I WILL LIVE FOR YOU

Ever so slowly the insults and disbelief came spilling out from the two superiors' mouths, and it took everything Xanthos had not to pin his ears back in annoyance. Oh, how he couldn't wait to put this place behind him and never come back.

Myrddin was the first to speak, almost earning a snap from the grullo, yet he refrained for now. His emotions were a swirl, each fighting to overpower another, but he wanted to put the act on for as long as he could, even if it seemed they saw through it already. Even at the pale, old stallion's question, he did not answer, for an unsuspecting third party came to join them. It was the World's Edge prisoner, whom by this time, was sure to be sorely missed. He listened intently to what she had to say, and although a little discouraging, it was true. He'd done well capturing Mirage in the first place, somehow, and held her for a remarkable period of time. But still... He was still new to the ranks, and one that hardly anyone trusted.

The painted mare was surely going along with him, and so he would do so in return, and he deeply appreciated it, but decided it best not to agree on her words. It would only worsen this whole thing. He and Solstice seemed to be in similar positions, both prisoners in their own way to the Basin. Now his golden eyes turned to Psyche when she spoke, and wasn't surprised in the least to see her rage bursting at the seams, ready to explode.

His mind had gone blank. There was nothing he could say to make the pair standing before him believe him, he knew, and so he did not speak, his mind working quickly on a different plan. If he simply stood in silence, what would happen to him? He had let the great Weyrleader escape; would he be beaten, demoted in a sense and forced to live under the Auroran's scrutinty until the day he died? Or worse, they would send a small army after Romani, if they could even find her. A bit extreme, perhaps, but then again, maybe not. What was forming in his head, however, he could hardly believe himself for even considering it. He was a swift runner, but simply taking off would be too simple a move, and he wasn't sure who would win in a foot race. Would the Empress even give chase?

He had made up his mind. What he did next would surely set him at the top of the Plague's hitlist, or at least, somewhere close.

Suddenly, the grullo lunged forward and into a gallop, heading for Myrddin's right, opposite of where Psyche stood. As he passed the pale unicorn, he made sure that their shoulders collided in a forceful bump, surely sending the elder topling over to his side. Xanthos felt immediately horrible of the action, but it wasn't like he had killed the Seer. He could seek solace for his actions later, when he wasn't in the Basin.

After the shoulder check, the grullo's only focus was on the path leading out of the Basin, his only route of escape. He could only hope that Psyche would be distracted by Myrddin's collapse, or simply wouldn't care enough to give chase. Then, there was Solstice, whom he truly wished would follow after him for the sake of her own freedom. He cared not what kind of thoughts were forming in the others' minds, surely calling him a coward, a fool, an idiot to be running away. But that's exactly what he did, for it was a mistake to have come here in the first place.

ooc - Permission given by Aud to knock Myrddin over.

BEFORE I DIE