"And now I wish to God that The earth would turn cold
And my heart would forget it's made of glass"

At her snide words, Tembovu stepped away from her and the filly felt the distancing, the disapproval more clearly than if he'd kicked her. The force of his gaze drew her in, made her look back up at him reluctantly, sulkily, as the gleaming wings drooped from her shoulders.

"Not clever, just true" she mumbled under breath, defiant even though the reprimand stung like nettles and caused her to shrink away.

It had never struck her as odd, the way she had taken to this big beast of a stallion. They hadn't known each other for very long at all, and yet he had already gained a place in her heart. His opinions mattered more than she currently wanted to admit - it was hard to keep her head high when he so clearly rejected her words.

The explanation Elsa offered - really? She replied even though Erthë had only been asking to annoy her? - didn't exactly make it feel better. A leaden weight formed in the gut as the young seraph remembered her own sorrow, the first days after the loss of her mother when she had yet to accept the inevitable truth. How she had gone from place to place, seeking out their usual haunts and shelters in search of the black mare, crying her eyes out and calling, recklessly screaming for someone that had never answered. Not until she had returned to her father had the reality of it truly sunk in, and she thought she could see similar shadows in the faded blue of this mare's eyes.

Heart bleeding with empathy, Erthë threw an apologetic glance at Tembovu and started forward, limping painfully up to the filthy, bedraggled General with the small, pink nose extended. For every step her demeanor changed, softening from feisty pride into true, honest regret and concern. Though the lips she made to press against a weary shoulder was cold as ice her heart was vast and warm, overflowing with compassion.

"I'm sorry too, for being rude" she said earnestly, vocals sweeter now that she was able to see past the ugly facade and glimpse the damaged soul beneath. "I don't think anyone is hurt but I don't know everyone here, me and dad moved in just recently."

She threw a questioning glance back at the Glazier, quietly asking the same thing. Did he know? Had he seen anyone? Perhaps Erthë ought to stick to the herd a bit more and get to know those who lived here more. Not that she had much of a choice until her legs healed - but if she found things to do in the forest, the outside world might not tug at her as much.

"It wasn't anything related to the Edge, really" she continued, in an attempt to chase the guilt from Elsa's voice. "There's been fights with foreign gods going on all over Helovia, I think people from all the lands got involved in the end."

But now it was over. Four gods of Helovia had brought four new lands and vanquished four demons in the process. The pattern was completed, balance was restored.

"And all the pretty tulips would disappear
And never disturb me again"