The healer's question immediately extinguished any flickers of humor that danced across her features, the golden horned warrior finding herself unable to provide a solid answer. Even she had not had much time to think about what would come to pass if they hadn't succeeded; she had never dreamed that they could have lost in the first place. And now, standing here whole but also dreadfully broken, she felt a chasm spread broad in her heart and slowly begin to gnaw away at her soul. She was unsure how to deal with being this inadequate, unable to accept her own losses, much less those of others. A part of her wanted to find Psyche and give her a swift kick to the chin, but even Illynx knew that her much beloved companion was not truly to blame for any of the things that had come to pass. There had been no figurative gun pointed to her temple when the golden bitch had accepted the black Lady's offer to lead alongside her, and even Illynx had to admit that she had been overjoyed at the prospect of so much power laid bare at her hooves.

In retrospect, she should have refused. She should have never agreed to run into the forest alongside her herd mates, nor ever even stepped a single golden leg out of the borders. But she had, and there was no turning back, only the bleak and narrow path that would lead them forward.

"As we have always done, love," she softly replied, though her words lacked their usual vigor and seemed to leak her heart's weeping all across the frosty earth of the Basin. It was no secret to any of them that their band of black minded unicorns had suffered greatly in their existence, first being robbed of a home and now, the same devilish freaks held their children as hostages, and not a single one of their punishing blows had seemed to do more than draw more pointing fingers and cruel snickers from those who would see them fall. "Move forward." The words slipped free in a sigh, her golden eyes dark and miserable as she thought back on their long walk to their now comfortable mountain home. Was this more painful than that loss? At this particular time, she couldn't be sure.

I hope that they do not come to retaliate, now that they see that we are weak, she thought to herself, the cringe of concern perhaps noticed by the healer, though she would not elaborate on her fears, that all who left will return and stay, knowing the same. The look of sorrow upon the normally jubilant mare had left Illynx holding her deepest concerns to her breast, not caring to drag the bay further into the depths of despair that already seemed to fringe the borders of all who had gone into battle, their heads full of glory and triumph, only to return home with nothing more than a new collection of bruises and scars.