As strong as the seas are stormy.</style>
Seasons ago, Tingal had left her side. At first she was relieved, to be free of the guilt that came with his presence, the reminder that she could not easily return the love he had for her. Then she realized, as time went on, just how alone she truly was. Wasn't that what she'd wanted, though? To be alone? It's why she'd disowned her family and fled the Foothills, why she'd tried time and again to send Tingal away. Then she'd realized how she was hopeless at making friends. It wasn't her style. Raeden was the likable one, Hotaru was the shadow that hid in her twin's brilliance. Hotaru was coarse and defensive, terrified of letting someone close where they could hurt her, rip her apart from the inside out like everyone else had. Hotaru was an actress, putting out a tough front when in reality her actions were all put into play to protect herself. She was just a frightened maiden, emotionally. Pain of any physical sort she could handle. Battle was hers for the taking. But emotionally...she was weak, and broken, and only Tingal had looked into those fucked up depths and still stayed. She wished for more friends like him, but knew it was selfish of her to think anybody else would stay. Tingal had only stayed because he'd met her when she was still hiding behind her hair. Still innocent.
Sighing, she turned bicolored eyes to look around the cavern as she walked in solitude. Of course, she was always alone, but that was beside the point. She worried over if her family had made it to the Sanctuary, secretly, even though she cursed herself for still having emotional attachments to the ones who had wronged her. At least she had found out, though she could hardly recall how. Not that she cared in any way, despite her innate fear of the shadow creatures that stalked the land above. All that mattered was that she'd arrived. It was just as lonely as the rest of the places she'd roamed, but it's not like she had the right to complain. It was nice, most of the time, and she would revel in the solitude she'd placed herself in. Quite like isolation from the world. Days like this one, she began to regret.
A flash of silver catches her eye, and she shifts her gaze to look in that direction. It's some sort of metal, swinging in the tiny bits of light that reach out towards the shadowed corners of the cave. Frowning, unable to see much past the outline of the equine's figure, she weaves elegantly through the milling crowd around her, curiosity drawing her in. All she can see is the metal chain and the eerie feline glow of emerald eyes. She sucks in a breath, feeling like prey beneath a predator's gaze, but dares to move forward towards the shadowed figure anyways. The closer she gets, the easier it is to see them, but as she nears she still can't quite discern just who it is. Does she even know them?
Uncertainly, voice wavering a little under the stare that makes her shiver, she calls out.
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