A somewhat guilty expression rested upon the masked face of the equine as he slowly walked around the rim of the burning pit, basking in the intense heat. The long neck hung low and the ears dangled limply to the sides, as though he had received a scolding and was reflecting on his actions.
Only, the effect was ruined by a faint but decidedly bright smile that teased the corners of the lips. Lace tried to suppress it, but time and again he found himself starting to grin again - he just couldn't help himself. The look of the dragon that perched atop his whithers was far from amused however, and the grip with which she held herself in place on his back was a good degree firmer than what was strictly necessary. A low growl emanated from her throat, warningly and somewhat pained... but her efforts to make the stallion get a grip on himself fell on deaf ears.
"I can't help it Fajira" the glazier tried to explain as he carried them around a crack in the ground that pressed glowing magma dangerously close to the surface. "It's dark, I know, and it's unnatural and dangerous... but I still think it's not all that bad. Mirage said it, didn't she? Her homeland had been in complete darkness except for the moon, and we still have those trees, don't we. And the magic is gone. Gone! Can you believe it? I haven't felt this free in a years time."
A laugh slipped from his tongue, lighthearted and almost giddy in its cheerfulness. It made the little White bare her fangs angrily and slap the powerful tail into his side, causing the grullo to jump to the opposite side - away from the flaming Heart, thankfully. "Hey..!"
"Show some respect!" she interrupted through the link with a fury in the voice she rarely showed towards her bonded. "It's not to laugh about, dumb-dumb. No sun, no Birdsong, no grass, no feed, no prey. No prey, no eating, then we hunger. No magic, no fire, no warmth... no protection."
The unease that flowed from her across the link was almost palpable in his mouth, but this time Lace could frankly not understand it. What was the matter with everyone? Sure it was dark, and it was strange how the night never seemed to end. But it wasn't like the world had ended. What was the difference between this and an eclipse? He snorted and shook the head with enough force to set the dragon in sway where she sat - a feeble attempt at distracting her from the uncharacteristic fear she had slipped into.
"We are warm enough" he said with determination in the voice, eyes turning ahead as a set of movements at the corner of the eye caught his interest, "and I'm perfectly capable of defending us both. It's not like either of us really need fire - you did perfectly fine before you could breathe it, and I've never had a real purpose for it. I'm not crying over what has happened... Maybe this is a different route to take towards that future of peace and equality Mirage wanted."
No magic was good magic, in his mind. Lace had never appreciated his so called gifts, from the ones that weighed down his blood to the secret darkness that made him able to craft in the name of the Moon. Really, perhaps it would be for the better if he took a step away from all that.
The creature that had drawn his gaze was coming steadily closer and easier to see as it neared the circle of light that created the oasis of fire in the sea of darkness. Curiosity finally wiped away the faked guilt from his face, and as ears pricked forward the white-maned equine scrutinized the small beast. as it sat down by the crater. It was unlike most things he had seen before, but at the same time it had a familiarity that instantly made the horse feel wary. Like a thin, mangy wolf it appeared to him, not entirely unlike Aaron's hellish beast or the black dog that had accompanied the flesh-eating stallion he'd met once. Prepared for the possibility of an attack, he was relieved when a horse came padding behind it, one that looked strangely familiar...
"Good evening, or whatever it is" Lace greeted with a wry smile and came to a halt with the left side turned towards the red glow of the Heart, partly illuminated by the flickering fire that appeared to be the only source of light in the area. "Lovely weather for a stroll, don't you think?"
|
.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
