Heat at last began to relent, allowing for clearer thought and cooler hides. Orangemoon was on the horizon, looming as a promise of reprieve. With plans in motion and nothing but waiting to do, Kaj finally had the time, the awareness, for revenge. It came naturally to him, a creature as primal and instinctual as the old blood that had eventually brought him into life. His temper had been unleashed for the first time in Helovia against a stag by the name of Tonka, and Kaj had brought him to the Edge with soreness in his bones but victory in his lungs. Azale Moniet had been a figure worth protecting, a child with so much life and vitality left ahead of her. It hurt to know that, in return for Aaron to be led home safe on a path of security, her life was forfeit in the hands of Fate. Destrier would have garnered the same reaction once. The blood and emotion between the two had developed into a bond that was tempered and strong. Cherished. Or so Kaj had assumed, until the brute had disappeared for seasons on end only to reappear without ever speaking a word to the Storm Bringer. Their friendship was apparently not worth the time it took to seek out Kaj, assure him that he was safe and returned. So Kaj believed that he was able to give equal time before pursuing the thief that had stolen Destrier’s items. Part of Kaj was seeking out the spotted stallion for his once-friend, but as a King, it was his duty to keep potential dangers away from his borders. Whether he wrenched the shoes from the thief’s hooves or not, Kaj would show him that the Edge was not to be a target in the future.

A mild wind caressed the stallion, barely a whisper, a kiss against his hide. Worlds away from the violent, turbulent winds that had chilled and cut into him during his fight with Resplendence. Even though his shortened hair – yet another relic from that fight – would have made fighting easier in that harsher weather regardless, the gentler zephyrs were still welcome. Coming off the ocean below, they were cool, blissful promises of the approaching colder weather, and helped to keep the stubborn Tallsun heat off his person. Yet another reason to fuel his hatred for the Goddess. Kaj wondered briefly if his hatred for her stemmed more from his love for Archibald, for what she’d done to him and his family. A deep inhale broke away those thoughts, azure eyes closing. He stood perched upon the precipice of the edge, so familiar to the cliffs of his homeland. The surrounded area was where he had last tracked the spotted thief, and he prayed – still such an abnormal, tentative experience for him – that the foe he sought would be the one to respond to his summons, his challenge.

Turning from where he overlooked the water, the king strode across the short, cropped grasses. Beach flora, weathered and sparse. Kaj idly kicked at the ground, determining its worth and weakness. These were things he needed to know for the fight ahead. The soil was more sand than earth, but a decent enough mix. Kaj had chosen the spot specifically considering his own advantages, most importantly being the wings attached to his sides. The nameless opponent he sought was wingless, could not follow him over the cliff if Kaj needed a reprieve. The king sobered to recall his fight with Ulrik, the old remembered pain of his wing being injured. He would simply have to avoid that during their fight, he told himself firmly. Dusk was descending, the moon rising before him in the east, his back to the west and the water of the Blue’s ocean. It was time. Craning his head back he called out, as loud as his lungs could manage, sharp and aggressive. It was the only thing he could think of to do, as he did not know the name of the thief that had stolen from Destrier. All that was left was to wait, marking the passage of time by the moon that steadily rose before him, taunting him. Kaj grit his teeth in fury. He would prove himself beneath Her light, what mockery it was. He would save his family. This was merely another step towards that goal, in a way. What are you really fighting for? What is your real drive behind this? He found himself asking. The answer eluded him.