Ampere’s sharp words bit into him, causing him to flinch, but though they were at such odds with the last words they had shared - or his hazy memory of that meeting by the Blood Falls - he wasn’t surprised. This was the reaction to him Mesec had always expected. This was how she should respond to him, the monster who had attacked her family.

She shouldn’t have spun lies about how they were family. Lies that were once born with a glimmer of truth but now were utterly hopeless. There was no chance at rebuilding once they had once held for such a short amount of time - it felt that now as a solid weight in his stomach.

But more than that, more than the realization of what was lost between him and Ampere, he was suddenly aware of Virga standing near Ampere’s son and suddenly afraid that in her fury, she might hurt his son for what he had done to hers. After all, could her venom really be just based on what had happened with her twin daughters or did she know what he had done to Zero as well?

So he kept his silver gaze trained on her, willing himself not to call Virga back to him - hoping that there would be few other venomous words shared and that the foals could play and stay separate.

How little she must think of him, to believe he would place his children - any children - willingly in his presence if there was still a danger? He couldn’t blame her for her anger, it was what he had expected after the tussle with Gaucho in the Thistle Meadow. The night when, apparently, Ampere had disappeared - a fact Mesec had only learned a short time ago from Zero.

As always, the thoughts of that lightning colt were punctuated by the sounds of his screams, by the look of absolute terror in his eyes.

Before he could respond, Vesper was there - the panic and fear in her voice enough to rip Mesec’s attention away from Ampere without hesitation. “Shh, it’s okay. I will never leave you two alone.” He feared it was a lie even as he said it but he couldn’t believe the panic that rose in him at the sound of his daughter’s fear. He would do anything to soothe that away from her.

Lucius, from his perch on Mesec’s back, was bristling - his feathers starting to puff up in anger as he wished his fourth wing wasn’t broken so he could fly over and scratch Ampere’s stupid eyes out. He was distracted momentarily by the call from Everly. >Yes. Blue Bitch very dangerous the zephyr chirped back without hesitation (or as close as he could get to that phrase with their language), wanting to spread the word and have Everly on alert for when something happened, because something always ended up happening when the blue bitch was around.

But then Vesper, brave sweet Vesper, was speaking again - declaring that Mesec would never leave them because he loved them. And he couldn’t help but smile as he watched her trot away to join the the foals, as Virga moved to greet her and pull her close to his side. How could two such incredible foals possibly be related to him? They were as utterly perfect as he was flawed.

Reluctantly now, Mesec turned his gaze from the playful foals and back to the spiteful mare - his once friend, someone he had loved. But those stormy nights and chases were lifetimes away now. If Vesper could be brave, so could he. So despite the fact that Ampere had every right to hate him, to be angry, to hurt him, Mesec didn’t back down. Ampere could carve her pound of flesh from his hide for his crimes one day, but not in front of his children.

He straightened up and did not mutter his response to her as he might have done once but spoke it as calmly and clearly as he could. “I’m… it’s under control now. I wouldn’t be with them if it wasn’t.”

we'll go over the mountains and under the stars