[open] so as our grief falls flat and hollow

[Divest]

don't come find me, I won't be here waiting

She has kept quiet in the humid jungle for far too long. It has been six months since she has returned back to Beqanna, finding herself in the humid jungle of Tephra, and finding Gale. It was shocking to find him there out of all the places, her childhood friend, but he had been there, trying to restore Tephra once more. Now he was gone. And she was the new queen. It was strange to think of her leading a kingdom, to be given such power without a word from Gale. When the brindle stallion had been king, he had asked for her help. Divest had accepted without a thought—she had nowhere to go, nowhere she had called home at the time. Tephra then had become her home, and without Gale leading the kingdom she knew she had to step up. At least with what remained to be called a kingdom. Tephra had been too quiet in the last few months. There had been nightmares lurking within the shadows, and she wonders if that had caused many to leave. Yet, she had not left. The nightmares did not creep into her slumber in the dark hours of the night—at least Gale had told her she would be safe with him. But Divest grows restless of the quietness in Tephra eventually. If she is going to rule, she knew she needed to learn fast about the other kingdoms. It was not wise for her to remain unaware. There were others who would take her crown without question, hungry to have the power themselves. Her reigning would not be a short one she decided. Her steps are delicate as she moves with grace through the tall grasses that surround the river. She licks her dry lips, feeling parched as the summer sun beats heavily on her today. It has been a long journey, and she has not stopped since she left Tephra. The sound of the rushing water in the distance draws her towards it. A wail, a sound of great despair slices through the rushing river suddenly. Divest stops in her tracks, silver eyes darting around as a startled expression quickly appears on her features. She glances up towards the river where the keening wail had come from. Her ears flicked forward in caution and uncertainty. She has never heard something like it before, but it is gone quickly as the sound of the river comes back. Blinking again, the mint mare turns her gaze back towards the river, feeling her body groan for a cool drink. She then notices the gold and jaguar spotted stallion, surrounded by rippling shadows and then followed by an explosion of darkness. It happens so quickly and she shields her face out of an instinct for the aftermath that comes. It isn’t until she hears the crashing of a tree that she looks up, startled by the sound it makes as it hits the ground. Her gaze turns back towards the stallion with apprehension. For a moment she thinks it might be best to leave, but something tugs on her mind, and she takes a step forward. “Hey,” She calls out with uncertainty. “Are you okay?”

Divest

@firion