Her family gathered around her at the call and seeing so many familiar faces began to calm the Sultana. Yes there were threats, yes there were dangers, but the people of the Throat were strong and they would face whatever the God’s were throwing at them together, wouldn’t they?

When she finished speaking here eyes swept the crowd, she was interested to see several faces she did not recognize and was thinking she ought to do better at getting to know their newer members when one of them caused a sharp twist in the pit of her stomach. The cremello mare wrapped in old bandages should not have been cause for alarm except that she was snuggled up the Inky black form of Einarr. The hot, boiling feeling that sprang into her gut was unlooked for and for a moment unrecognizable to Megaera. Flared hotter when the stallion turned and whispered gentle reassurances to the mare. Hey eyes flashed at the pair before she turned her head away as others spoke to her call for information but she only half listened until Gwaihir put a name to the ugly feeling. His voice came into her mind as he circled the skies ”Why jealous?” he intoned, having felt the heat of emotion and abandoning his morning hunt to return to her. Jealous? Like a guilty adolescent her first instinct was to vehemently deny it, but even if she knew it was a lie she had not quite caught up as to why that particular feeling plagued her and she did not answer her companion’s question.

As if she wasn’t already waging and internal war over the stallion and his stupid, gruff, stoic, fierce, gentle, strong, dependable, wonderful face he stepped forward and called out for the punishment of his Gladiator and Chancellor. She didn’t know Ampere too well on a personal level, but she had nothing but respect for the blue mare. Even if her contentious relationship with Gaucho caused Meg some confusion she had never known she sword-sister to do anything  but work for the good of the herd. Still, she had never known Einarr to lie. Ampere’s cutting response made it seem like the blue didn’t think she had done any wrong, but what business had she making one of their own feel unsafe in their home? Being hard on the warriors was one thing, almost expected of a commander but it was plain enough that this shrinking, timid mare was no warrior.

Megaera glanced from Ampere to Laedere and for a moment some dark, petty part of her whispered that she should side with Ampere against the whore. That is uncalled for! her conscience roared and Meg knew she must act on truth and not these ugly new feelings. Through the Earth God’s interference they had raised a child together, but that did not mean she had a claim upon the stallion and Leader had done nothing wrong. But had Ampere? The blue spoke her last words and they raised the hackles on Meg. They were absolutely true, with outside threats the throat should be a unified family and force, but yet it was Ampere’s supposed verbal assault that was causing trouble.

From above the golden eagle descended, feeling the second rise of temper in his bonded and seeking to sooth it. Gwaihir may have been of a cranky and aloof nature, but the mare was the twin of his soul, eternally tied, and he loved nothing so much as ‘his Meg’. With no regard to any on the gathered, he swooped low over their heads and perched himself on the bone mask beside Megaera and clicked his beak at the bay mare and for a moment the turned her eyes away from the herdmates. ”Meg calm. ” he reminded her and despite herself she knew he was right. The let out a quick and quiet laugh that contained little humor and more skepticism, but all the sam she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. You lead this herd for them, not you. she told herself, Be better for their sake.

She moved her gaze towards Einarr, Laedere and Ampere, giving each a sharp glare that clearly meant she was not finished with them before turning a warmer face to Sikeax. Megaera would get the larger business you the the way before addressing their fucking interpersonal squabbles (though on some level those concerned her far more), She gave the physician a strained smile and a nod. “I thank you for your diligence, Sikeax. After doing what you can I agree you should confer with the other herd’s healers but I do ask you to be careful. I would be more comfortable if a warrior accompanied you, or another healer from the Throat at the very least.”

She found Sacre then, and nodded at her friend’s offer of help. “I will defer you offer to the Sun Physician, it seems she may be in need of assistance if these sicknesses spread.” She nodded again in approval when Sacre took charge of seeing to the sick colt and then it was young Aithniel’s turn. “I agree, it seems we have not seen the end of the Gods’ plans, and we shall focus our patrols on our own border and the east. As for you, please make sure you see the healers, it is difficult protect others if we have out own ailments.”

Her dark eyes turned to Badger. She had not met him properly but she remembered seeing him at the battle with the wolf god. At least our healers have their acts together.She knew what she wanted to do but….how did it work? When Gaucho had given her the Sun God’s gift he’d only had to say and the magic followed. Well, here goes nothing… She managed a warm smile at the shy stallion. “Badger, you have proven yourself to be committed to the healing arts and I believe you have the courage that we in the Throat value. I give to you the Sun’s gift and name you an Alchemist of Dragon’s Throat.” At the words, her own light pulsed, seeming to emanate from her chest in a warm glow that was just a fraction of her usual beacon.

She took another deep breath to keep herself calm as she turned her attention back to Einarr, Laedere, and Ampere. Her eyes rotated through the trio and based her, Gwaihir followed her movements with uncanny accuracy. His golden glare fell on each of them, all villains in his mind for causing Meg any disquiet; even his soft spot for the stallion’s daughter did him no favors in the eagles supreme disapproval. “I agree with Ampere, this is a family and there should be no cause for strife within our borders, especially when we face outside threats.” Her voice had it’s edge back and she stopped her eyes at the blue mare. “So naturally, I would be most curious to hear exactly why you felt the need to verbally abuse a member of our family” Without waiting for her to reply Meg turned to Leader and Einarr. “I will have the story from the three of you, one at a time, and tell it true.” She settled on Laedere, and trying not to let her discord of personal feelings cloud her judgment of the mare. The Sunspear beaconed her forward, and struggled to keep her expression even so as not to frighten the timid thin into further silence. “You first.”


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The Basics:
- Meg's a jealous not-girlfriend
- Sikeax has permission to visit the other healers
- Sacre is asked to help the healers if they have need
- Ilios and Aithniel have orders to take their medicine
- Badger is promoted to Alchemist and receives rank magic!
- Laedere, Ampere, and Einarr have some 'splainin to doooo

M E G A E R A
knock me out, knock me out
sayin that i want more, this is what i live for