Truth be told, there wasn't half as much fervor to his objections as he made it sound. True, he was reluctant, and he did indeed still loathe the idea of bowing his head to a god, but time had worked its magic on the young stallion. In many ways he had grown over the course of the summer; not only bodily, though that too was part of it, but mentally too.

He'd spent his days roaming the desert landscape of the Throat in the merciless heat of the Tallsun, mulling over the words and ideas Ampere and Ranjiri so lovingly had shoved down his throat. The concept of family beyond the shackles of blood, of living for the sake of none but himself, of being wanted - all were difficult for him to swallow. He could understand them in his head, of course, but to actually feel it and dare believe in it was a completely different matter.

If left to his own devices Cathun probably wouldn't have actually done anything, even despite the new perspectives that had begun to open up within his - admittedly thick - head. But Ranjiri had kept an eye on him, it seemed, and when the bright days began to loose some of their heat and the cantering winds brought along a suggestion of change and looming storm clouds she came to find him. Much to his own surprise, the fire-eyed stag caved to her persistent nagging, and though his protests were vehement and the glares stubborn his heart remained filled with a certain mild apprehension, a sensation of pleasant surprise that nearly bordered on amusement. She had promised - or rather threatened - to go to the gods herself if he didn't do it, and it seemed she was a mare of her word. As she seemed perfectly capable of dragging him bodily to the Veins, Cathun reluctantly opted to walk on his own accord; curious, intrigued by this determination to save a life he had long since judged worthless, and against his own will interested in seeing these Gods of Helovia up close. Those of faith kept persisting with the idea that they weren't all bad - but Cathun remained skeptic, unable to believe it until he saw it with his own eyes.

And so, since he had nothing else to do and felt a certain need to keep up appearances, he singed the air around him with curses and whines and general nagging as they made the journey west, trailing the rocky coast from their arid home towards the black, blue-veined land of the Gods. The closer to the volcanic lands they came, the quieter he became, and Ranjiri's excitement was met with nothing but a rough grunt that expressed only too clearly what he thought of this idea.

With a sour expression and the black ears tucked back into the two-toned mane he watched as Ranjiri placed flowers before the toppled shrines, his thick flame-wreathed tail snapping against the hocks in a silent display of displeasure.

"Whatever happens, this was your idea" he muttered gruffly as he settled in beside her. "Just so we're clear."

With heartfelt reluctance he turned his gaze to the shrines and waited, unease crawling through the gut as moments dragged by. What would happen now? Would anyone come? Perhaps it would all be better if the black rocks before them remained shattered and empty, that they kept standing there alone with only the wind and the crashing sea for company.

Better for him, and for her too.

---

ooc: I'd say the main thing is to keep him alive. Either by teaching him how to mend the necklace, or as Ali said, by tying their life forces somehow. I like both ideas and I'm willing to use a magic slot to make it happen, so feel free to choose which idea you find more interesting and surprise us. ^^

:: [ Magic: Fire (P) | Body is made entirely from fire ]
:: [ Restrictions | Will consume his life-force in a year if not sealed away; the seal will make him appear as a normal horse, but when weak fire will leak through his frame ]

:: [ Item: Necklace of stealing | Gold necklace with three magatama beads that seal the effects of his passive magic. ]
:: [ Restrictions | Each bead will last for 3 seasons before breaking, weakening further if exposed to magic. ]