His eyes flickered to look at the man as he spoke. Nodding along to him, the words rang in his ears. It caused him to flicker one of them in uncertainty at the comment that had been made. The lucky one? He thought to himself, Antaa too preoccupied to help with the confusion that billowed in the stallion’s chest. What was lucky about losing your mother? Forced to leave Helovia in fear for your life? He felt a lump in his throat as he opened his maw to speak, but quickly clamped them shut as the man continued. Darwin looked away, at that point, sighing internally before letting his wings relax a bit. “I – I don’t understand.” He muttered, his gray beard flicking with the wind and movement. Refraining from looking at the man, he let his gaze fall on Milo. The man continued on, and Darwin listened with ears perked. His wariness still enveloped in his chest. “They wanted to rid every trace of her, right? That’s what I heard. I was just a child.” His voice grew huskier as his frustrations came to light. Darwin looked away from Antaa and Milo, afraid his anger would be directed at the innocent child.

“I was shuttled off right after I was born. I didn’t know what was happening, all I knew is that the familiarity of being a child was gone in that instant. I didn’t get to enjoy my youth. No, instead when I was old enough to find out what happened and who had done it, I believed they would come for me next. I couldn’t do anything to protect myself except for that.” He motioned to Antaa, speaking of his transformation magic that he had been born with. “I ran from here – told no one where I was headed. Couldn’t even fly and barely fend for myself. But does that, THAT make it redemption?” Raising an eyebrow to the man, his lips forming into a tight line. He wouldn’t reveal his name, and that frustrated Darwin further. But the words that came next had the rage of his stone eyes back down onto the child. “My nephew?” He grumbled, the rage beginning to simmer – unable to force his anger onto a mere child (for he knew the consequences of such actions so close). “I see. Was he born that way?” He questioned, watching the child with a hint of anxiety. Darwin’s wings now flexed against his back – ready to spring forth in any moment, yet he kept them close to him as sympathy spread within him from his bond.

Meanwhile Antaa could tell from the bond that despite the anger that Darwin felt for Archibald and Knox, he would never harm a child. She wasn’t worried about that, instead she constantly cast sidelong glances at the man. Her focus was mostly on the child, the nephew, that Knox had spoken of. She didn’t know what any of these words meant, but she could feel the sudden closeness and attachment that Darwin suddenly began to feel for the creature with golden eyes. He reached his nose out to her, and she cooed gently – happily letting him brush his warm muzzle against her sharp beak, moving up to her crown. She listened to his sigh, her feathers fluttered in happiness and she continued to coo. Her eyes gleamed with pride at the gentleness the child offered, her chest puffing out slightly with her wings tightly closed in around her small frame. Milo, despite being Knox’s son, was alright in Antaa’s mind. She’d make sure that he’d be fine in Darwin’s mind as well.

Darwin couldn’t watch the events of Antaa cooing to the child any longer, and instead watched the man. A sigh escaping his lips as he lowered his head slightly. “You think they’ve really changed? You don’t think they’d persecute me for leaving?” He questioned the unnamed man. He hadn’t questioned the fact that he didn’t want to give his name. Darwin had learned in the wilds outside of Helovia, that names were uncommon commodities. Some barely knew their names, others couldn’t stand to stop and chat. That didn’t bother him. What did bother him, was how much the stallion knew of himself and his family. Perhaps it could be used to his advantage. Perhaps it was time for a family reunion. “I mean, I can handle myself now. But for future reference. Might be worth it to see just how much they’ve changed, don’t you think?” He questioned again, his anger subtly hidden behind his mask once again, his temper ready to lash out at any moment.

"Talk."