The world beyond them faded, fell away in the swaths of gray. It was as it had always been, a world cloaked in pale tendrils, sounds muted by the barrier of droplets. A little bubble of their own as the night's fog rolled in, further graying out the colors. And in the sky above, the clouds crept in, too, until little light remained. Darkness claimed the night, muting their colors, but still he seemed to glow softly, if only because his pelt was white. His breath stirred the fog, and somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted — not his, he concluded with a small smile as his ears drank in the dreamlike, hushed sound. His breath had fallen upon her shoulder, but he withdrew slightly, to look upon her face, her eyes; she sought for his gaze in the foggy night, and willingly he gave it. Paladin — did that red-maned devil somehow stand at the center of all wrongs, of all the things haunting him? Brother to Psyche, leading forces to wrest Mauja's home from his grasp, father to Ophelia- so strange to think, that the white mare was so young yet. Young enough to be Mauja's own daughter, and yet, and yet... His blue eyes fell back upon Delinne's scarred shoulder. So Paladin had done that, too, splitting her black skin and red flesh to leave a permanent mark. Dark anger started to simmer in his soul, be he quenched it; tonight was not a night for anger, he felt, but rather for comfort.

She needed it more than him, though he would take what he could should she offer it. "Hush," he whispered quietly, wondering what she was doing as she came even closer. He could feel the heat coming off her body, two mortals standing close to one another. Her soft muzzle touched the skin of his neck, whiskers tickling slightly as she drew it across his nape. Her breath felt warm. "I wanted them to leave us alone, too. To live in peace with me and mine, was what I wanted." Mauja's voice was soft and he gently laid his chin against her shoulder, resting his head upon her back as lightning split the sky, followed by the first echo of thunder. It was distant enough for the rain not to touch them yet, but if the storm came closer the winds would probably push the fog aside and open up a cold shower above their heads. Something had flashed at the edges of his vision when the first bolt had struck, but he put it down to the sudden light burst across his retina. Quietly he wondered if the words he'd spoken had been a lie. Perhaps it was, in some ways. Part of him had been content to live in peace, to be left alone, their own sanctuary of horns — another part of him wanted to ensure that it lasted, forever.

He still didn't know why they all had come to take his home away. Mirage had said something about needing a home, but instead of negotiate had just come with an army. Why had Kri and Paladin aided her? Alliances? Fun? A chance to beat the renowned Frostheart? Or did they just want to crush his fragile empire of dreams, his glass kingdom, because it did not fit the mold of Helovia? And for that purpose — would they come to the Basin, to bring that, too, into the fold of multiracial culture?

Another lightning tore the sky open, and in the back of his mind he knew that Irma was heading back to them, to the safety of her bonded, away from the buffeting winds of the thunder. And again, he caught that glow at the edges of his vision; Mauja lifted his head cautiously, peering down upon her black back and the white, jagged markings. She was bathed in deep purple and lavender, the pale skin and hairs glowing violet, colorful in the monochrome night. "Delinne..." he whispered as a third bolt arced across the sky and struck home, hitting the cliffside rocks far away. For the brief instant when it split the sky, her markings shone with nearly the same intensity, only to fade, grow dimmer, but not less otherworldly as they seemed to wait for the next flash. "You're glowing."

night-fate-stock -- dreamofsandman -- deirdre-T -- deviantart.com // i-mi.deviantart.com