It's said she's made of storm cells
and a wild wolf's hungry heart

Perhaps she had grown far more confident in her abilities to recruit from the festival’s results. Either way, she let her gaze drift from the woman in front of her as Rikyn speaks – darkened head swiveling toward the ebony knight. “Calor.” He introduces himself, and she dipped her head in a greeting fit for a princess, though one that carried a sword instead of sorrow. “Your folks know you’re all the way out here?” With that, she nodded. She had told her parents she was going to search for Kianzo – surely they weren’t too far away now. Though, she was a troublemaker and loved to slip away unannounced.

Yet, the guy kept going, and Khairi squawked in annoyance toward the man. She flashed him a similar devilish grin as she had for Albrecht. “Oh, they know. Lord Deimos pleasantly announced it as he crowned me the Orangemoon’s recruitment winner in front of both my parents.” She winked to him, surely if he was at the Basin at one point he’d know who Deimos was, right? She was far too young to imagine a world where the stone pillar didn’t rule the icy fortress of the North. Still, as Albrecht began to speak in return to Rikyn, Kiada couldn’t help but to let a small giggle escape her splotched lips. As the old man begins to take his leave, she turns to him and nods with a small milky smile before her attention returns to the more pressing of the matters.

As the woman speaks, Kiada does her best to catch up. She moves closer to her, and Khairi’s head swivels to survey the creature the closest to her. The vulture is extremely protective of his princess, and he’ll do anything he can to ensure her safety in difficult situations. Yet, Kiada’s ears flicker to the woman as she offers her own muzzle in greeting, doing her best to figure out just what she’s saying to reply. Her name is Mavuto, from Dorobo like her father! Pride billows in her chest as she listens to the next set of words. “Ndiyo, yeye ni baba yangu!” She begins, a smile finding her lips. But then, the woman shifts forward as if they’re speaking of some secret plan and the woman instead asked her why she was on fire. A small laugh escapes her lips as she lets her gaze seek hers out. “Nina uchawi, Mavuto. Wao ni wapole, msiwe na wasiwasi.” She adds in with a small wink.

Then the woman asks why the snake is Albrecht’s only friend and she simply laughs at the question, small ebony tail flicking against her hide. “Nyoka ni rafiki wake, kama tai yangu ni yangu.” She admits, nodding her head toward the white fulture stained in blood along her withers that offers a coo in return as if to agree. Then, she asks if she will take her to the Edge and Kiada nods in agreement to her question. Then, her attention turns to Rikyn once again with a smile. “She wants to come to the Edge with me. I can handle her myself, but if you don’t trust me with that, you can come too.” She offers, her cerulean gaze hardening as if to dare him to not trust her.

After a few moments passed, she turned from the woman toward the direction of the Edge, her ebony head tilting back over her golden and spotted body. “Hebu kwenda Mavuto!” She called in a cheerful child’s tone.

"Talk."

---

Ndiyo, yeye ni baba yangu! - Yes, he is my father!

nina uchawi, Mavuto. Wao ni wapole, msiwe na wasiwasi. - I have magic, Mavuto. They are harmless, do not worry.

Nyoka ni rafiki wake, kama tai yangu ni yangu. - The snake is his companion, like my vulture is mine.

Hebu kwenda Mavuto! - Let’s go Mavuto!

that she's learnt the lightning's secret—

to ripping darkened skies apart.

Kiada