good at goodbyes
His urgency confused her, as did his words and demands that she flee Tephra. They had been safe there thus far – what would have encouraged Warrick to change his mind so rapidly? Galloping to keep pace, Mosrael kept her eyes glued to Klaudius as he flied overhead. Ever aware of their approach to the seaside, the scenery that surrounded them transformed. Browned grass melted seamlessly into an odd compilation of sand and lava rock as miniature plateaus and cliffsides carved themselves out of the previously flat landscape. The girls had never strayed quite so far in the past, playing uncomfortably close to the sea.
Mosrael’s pace faltered as her steps slowed to that of a hesitant trot. Something was amiss, she felt the tickling of panic as her heart thumped louder in chest. All around her the world was deathly quiet. Birds hesitated to sing as the usual squabbling of seagulls remained eerily vacant. No matter how far the twins had wandered she had always been able to hear their giggles and games. Now there was nothing but the whistling of the wind.
Klaudius’ frantic call broke through the straining of her thoughts. Rocketing into a gallop, she picked her path haphazardly as she bounded over sudden drops and rises that formed beneath her. They had fallen, his voice informed, and new shockwaves of terror tore through her pulsing veins. Jumping through a dune she slides to halt as her eyes fall upon them crumpled in a heap upon the rock littered beach. Helpless she inched closer, her eyes never straying from them as Klaudius tended to them. At his feet, Ketzia sputtered and flailed as water spewed from the orifices of her face. Completely oblivious to Kromium and Karat’s arrival, the appaloosa mare rushed to inspect her children. Exhausted, Kove lay seemingly lifeless with eyes closed against the sunlight. Although appearing in distress her breaths were stronger than her older sister’s own labored heaves. It didn’t make sense that one would appear perfectly dry while the other lay soaked to the bone.
“Klaudius,” she finally managed with a trembling voice, completely uncharacteristic from her normal brutish speech. Questions and emotions threatened to overwhelm her and spill forth but, instead, all she could manage was a trembled, “Thank you!”
The day she would have so readily walked away from the twins was far behind her. Over time she had grown to love them deeply – something she hadn’t realized until she’d been faced with their potential loss. Softly lowering herself between her girls, she offered them her warmth. Without the need for encouragement Ketzia maneuvered closer as Mosrael gently licked the soft curves of her youngest’s face desperately hoping to see her beautiful eyes once more.
