Her world had been revolutionized since Murtagh's birth. He was everything in her life and more; love and adoration, dependence and friendship. She loved him with the ferocity of a hurricane, but with the gentle touch of a spring wind. Though he had growing yet to do, he was the perfect mixture of herself and Ktulu. Vibrant with life and youth even in the bleak winter landscape he'd been born into. Though Lakota had worried endlessly about the season when she'd given birth to him, it seemed that he had bounded over every hurdle that should have endangered him with effortless ease. Against the bled-out bleakness of winter, Murtagh painted color and vibrancy back into her life. It stole her breath and heart every single time, to gaze upon him and realize that she had been the one to help craft such magnificence.

He grew with time, slow and beautiful in every mannerism and detail. Perfect. He would never cease being so in her eyes, and at times it was hard not to hover, to press, to become overbearing in her desire to see him safe and happy. Ktulu often helped to reign her in when Lakota reached that state, and again with time it faded bit by bit, but as it was her first ever foal Lakota was desperate to do things the right way. Having Murtagh was the highlight of her life, the one thing she'd managed to do right in a history riddled with wrongs and evils that dare not see the light of day. Her son had changed her, had washed away and eradicated the sins Lakota had once committed. The Poisoner had not always felt like a true part of Helovia, doubting that she belonged without question. When she'd gazed into his eyes, so like her own, any life she'd lived prior to the Threshold - before Ktulu - simply ceased to plague her.

Murtagh was everything bright and beautiful and worthwhile in her life. Lakota had become addicted with just one, and though she'd managed to bite her tongue so far, the Poisoner had no doubt that she'd soon be begging Ktulu for another. And another. Perhaps even seeking out Resplendence for a little nudging - hey, you wouldn't mind having another foal would you? For me? Please? For all her life, Lakota's roles had vacillated drastically. Princess, killer, outcast, royal defender, Grey medic...but what she had been waiting for all along, what Fate had dictated of her path? Lakota was made to be a mother. Oh, of course, a mother who would sooner cut the tongue out of a threat and torture them to death surely. But a mother nonetheless. It had not fundamentally changed her abilities, her ideals nor her habits. Having Murtagh had simply built on top of that - a house of marble and gold on top of a mountain of darkness and poison.

Leaving her son and mate was incredibly hard to do, but Ktulu knew just as well as Lakota did that the sapphire maiden needed to have a job. A purpose. The Threshold was all she truly had, and exercise was vital in restoring her body to its original form - what with the baby fat still clinging a little to her hips and sides. It aided her in winter, but it was better to be fit than unflattering. Aodaun always accompanied her, when he could. The snow was his birthplace, his realm, and Lakota going alone was more dangerous than Murtagh in the Falls with Ktulu, Eytan, Alleo and Archibald all watching out for him. Not that Lakota did not put up token protest, thinking he too should be on the baby brigade for defense of her son. But their bond was strong, everlasting, and so she would tolerate his undeniable logic and allow him to accompany her.

Fate had played her hand once more - full house. Flush with the board, they gleamed in satiny newness, drawing Lakota closer unwittingly into the snow and ice of the Threshold. Aodaun had far better senses than she, he her eyes and ears in the forest where she traipsed about merely awaiting his signal if anything was to be found. Truthfully it could be considered impractical, but it had yet to fail the pair, and so their methods continually were put into work. It was luck that Aodaun was as stubborn as his bonded, that he'd been there in the Threshold the day the mother in her was called upon once more.

Lakota stumbled as the scenery around her abruptly changed - no, not changed. It was merely her seeing through Aodaun's eyes once more, though usually the polar bear had the decency to warn her. Clearly, this was an alarming circumstance. A tinny voice filtered through Aodaun into her ears across the distance, calling for an absent figure. Is she anywhere nearby? Lakota demanded when the word 'mother' was first from the filly's lips. Disgust and disappointment flooded to her before Aodaun even articulated words, and Lakota's heart sank. No. Mother gone. Trail cold, no scent. Gone a long time. Snarling to herself, the maiden gnashed her teeth, tail whipping against her hocks as she whirled and followed the invisible pull of Aodaun's presence to where the steel-stained filly was.

Don't scare, come slow. Lakota could barely make herself obey her bonded's command, heart pounding fiercely in her chest. Gods, what mother could ever abandon her foal? What bitch could ever be so heartless as to leave a youngling alone in one of the harshest winters Helovia had seen? Her blood was boiling hot enough to have melted the snow in the entirety of the Threshold, were it released from her body, but somehow she managed to slow her pace for the sake of the poor thing she was beginning to make out among the snow in the distance.

Aodaun stayed a respectful few paces away, not desiring to spark the older, instinctive predator-fear in the filly. Instead he trailed behind Lakota, allowing the sapphire mistress the spotlight and the task of breaking the ice with the poor orphan. Something she'd have to tell her. Life was so cruel and unfair, and the mere idea of Murtagh experiencing something of this magnitude at his age nearly crippled her heart. It inspired her lips to part, words to flow softly off her tongue for the little filly to hear.

"Hello, child. There is no need to fear," she called on a gentle murmur, careful not to press too close and destroy the child's personal space - no matter how badly she already wanted to embrace and comfort her. "My name is Lakota, this is my very good friend Aodaun. You can call him Ao," she clarified, aware of the complexity of her companion's name. Aodaun huffed, not wanting to growl in the presence of the babe and frighten her, but acknowledging her nonetheless. "What is your name?" That was at least the information Lakota could get before shattering the child's world apart for good. She was young...perhaps the memories would fade with time, as most equines did. Lakota only recalled her own youth because of the horrors that had occupied it. She prayed that the way she approached this would not cause the same for the silvery fae. "Sweetheart...Ao looked all around for your mother, his nose is very good. But...but he could not find her. I'm sorry, bambino, but I do not know where she is." Might as well rip it off right? It hurt her heart to even think the words, much less form and speak them physically.

Lakota dare not say words such as "not coming back", not sure if they would even be true, but the suspicion and evidence was there nonetheless. Already she was thinking, crafting, planning. She was full of milk still, though the babe looked old enough to not need it - but with winter concealing most of the grass, the nutrients might be necessary. Surely Ktulu would understand...and Murtagh would love a sister...Aodaun snorted in her head. Don't get ahead. No rush. She may not want to come. Lakota took in a deep breath, held it. She had to be aware of the fact that this wasn't going to be easy, regardless of the ending. But at least she'd been the one to find the little filly.

Lakota