Finally, the day had come. They had waited for what felt like an eternity between both the fiery zephyr and her bonded. Antaa longed to see Edgar again, and Darwin had already missed Elsa’s company by the time they grudgingly left the forest. And so, despite the fact he was supposed to be a warrior and do warrior things now, he patiently waited. Perhaps putting his own best interests before that of his herd. Surely the Earth God would understand? After everything he had been through, his anger was slowly dissipating (perhaps partial to the fact that Archibald had been removed from the pedestal he sat upon), and he was beginning to focus on other things.

Emotions were a finicky thing, and Antaa’s bubbly sense of excitement and sheer joy as the icy zephyr came to their aid was enough to cause that strange sensation in his chest. “It time!! Darwin, it time!” Came the words from his cheerful companion. The sensation grew stronger as he gathered what he needed (which wasn’t much aside from his composure) to follow the two seemingly lovebirds off to the Veins. It hadn’t really taken long, and as they approached he spotted the Icebound what seemed like a mile away. The sensation billowed further, tracing every bone in his body at the mere sight of her. She seemed happier now, perhaps in a better place despite what appeared to him as being nervous.

As Darwin closed in, and Edgar and Antaa bounded off to do their own thing aside from being emotional support for the two of them that perhaps couldn’t admit these newfound feelings for one another, Elsa stepped toward him with her muzzle outstretched to show her thanks and a hello. Darwin couldn’t resist, of course, reaching his own bearded ashen muzzle out toward hers, brushing gently against the pale mare’s with a soft smile. He lingered for a few moments, eyes shutting momentarily as he took in the fresh winter scent of the woman he felt like he waited a year to see again. As she stepped back and motioned toward the bowl, Darwin tightened his wings around his frame and nodded. “Of course.” He flashed her a small grin before focusing the energy he tried to keep just for this moment.

Soon, after a minute or so of pain as it struck through his body like lightning, his river stone eyes opened, he made his way toward the bowl in his phoenix form, moving his hot fiery wings over the bowl to heat the fat up once more. It didn’t take as long this time, since they had done it previously, and so he waited patiently the few minutes it took before the fat began to bubble and turn into a liquid instead of the strange blubbery-ness that it had been previously. Stepping back, he let his magic slip away from him, shifting back into the standard snow-white image of Wilder as his ears swiveled, listening to the call from Elsa. Then, it was just a waiting game.

His gaze landed on her, noticing the necklace that seemed so attached to her now. He had to admire how beautiful the silver looked upon her already pale pelt. “You’ll do fine, Elsa. I’m not worried.” He offered her another reassuring smile before stepping beside her, his wings folded up against his back, a few of the plumes brushing against her pelt if she stayed where she was.

"Talk."

Darwin & Antaa