Freedom.

It is a taste she has taken for granted this past season of solitude beneath rock, suffering without sunlight, praying for relief or release. In time, she would tell herself. Patience, she would remind herself. It had paid off, no matter how many times she'd wanted to kick and scream and charge out of the Sanctuary like a rabid dog on the hunt for a victim. She was a free bird, and even when tied down with alliances and herds, she would never be broken down and held within a cage of rock and soil. Now, she was able to smell the crisp, freezing scents of Frostfall. While it wasn't her kind of weather, especially being on the more delicate side of the stature spectrum, Aodaun was having a blast. The freezing weather was his wonderland, as an ice bear, and as cold as Lakota was she just laughed and let him go bounding off into the cold reaches of Helovia.

Where they ended up, however, wasn't something she'd ever seen before.

Aodaun reached it first, and she trailed behind him slowly, crystallized air a thick white mist around her delicate features. Orange clay beads clicked melodically in her tresses as she moved, the scar on her side aching in the cold as she eyed the structure rising from the earth before her. She'd never seen it before, or at least couldn't recall ever coming across it before. It was surprisingly old, ancient even, and almost perfectly round. So intrigued by the architecture of it, she didn't even bother to check her surroundings, at least until she heard a rather obtrusive voice echoing across the frozen ground towards her from some unknown, unseen place. "What the fuck. Eggs don't do that unless...."

Ebony aurals pricked at the sound, Aodaun snapping to attention, all traces of play disappearing as he raced back to her side. Threat or not, after Ktulu had left the scar on her side, he had been ten times more protective. It was still sore, and tended to seize up and impede her movement, and he didn't fancy it acting up during a battle if he wasn't there. Relying on Aodaun's more sensitive nose, the two wound around the strange architecture placed in the middle of the clearing, searching for the source of the cursing stranger. Lakota already was intrigued, for she knew exactly what eggs heralded. For her, Aodaun had been an abandoned cub, and the two had spent the night together in a crystal cave, waiting out a blizzard. By morning they had been blessed with a bond. But Lakota had witnessed enough hatchings to know what this poor stranger likely didn't. As a bound mare, she may at least be able to offer some advice. She'd had to hunt for Aodaun for a long time before he could feed himself, after all.

Rounding the extravagant piece of work, her violet eyes fell upon the cherry battered form of a unicorn, staring wide-eyed at an emerging pup from a glowing egg. Lakota gave an understanding smile, awaiting the name that soon fell from his lips, before gliding forward. Careful to give an appropriate amount of space for the bonded pair, she cleared her throat softly. "A beautiful name," she commented easily, intelligence flickering in vibrant violet orbs. "I'm Lakota, and this is my own bonded, Aodaun." Directly after, Aodaun gave a short, soft bark of confirmation, not wishing to frighten the newborn that lay curled on the earth outside the protective casing of its shell.

"She is likely hungry. Would you like help acquiring something? Aodaun is a fine hunter, and I certainly know the difficulties of a newborn companion," she laughed wittily, smile curving the bow of her lips into a playfully teasing ascent. Long plume flicks to curl around her ankle idly, shifting hips to watch him curiously, smiling down at the tiny newborn with a look of nostalgia. Oh, she remembered how small Aodaun had once been. It made her want to coo over her grown up baby. Aodaun huffed softly, but there was a warm flow of love that echoed back to her from his end. He understood.

His awe over the little pup, Damaris, is rather cute in an odd way. Especially from the view of an intruding outsider. However he does not seem to find her, even though she is mindfully standing rather far away, any sort of kindly presence. Which is ironic considering the Poisoner is usually very, very far from kind. However when he glares at Aodaun, she snaps her teeth in a nonverbal display of warning and lets her ears fall half-mast, eyes narrowed into violet slits as she steps before her companion, shrouding him in the dark ebony of her bodice. There is no real anger in her features, it is merely a warning. A very clear one, but a warning nonetheless. But Aodaun nudges her foreleg idly, reminding her of her own protectiveness- is she not doing exactly what Rostislav is?

She contemplates stepping back until he opens his big fat mouth again. "Hold your tongue, bastard!" she barks. Shoulders hunch up, muscles flex and ears flatten until they disappear into her mane, teeth bared in the light. "You would endanger her in order to ensure her safety, fool? Limb from limb! Ha! I could kill you where you lay, and never have to move," she spits, vile and acidic. Aodaun gives a harsh bark and shoves into her with his shoulder, sending her into an awkward stumble. Snarling she turns to him, and they lock gazes in silent communication, tensely spending a few moments motionless. Whatever it is he says to her, it works, for she scoffs and turns her head to the side, scowling. Her next words are reluctant, but slow, clearly thought over.

