would Scorch be to her daughter: that little reminder that there is something to live for: that even after tragedy, there is joy to be had. (For if she had given up after Rain, their family would be without eight of its children; Vi would not be here at all.)

For the first time since she'd died, she watches her youngest daughter move, a terrible tremor running through her blue figure as her mother wrapped her up in an embrace far more powerful than any attack could ever be. Memories of her old home in the Jungle came rushing back to the mare as the scent of Vi flooded her nostrils - memories especially of her last year of life, of how she'd tried her best to be the young, active mother she'd been for her other children, and of how she'd been more of the mom you come home to tell stories of your adventures to, who would smile and kiss you, but not truly comprehend exactly what was being said to her.

She understood now; she understood now.

When Vi moved to lift her head, Scorch quickly removed the weight of her embrace to allow her the freedom to do so. When she caught sight of her daughter's milky eyes, her vision swam wetly with tears, and she pressed kisses to the orbs as both their tears mingled. Her powerful chest shook with sobs, but as Vi's voice came hoarsely, they calmed some as she realized that her daughter was okay.

"Yes baby, you're home,"" she crooned softly, again laying her head against the mare's sea-warm neck. "You need to try to get up okay?" She squeezed the girl, trying to remind her what there was left to live for. "I'll be right here to guide you, I won't let you fall."

How great a mother's love; how unfailing, even through death itself.

Heaving herself up, Scorch clambered to her hooves, ignoring the small rivulets of blood that ran down her knees where she'd slammed them into the stony shore. Reaching down, she blew hot air across Vi's face as she nibbled and groomed her - it truly was as if Vi had just been born. But in a way, she had been.

"Come on now, I believe in you."

Scorch

Once Khaleesi of the Amazon Jungle

@[Vi] <3