The admonishment from the painted mare made Erthë shoot a sour glare in her direction, ears dipping back against the poll in irritation. She had heard the voice that boomed from the tangled briars, how could she possibly have missed it? It wasn't a voice you overlooked, and while she hadn't been present on this location from the beginning she saw and heard enough to understand what was going on. What she didn't understand was why everyone was muttering about her Goddess, as if it was her fault that this was happening in the first place. It wasn't the Moon Goddess who wanted to build the barrier to keep people out of the Edge, it was they, the herd (or was it just Tembovu?) who had asked for the divine aid. Of course this was a creature of the moon - wasn't this her lands, old as time and sheltered beneath her dark wings for more years than mortals could comprehend?

"You see what you want to see" the girl retorted, all the while keeping the brunt of her attention focused upon the bramble and the butterfly winged girl who pleaded with it, tense as a coil ready to spring. "Don't create villains where there are none, please."

Just then, the voice was heard once more. Erthë listened attentively, her whole being seeming to vibrate with the intensity of it. Insults hailed towards the Elephant King, but despite the outrage and offense she took at hearing her friend and leader be spoken to like that, the words of the dark entity resounded within her.

It made sense. It was convincing, so logic and accurate, all of what it was saying. Why should it have to move for the sake of their convenience? Was there even a need for this barrier of glass that everyone seemed to want so badly? There were no threats to the Edge, all the herds were at peace and the Rifts had remained closed for a year, showing no signs of opening again.

What was the point of it all?

Erthë saw the pale doe emerge from the thicket, pale as moonlight and so beautiful that her heart ached with a longing she couldn't explain. Those green eyes, paler than even her own, pierced her heart with their desperate plea, and as her determination wavered the young valkyrie lowered her weapon, the cold light faded from the carved arrow rest.

"Do we have to do this?" she asked, turning to Tembovu with reluctance painted clearly upon her face, visible for all to see. "We'll be fine without the spikes, without gates and locks and chains to keep everyone else away. Is... is this wall worth the life of this creature?"

She gestured abruptly with a wing towards the doe, wondering at the sudden anger she felt at this whole situation. The filly didn't understand what they were doing here, it seemed so stupid, so pointless and cruel of them to place their (imagined?) needs before the existence of something that was ancient, unique, possibly the only one of its kind. Why had the Lady directed them to destroy this being, if it was indeed a part of herself and of the Edge? Was she throwing away this life, or was there a deeper purpose to the removal of a creature that appeared so fair, so gentle and vulnerable.

Wavering and confused the child looked between the members of the herd, her family, gazed from face to face and saw only determination in their eyes, readiness to proceed in this murder. And they dared to scorn the Moon for slaking lives! When they were no better themselves, so eager to shed blood to further their own goals.

She took a step back, shaking her head. This didn't feel right. Did she really want to be a part of this?

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Waiting for the rain I'm bracing for the thunder
A twig that wouldn't sway in the wind