Gaucho had made it clear that she would travel, likely alone, to the Arch to help retrieve the bodies of her parents. It was a sobering invitation, but one she greatly appreciated. Gaucho had grown on her relatively quickly, despite her continued reservations concerning his rather tactless ways. It had taken a lot longer to travel out, considering those who had deemed to follow Gaucho were flighted, and Bucephalus had captured her attention at the Oasis. It was a long trek, reminiscent of the one she'd almost literally just taken when Gaucho had captured her and walked her to the Throat. Even so, she could hardly keep herself from running until her heart burst in the cavity of her chest, over-stressed. She was going home. She would see Arya, and Rhiannon, and Mirabella, and Ophelia...her heart ached to see her daughter, to hold her close and never let go. The two of them had always been aware that Hotaru's rank put her in, at times, a dangerous position. Only, nearly losing her daughter to death (that truly should have taken her, Hotaru shuddered to think) had made separation so much harder.

The heat of the desert melted away to familiar chill of northern lands, and her easy jog quickened to a helpless canter. She'd hardly rested at all, needing so badly to feel free again. Despite being held by the auras of the wilds, it would not be until she was in the borders of her rightful home that she would truly feel free and safe once more.

Snow crunched beneath her hooves, pale golden mane whipping against the arch of her shoulder as she huffed each breath, gossamer clouds obscuring her vision on each exhale. It mattered little to her, her drive to make it home exponentially larger than the physical exhaustion that wore on her. Had she even slept once she was in the Throat? Hotaru couldn't remember. Maybe that meant that she hadn't. Rhiannon was sure to scold her, but Hotaru couldn't find it in herself to dread that, helplessly excited to be able to be scolded at all.

The arch looms above her, and she puts on more speed, until her lungs burn with familiar cold air and snow sprays up like fountains of white from her hooves. There are only three collected round the bodies of her parents, and she cannot help but feel disappointed. Phaedra, at least, had been so important during her life. Maybe not to Hotaru, but she had been revolutionary nonetheless. Was this all that would gather to honor them? Ophelia, Gaucho, and a blue pegasus she did not recognize.

Approaching, she caught her breath, and moved to stand nearer to Gaucho than Ophelia. Technically still his captive, until he deemed to inform Ophelia about his change of mind. Even still, she spoke with her eyes to her Lady, relief thick on her face to see her once again. Their words are late but linger in her ears, useless as they do not include her. Hotaru turned her little crown to Gaucho, gazing at him steadily as if trying to find words. "Thank you, Gaucho. For bringing me. For...everything." Soft, murmured for his ears only. Her bichromatic eyes never leave him, the only silent respect she will give while surrounded by extra company.

Words come from the newcomer, and Hotaru unintentionally bristles, though she does not reveal anything aside the clench of her teeth. Maneuvering to stand near Stella, she sucks in a shaky breath before turning to look at Ampere. "As much as it pains me for you to take Stella...it is not my place to keep her in a home my mother never wanted." It is very reluctantly spoken, biting even. Stella had raised Hotaru in ways Phaedra never could have. She had been flying high above on every adventure she'd partaken with her twin sister. Watched over Ru while she'd been sleeping, or when Phaedra was away. Stella was more of a mother to her at times than Phaedra was.

Sinking to her knees, she pressed the flat lower half of her face to the cold body of the secretary bird. Her breath shudders once more, but she controls it, even as a crystalline tear slips in solitude down her cheek. "I love you, Stella," she murmurs, even though the companion has no way of hear her. She remains on her knees a few moments more, lifting her eyes instead to gaze over the body of her mother. Lifting to her hooves, she tears herself away from them, blinking away the sting of further tears. Turns to face the dark mistress with the sapphire lining.

"Treat her with care. She...means more than you realize." It is clear that she is speaking of Stella, and she hates to have to leave her watcher and protector to a stranger. At least she appeared to care for companions as a whole as much as Hotaru had cared for Stella singularly. Straying, she returns to Gaucho's side, silent and awaiting whatever would come from her presence.