There is a certain sense of homeliness, and comfort, that comes when one surrounds herself with friends, family, loyal comrades who would stand before you against adversity, defend your honour in your absence, work to retrieve you, return you home, when you were forced to be away. It was a strange, peculiar, warm sensation, as if was drinking a warm, honey-laced tea, which worked by soothing the nerves and providing a warm duvet to wrap around one's soul. The golden hum of Akaith's soul that rested so close by Mirage's own curiously shaded one was a comfort that had been present for more than a lifetime, but the curious presence of her sister's company had been there longer still; since before her parents had even conceived her. The bonds of sisters was unbreakable, and despite the fact that blood did not truly link them, it was a bond forged literally more than a lifetime ago, akin to that of the soul-linking ties created between herself and Akaith. The magnitude of the emotions Mirage experienced was always so powerful, so great, they dwarfed the 'normal' range of feelings others felt.

The DragonHeart was not under any illusions as to her feelings to those who managed to earn her trust. It was inevitable for one who possessed a heart of a dragon to be able to love many, equally, brilliantly. Capable she was, and proudly she did indulge in the deepest of emotional attachments, allowing them to nestle firmly against the strong beating muscle that was her heart, a place that until recently, had only been occupied by those who shared her birth lands. She had been guarded of her emotions her entire life, it was a relief, a true indulgence, an addictive drug for her to be able to confide in others, to finally allow herself to trust them with her deepest and darkest secrets, to share and live and grow with them. Akaith chirruped from above her, enjoying the gentle tumble of at-ease, steady, relaxed emotions that were lolling about within her bonded's inner workings. Her gentle mental embrace also told her of the approach of their sister, the loyal and valiant one who had indeed placed her life on the line in for Mirage. It was with a strange sense of morbidity that the DragonHeart almost wished she could return the favour, prove that she was not just all talk when it came to her love and loyalty to her kin.

She came, the one who was a creature born of moonlight even more so than the little shadow mare herself. It was like an old glove being tugged into place as the dark, silver and gold streaked mare slung her tiara over the small of Mirage's back, a replacement of things that had been left undone for far too long. Always and forevermore, the little shadow welcomed and relished in the presence of her sister, never would she turn away from her, never would she decline the chance of embracing her, talking to her, loving her. It seems her ear is a target for hardened ivory incisors, it bows out of the way, diving beneath the flux of silky tendrils that spouts so readily from the crest of her nape and poll. The mare makes only a subtle move in return, a shifting of her weight so that the resting place of her sister's tiara would rock slightly, but otherwise she leaned into her affectionately. The gryphon is received as family, as she always would be, the difference between the avian-feline and the dragons monumental, yet overlooked with a gentle ease that instilled Akaith as a maternal figure, a guiding force - but Akaith only knew the ways of dragons, not gryphons. It was little wonder that the pale creature so easily knew how to socialise amidst the winged lizards, little wonder that Kali thought of herself as a dragon, though she was not, but just as Mirage had the heart of a dragon, she did not doubt that her sister, and her sister's bonded, held their own version of the same within their souls too.

Words of loving, adoring taunt were spoken, dancing upon the wind with many devious undertones, the affectionate moniker, the reminder of her vertical ineptitude, all caused the little shadow mare to simply snort in response. As the snort vibrated her nostrils, the magic that distorted her appearance shimmered down her bodice, swallowing her, flickering in and out of existence - and thus making her appear only every other second a whole equine. Playfulness, amusement and light dancing steps ensued soon, however, as the little moonbeam pulled herself away swiftly, the little flickering shadow was swift to follow, happy to bump her shoulder and hip against her sister in a way that was both rough but intimate, the way only a sister could do. Akaith twirled in the air with the young gryphon as the horses played below, chortling a song, chittering draconic admonishments to Rishima for her playful insult. The smooth, melodic laughter of the DragonHeart echoed from the shadowy maw, that now hovered near Rishima's own, whole once more, as the magic of her soul ceased to dance over her dark, smooth hide. Pressing her soft, plush muzzle against the firm nape of Rishima, she breathed the scent of familiarity in, the scent that reminded her of family, of their parents, their birth lands everything that had been lost, and yet, everything that still remained.

"Dearest sister, you should know by now, that the best things only come in small packages." The tones were rich with their accent of old, the words smooth and honey-rich with a deep, resonating melody that inscribed amusement, playfulness, loving teasing. Akaith took this opportunity to point out to both of them that Kali must then be this mystical 'best thing', eliciting another warm laugh from Mirage's maw. "My point precisely." She added, golden eyes drifting with open adoration for the pale feline-bird as she flitted across the skies. She sighed then, and hated to change the subject from this delightful interaction, this treasured moment, to something that would surely, eventually, end up with at least a few terse words exchanged. Mirage knew her sister, all too well.

"What do you think of Lace?" She began, seemingly at random, turning her chiselled visage to hold her sister's fathomless pools in her own, an earnest tremor bringing the suddenly serious tones of this talk into sharp clarity. Mirage had to know… Just what, she wasn't entirely sure of yet.

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