She had made it home at last, guided only by the weary wings of Kaj, the Storm Bringer but her savior no matter his name. He had found her in the deepest depths of her misery, ready to turn and leave this all behind, for the safety of her friends. But there was a cure, he had promised her a cure and safety, and still she had lingered when they had reached the opening of the cavern. Flashbacks of the terror that had enveloped her on that terrible day had washed over her, freezing her in place, making her eyes grow wide and making her stomach churn. Could she really go down there? She had hemmed and hawed, swayed to and fro, but in the end Kaj had won, because Kaj would always win with her. He had promised her safety, promised her waters to drink that would prevent any chance of her ever turning back. So in the end the darkness became the thing that she feared more, turning back to a wraith was more frightening than the chance of meeting that demon hybrid in the caverns again, and she had followed him through the depths of the cave system to the room with the bubbling waters, so secluded, where she could have stayed forever under his wing, except he had to leave again- to find Lace where he had found her, back up above, where the darkness was likely to swallow him at any moment. But he was everyone's hero, not just hers, so she had been forced to let him go. And she was weary anyway, exhausted from all that had transpired, so she let him go, a smile on her face and in her heart as he went back towards the front.

With Kaj's leave, Kahlua was left to look around the room on her own, to see the cool waters and head towards them. She dipped her muzzle into the water and drank deeply, guzzling as much of it as she could. Alone, as she was, she couldn't help but feel like the darkness was creeping back up on her. She needed these waters to live, to be safe, to be herself and not some terrible monster that had attacked her friends and family. As she did so, the automaton scorpion that had been on her withers crawled back up the nape of her neck to settle between her ears, where it seemed most steady. She hardly noticed the thing now, though when she did she couldn't help but frown. It reminded her of what she had been like as a wraith.

Stepping back from the waters, the painted girl took a deep breath and began to stare at the wall. The images swirled and swashed before her, melding together into a strange story that made no sense. Perhaps it was because she was so exhausted. Her muscles were warm from the long walk from the Threshold, her legs were sore where scabs from the burns that Imogen (Lena's kitsune) had imparted on her were sitting. But most tired of all was her heart and mind, wanting to just turn off. But the way that the shadows danced on the wall would not give her peace. But she did not know where to go, did not know where her friends were, and didn't want to get lost in the expanse of this cavern that seemed to go on so much farther then she ever imagined it could. No, she was better off here where Kaj had left her, she decided, but that didn't mean she was going to get any rest.

That one scream, that sound- the one she knew so very well- almost made Kahlua fall to the ground as she slipped over herself to turn around and almost crashed into Resplendence as the fallen angel ran towards her. “Resplendence!” she cried out brilliantly, eyes water from the pure joy of finally having her friend back. How she had needed this moment, waited for it, longed for it and wished for it even as she had been looking out of Helovia. Yes, she had dared to think she might leave, might walk across the borders and never come, but the faces of a few very special friends (and Kaj's arrival) had saved her. Of course, Resplendence's face had been front and center.

Having grown so used to it by now, Kahlua stood patiently while Resplendence poke and prodded every available part of her body, wincing when Res got to her forelimbs, but otherwise remaining still to indicate to her medic friend that her body was well and no medicines were needed. It was a chore to stand still, of course, wanting so badly to throw her neck around Res's withers in a long-awaited hug, but Kahlua had learned the hard way it was better to stand still first.

And when Res finally took to crying, Kahlua's own tears fell over and she did throw her neck around Res's neck, squeezing her tight, burying her face in the endless mane that was draped everywhere over the fallen angel's body and just enjoying the moment. This was life. This was happiness. And having Res down here in the cavern helped ease her worries about the monster that had been down here as well. If frail Res, who jumped at her own shadow, could live down here safely, so could Kahlua. “I missed you so much,” she spoke, though her voice was muffled by all the hair.

Res's attention was fleeting however, and Kahlua turned to see what it was that had caused the fallen angel's distraction. In the end, “I don't know,” was all she could offer, as she stared at it with wide eyes and innocent smile. “It's beautiful though.” And for a moment she paused, inhaling deeply, feeling a small pang of jealousy but the joy for her friend far outweighing what else was in her heart. “I think it likes you,” she said then, not really sure if this was true or not, but believing the words regardless. After all, who couldn't like Res?

And just like that, the two were back to their old dynamic; simply two best friends braving the world together. There was always another adventure to be had.