I had been walking in the lower valleys, visiting with my new kin when the wolves came barking at our door. My personal attempts at grappling friendship and loyalty among those that held some semblance of a brain in this family had been making slight headway. There were a few I’d come to trust, and more I’d come to love less in these past few weeks. Some of the Asylum still gazed upon me as a usurper, their cold, calculating eyes constantly seemed set toward finding a weakness—there had been fretful nights I dreamt of a unicorn horn being rammed into my spine. The thought of it sent my skin crawling as if infested with insects.

Fina soared overhead, those cunning eyes keeping watch from the skies while I transverse the ground. It wasn’t long before a summoning cry hit my ears, not moments later feet pumped and sun tipped wings flailed apart. With swift beats I rapidly climbed into heaven to join my companion. Her gaze had narrowed, being a raptor bird she could see much farther than any horse—and as the images of her sight came through our minds, a hot ball of dread rose from its little cage in the pit of my belly.

From the distance I saw the type of folk that had entered our valley. Was this how they had pried for Ktulu and her sister? The golden hued female was instantly recognized as the lass who had been inflicted and saved. It was humorous now how the sight of her and those kin gave me reason to frown. Hawkeye was near, watching the lower valleys and trumpeting to our visitors in clear warning. His presence gave me comfort, but that feeling of reliability was extinguished as I also caught sight of Eris moving to greet winter’s children.

If a fight broke out…somehow I didn’t feel very secure. Fina neared my shoulder, cooing gently her condolence. I met those sky blue eyes for a moment; taking a deep breath in, then breathing out my concerns, worries and dread. The foggy corners of my mind cleared and with that exhaled breath an inborn leader and soldier emerged. Wings tucked halfway, I didn’t bother landing at a far distance from them, instead limbs jutted out and I came straight to earth only about a stone’s throw away. With the care of a father cradling his newborn son my toes touched ground and had they been watching some might have caught a glimpse of the gold that naturally spread from my feet wherever a step was taken.

So calculated and balanced had the landing been that hardly a speck of dust scattered as my body settled into earth once more—gaze rose, taking the group with a masked expression of formalities. My frown remained even as head tucked, striking the gem across neckline a single time. “Welcome to Hidden Falls,” the tenors of a man rose, sliding thickly from my jaws, sounding cool in stark contrast to the normal warmth of which I greeted other visitors. “What purpose stirs ye to come here?”