Everything rattled as he neared the border. The excited feeling in his heart, the stone in his horn, the armor on his back, and the late-dropping horns of his companions. Lochan was nervous but supportive, Rakt energetic and uncharacteristically enthused. Finally a change. A change of pace, of scenery of, well, life.
They needed to leave. Soon, they would be gone from this place. And though there was a heavy weight upon them all, that faint sense of dread, Ashamin knew this was right. And if the Clovenheart believed in the choice, his companions would follow. They were loyal to the end, and to each other they would always be true.
Ashamin, no longer the haruspex but always the painted buck, did not announce himself. These were paths he'd seen his former Lord and Lady tread and he hoped he'd find them again, for he did not intend to leave them without any explanation, but he knew he no longer had the right to bellow names across this land. Not even Hotaru's, she whom he loved so deeply. This frozen valley was his home no longer, he could only hope that those who remained would understand his need to leave it.
Rakt looked up at him expectantly with globular eyes and the haruspex smiled, letting out a soft laugh of a whinny before nudging the cerndyr softly. Lochan looked distant again as he gazed into the wilds, but Ashamin caught his attention with a stamp of his hoof.
"You ready, boys?" the Clovenheart questioned with an encouraging tone, hoping to ease them into comfort. Above the sky was warm and comforting as dawn approached, ready to lead them into a new life.
""
@Hotaru and @Deimos