Photo © Tony McLean</style>
       Xira had her words lined up perfectly. As soon as Mesir had broken the brief and pleasant silence after the chestnut roan's words, Xira had been made aware of every fault in the other's statement. Kye whistled eagerly from her perch upon her bonded's shoulder, having read Xira's mind and anticipated each poisonous barb before it was delivered.

Xira parted her lips to speak, when suddenly she noticed a shadow falling across her vision. She shook her head, ignoring the change in weather. The Sun God had been temperamental, who was to say this wasn't simply another of his heat storms. Her eyes shut and her kissers spread to speak all at once, but she only managed a syllable before everything was shattered in the sound of thunder.

Scare! cried out Kye, who reverted to her childish nature only briefly before realizing that she had just exposed her vulnerability and stiffening up. The bird whistled a high, penetrating note, and at once Xira's hearing returned, albeit slightly jostled from the roar of the sky. Surely it was just more work of the God of the Sun and his weather play; what use would it do to pay it any mind? She shook her head and mentally scolded Kye for her obvious and instantaneous fear, even if she'd felt it all herself.

Now, where had she been? She found herself shaking uncontrollably, found her head wobbling like a doll's as she tried to reform the insult in her mind and simply could not. At last she thought she had it and with reckless impatience she spoke, barely able to hear herself over the ringing in her ears. "You've been loyal to your god, cause, duty, and the herd for some time now, I'm certainly not one to judge you, Xira muttered darkly, hoping every last word dug a hole into the informant's heart, until she realized with horror that what she'd said was not at all what she'd imagined.

Wrong? Wrong? The falcon's voice rang in her mind, loud and clear above the thunder's heavy echoes in he head. Yes Kye, Wrong, The chestnut replied with a puzzled look trapped on her features and a nervous flicker of her tail. Something had gone horribly wrong when the thunder had hit. She could stare as darkly as she wanted at the other mare but somehow her expression still reflected kindness; form any insult but still have it rearranged into a compliment. This occurrence, whatever it was, was simply wretched.