He felt the despair rush into his veins, his light body turning into a cold tundra. This was all he felt; isolated. He was alone now, except for Azel, who now also hissed at the white feline before he came back to his own bonded, leaping through air and onto the dun's rump. This time, the claws did not scratch, and only the slightest of purrs came from the king cheetah's small heart. Xanthos knew now that he had a clumsy, but yet fearless companion, who would always be there.

As the mare backed away from his approach, he too did the same, knowing that he was unwanted to her. The steed sighed, but it was not boredom nor saddness, it was rage and confusion. Yes, he was now blaming it all on himself. Rejection now laid upon his shoulders and pushed him closer to the fiery hell below. How could've he done this to her? He had known all along that it would break her, into a million little pieces, but he had never turned to go back. If he had just done one simple task, this would've never happened between his now-parting family. I should just leave and never return. Xanthos sighed again, desperate for any thought but that one.

His head shot up with sudden pain as claws reached into his thin skin. Azel had clawed him, for thinking of such a thing as of leaving his loved ones again. He had already had to deal with it once and was not counting on going through it again. He had hated those months of hearing the nightmares his large companion had during his away of Romani, the cries of fear in his insecure yellow orbs. It had pained him to see his loyal friend in such away, and he never wanted to replay the memories again. "No," the feline growled in protest, "You have to stay... For her." His muzzle pointed towards the golden mare. Xanthos nodded to him, clearly in confusion but knew what his brother meant.

His gaze turned to the glorious mare once more before taking another step towards her. He could see the anger brewing inside her once dreadful soul, taking over her beautiful frame. The dun listened to every stern word she said, whether it hurt him or not, he would listen to her and only her. The world around him toned out and he listened as the harsh expression poured into his ears, his eyes focused on the ground in front of her hooves. "I waited. I waited for you to come... But you... You did not. I returned here, to our daughter, to find that you have left with no words to anyone, least of all our daughter. Pray be our family was willing to watch over her." He jerked up, his own stare gnawing at her.

"I know what I did, and it was wrong. But, I came back for you Romani! For us! If you think I attended to cause so much pain, you were wrong, because I didn't. I never meant for it to come to be this way, but it did. I said, like before, I'm sorry." By the end of his words, his tone was slowly faded away into a caring, helplessly-loving tone. Azel had jumped from his position of resting along Xanthos's back, from the time the outburst of his companion's harsh tone. His gaze was understanding, yet it was full of fear, as he had never seen his steed's voice in such a way. All he knew was that he was trying to get it through the mare's head, that he truly did love her.

But maybe he hadn't showed it enough..