[private] I'm going to light it up

[Yanhua]

As Mazikeen wove her way through the evergreens, Yanhua thought about how much he liked the idea of her being here. The inclination wasn’t a possessive kind, nor was it a sense of attraction (though Maze had a raw, powerful beauty.) It was strictly familial. Mazikeen being here meant that the likelihood of Gale coming and going had increased, which could also tempt Yan’s other half-siblings to come around more often. He knew there was bad history linked to this place and their lineage, knew that a concept like openness between himself and the rest of Lepis’s brood might be a heavy undertaking years in the making, but seeing Mazikeen look up in wonder gave him a similar sort of hope as well. That things, as tumultuous as they had been in the past, might be alright in the future.

It gave him reason enough to smile, shake his heavy shoulders with laughter that sounded faintly musical, and reply, “It’s never too late to pick up a new hobby.”

The redwoods could use some climbing, he thought. They were more accustomed to being leapt off, as his twin and Nash’s children were prone to doing. He even suspected that Cheri or Mem had given it a try, too. Mostly their branches were weighed down by nests of all sorts, their leaves rustling with activity from the magical wildlife or blowing and creaking during a particularly windy spell.

“Maze.” He thinks warmly, not at all offended by her tone or the mention of the ‘crowning’ ceremony on the Isle. “I chucked it off like the thing was on fire.” He rolled his eyes, adjusting comfortably. Perhaps he should’ve had a bit more tolerance for the flower crown, considering some horse had gone through the trouble of making it in the first place, but even wearing it for the short amount of time had felt like an unnecessary target for mockery. “As if my horns alone weren’t reason enough to stare.” Yan knew, peering back at Gale’s mate under the dim glow of his yellow-gold light. “I’m off to investigate some of the new biodiversity around here,” He told her, “Want to come along?” Yan offered.

“You could catch me up to speed on things in your neck of the Mountains, tell me how Gale’s been doing. Is he still living in Islandre’s?” Yan moved off a few paces in one direction, careful to leave space for Mazikeen so she wouldn’t feel crowded by him. He knew that time was a rare commodity these days and that she was a busier horse than most, so he wouldn’t be offended if she declined.

YANHUA

Image by Ani2ad

@[Mazikeen]