Kianzo

While you burn at the stake, I dance with the flames.

He followed Kiada this time. Her legs, shorter and blacker than his own, carried her far south from their home. But was it theirs? Ever since finding their companions and her galavanting off with the cow-wench, the two had spent more time apart than together.

And that simply would not do.

So the princely took matters onto himself to ensure that they would at least be near each other, though his inner rage boiled along is golden coat. For once, he found himself wishing for the flaming magic along sister’s back, so that he could show her just how angry and resentful he was with flaming jaws of the ravenous wolves they had seen in the Basin.

But he didn’t have her magic. He had his own, an ashen cloud that froze living things in place. Perhaps, he could unleash his magic on her, freezing her in place so that he could yell and shout and make her stay with him. But, while the dark princeling would not hesitate to do such a thing to any other being, this was sister. The other half to his soul. He could ever do that to her.

So, instead, he stalked her across the earth. And she seemed to stalk anther, the stallion who had disrespected his mother (truthfully, the man had been ornery towards all at the meeting, but the colt’s mind only picked out his obstinacy towards his Rexanna). Why wasn't Kia stalking himself instead of this hairy, lonely old geezer?

In the caves they went, neither the two foals, their companions, or the gaunt old stallion pausing, despite the dust and heat. His cub nearly yowled in annoyance, but a strong command of silence kept her young, bone-crushing jaw shut. Though her youthful attention quickly grew rapt on the scene before them, black nose twitching as the scent of blood and mucus wafted into her sensitive nostril. She was young and forever hungry, after all.

The colt, in his ire, contemplated throwing his magic out and freezing the newborn, scaly thing so that his pup might have a slithery snack. He owed this stallion no favors, and at least his companion would have it, rather than Kia’s.

But, just as he was about to send out an ashen cloud, Kiada stepped directly into the path of it. With a grunt and an angry yelp from his striped hyena cub, he cut his magic short, legs quickly stepping up alongside his twin. Though he kept an uncharacteristic distance between them, coldness seeping into his face and eyes as he didn’t even look at her.

And his thoughts mimicked Kia’s—this companion was small. It did not have long teeth or claws like his cub, nor did it have a sharp beak or talons like Kia’s chick. “What good is it?” His bold voice struck into the air, cold and blue eyes glaring callously at the touching moment shared in the man’s bonding with his snake.