Easier to be alone and
simpler to keep the world
apart, but nothing I can ever say
will make me a beast of unburden

I'll never again be on my own in the world

As the night drew on and Ashamin continued his vigilant watch, the cold returned with a biting ferocity that reminded him of Frostfall's bright mornings. The haruspex kicked a few more logs to the center of the cave with reluctance and annoyance, allowing them to spark with a few strikes of his tail.

So much for spring cleaning.

But as the company arrived he knew it had been a wise choice to make the cave appear more welcoming, for he on his own was no cheery sight. Rexanna was first to arrive, and her concern was palpable. Still Ashamin only smiled, drawing close to greet her with a touch of his cheek to hers and a gentle, easy exhalation.

"It is good to see you again," he murmured quietly, absently, and with his eyes still trained on the door and waiting for Lochan's return. It was a white mare who appeared instead, apparently a friend of Rexanna's but not one he'd had the pleasure of meeting before. "And good evening, Eden," he started when the stranger introduce herself. Slowly he drifted towards her, offering his cheek to touch, thriving for a moment on the touch of so many after what felt like so long alone.

But before Ashamin could introduce himself, two others appeared. Ashamin would have smiled at the gathering, were he not too concerned with Öde's withering and bleeding appearance. Without hesitation the painted Haruspex rushed to Öde, his black eyes masking deep worry and his nostrils flaring. With every step the bear tooth in his mane jostled about, striking his neck and reminding him of its presence. Öde had been at the fight as well, but surely he hadn't been able to survive this long since then with such sustained injuries. No, this had to be from something else.

When Caleb asked if he could join, introducing Ashamin to Eden where the haruspex had failed to, the buck only nodded swiftly and reached to touch his nose to Caleb's withers, ushering him further in. It was Öde whom the haruspex needed to focus on.

"Emissary, come in, please. Let me know if I can aid you," Ashamin said, whispering the last part close to Öde's ear, perhaps even reaching to touch it, so no one else could hear. Though they had not spent much time together in the past, Ashamin knew many of the Basin's stallions bore too much pride to ask for help, and he suspected the same to be true of the injured beast before him.

Tiamat was the last to arrive, and Lochan followed her closely. The haruspex was relieved for many reasons: the first, to see Tiamat at all; the second, that his companion had returned; and the third, that a healer was present. Perhaps the kind scourge of the ocean could offer Öde some relief.

And though she too seemed concerned for Ashamin, the buck only shrugged it off. He nickered, extending his face to hers, but did not go into the details of his latest supernatural mark. It was a tale for later in the evening, if at all. "I am fine, Tiamat, don't worry," he insisted before turning to look back to Öde with concern. But he needn't say anything before she was tending to him with her usual care and attentiveness, and so he wandered back towards the middle of the cave and the fire he'd started, Lochan following eagerly in his wake.

"Good evening, all, and welcome," he started with a nervous sort of cough. His voice was not projected, for it echoed in the cave and the crowd was small, but he felt louder still than he was used to being. And he was nervous, too, for his emissary. It was odd to continue the lesson with one so injured, but Tiamat was doing all the could and Ashamin knew there was nothing more he could do to help. "I've sent Lochan to gather you here in hopes that we can record some of the Aurora Basin's history and discuss the strange events as of late. Change is coming to Helovia, and swiftly; I feel I would be remiss in not speaking with my herd of this."

He felt nervous, still. As he looked out over the small group that had come to join him, he felt almost strangled by their presence. It was his duty to talk with them about this, about all that had happened, but it was not his desire.

The scared, still hurting part of him just wished to hide alone in the shadow and face the death of a god and the ruin of the self in peace.

ashamin & lochan