"I do not like this discord between us Megaera. It is not they way we should be."

"I know. I know, and I am trying. Were you so very angry with me? When you didn't interfere with Ampere?" 

"I didn't try and stop her sooner because she was right. You know that. Why Meg, why could you listen to her and not me? You know that we are connected. Your life is my life, I could not lead you astray if I tried. Why could you not hear me when I spoke reason?"

"Because we are so connected. I couldn't trust myself and I didn't trust you either. I'm sorry. Gwaihir, I am sorry." 

"Did you forget, Meg? In our time apart did you forget that your heart is my heart? Did you prefer when we were cut off from each other? Would you have us severed like that?" 

"No! Gwaihir I could never want that! I was just so--" 

"YOU WERE NOT ALONE! Not alone, and never shall be Megaera. What must I say to make you understand that. And Cera, and Ampere, and Einarr, what must they do to convince you that you don't have to be strong at all times?! It is not strength to shut us out when you need us, it is weakness. Gods of ground and sky, Meg, I know you are smarter than this!" 

. . .

"Now, are we done with this foolishness? Do you trust me to help you rebuild? I cannot help you if you pull away from me again. Please, Sister-soul...I need you too."

"Yes. Yes I am here. Can we start with the children?"

The eagle responded only with a nod and a rush of warm feeling that equated to his version of a smile. They had been perched on the metal trees that ringed the arena, had been there for hours, with the bird perched just higher than the pegasus to bring himself to eye level.  In the past eye contact for them had been rare and unnecessary. In working through their tumult of the past months, however, both had felt the need of that additional intimacy as they conversed through their bond. 

"Mordecai has left the Throat, I feel. We will have to trust that she is grown enough for now. But if you can find Nizho? I'll fetch the little ones and meet you at the Dragon's Blood Tree." The mare reached out to her bondmate and the eagle responded by touching his beak to her muzzle. Perhaps there would be strain there for a little while yet, but they would muddle through. Gwaihir took off with an easy sweep of his wings and Meg followed him into their air not long after.

-kid collecting time!-

"We must wait for your brother, but I have much to say to you all." Meg intoned as the herded the the children toward the behemoth of a tree. It hurt the mare to think that she wan't sure if Nizho had even met his two small siblings. She had so much to make up for to all of them, but at least Castor and Vastra had had each other when she and Einarr had sought Asavvi; Nizho had been left all alone. Megaera payed as the scanned the sky that she was not too late, that at least now she could be the mother her children had deserved.