"I understand. You want to protect her. But honestly, Aodaun hunts seals and other fatty prey. He wouldn't want a scrawny newborn anyways. You truly think I would allow my companion to harm yours? Think I would take that away, when I know the preciousness of it myself? Because as I just told you, Aodaun is my companion. His mind is mine, and my own his. So calm yourself, you're only looking the fool." She huffs and flicks her tail viciously, stinging her own legs to try and keep herself from snapping at him. It angers her, but she must remember her own past with Ao, try not to let her irritation best her. Turning, she flicks an ear in the direction opposite the rotunda, and murmurs quietly to her ice bear.

"Something small, for the little one." Aodaun gave a soft growling sound of understanding before turning and sprinting away, paws deathly silent, lime eyes gleaming as his ears tuned in to the life around him. Ready to pick a target. Back with his bonded, Lakota sighed a huff of a noise and gracefully folded her legs beneath her, laying on her belly to show she didn't intend to move any closer. "Are you done posturing now? May I speak?" Okay, that was an uncalled for jab, but she couldn't help but to make it. He'd pissed her off. "Damaris is a hellhound. A magical pup. At least, from the glow of her egg, that's what I think she is. In Helovia, the Gods have the ability to take our minds and connect them. I can hear Aodaun's thoughts, and vice versa. My emotions influence his, and his mine. He has magic, just as I do, but ours differ. Damaris is a companion. The bond should be forged soon, but be prepared, it comes with a very sudden wave of emotions and sensations you won't be used to." Why was she helping him again?

Because know what he feel, Aodaun responded, hunting through the brush for something to return to the babe. Lakota sighed, admitting defeat, and wishing she didn't know exactly what he was going through. Or else she would have dueled him the moment the idiot opened his mouth. "Now I can leave you be and let you starve her to death and let you experience the pain of ripping half your soul out, or you can let me help you." She says it seriously, eyeing him, letting him know she was far from joking. There was a short trilling scream of a ground bird, and moments later Aodaun was trotting back with a pheasant in his jowls. Lakota lifted her head from where she lay and brought him to her chest, waiting for him to lay before wrapping her neck down his side and resting upon him with ease. Aodaun flipped the bird in his jaws over towards Damaris and her bonded, Lakota sharply reminding him not to get closer. She didn't want to have to unleash her magic today.

"There, I told you he could hunt. Feed it to her, if you can. It will help forge the bond. Plus she will be hungry, I can assure." From her position in the white, soft fur of her bonded's form, she watched them. How much harm could she really be, curled up on the earth a good few lengths away from them? Aside from her magic, which he didn't need to know about unless she had to sedate him somehow.

---
Ahahaha x3 this is fun

Seeing how Rostislav gazes down at his little pup pulls so heavily on her heartstrings that the Poisoner can't help but to let her anger slowly fade. She knows the feeling, and as she flicks her eyes over to her beloved Ao she knows she's done the same. Postured and snapped and threatened to high heaven just to keep him safe from harm. He was her everything, her best side, her sweetest victory and greatest accomplishment in life. Of course she'd never been quite so harsh as Rostislav, but she supposed she could at least let it slide for right then. Let him have his moment with the darling pup. Lakota would grant him that. The bond was likely already weaving its strings around and between them, irrevocable. He likely wasn't hearing her words anyways, not that she'd ever been so long-winded before in her life. Then again, he had pissed her off pretty badly, insulting Aodaun as he had. She could take any derogatory remark slung at her, but any that mentioned her bonded warranted a duel.

Aodaun was back in quite a fashionable amount of time, then again Lakota had been teaching him all sorts of extra methods a polar bear would never have been taught. Lakota had made damned sure her baby would never go hungry without her. He flings the pheasant over, and she welcomes his emanating heat as he beds down beside her, pressing closer. The cold doesn't bother him like it does her, so he was always willing to lend a little warmth. Lakota watches in interest, head resting contentedly on Aodaun's left side, as Rostislav gouges the poor body open and begins to fumble through the process of a first feeding. It's almost endearing, and Lakota smiles at him without realizing it. Though when he looks up, sincerity shining in his eyes, it shudders and she tries to force it away.

"You're welcome. May I know your name now? And perhaps later, I can teach you how to hunt for Damaris?" She extends the invitation hesitantly, hoping she doesn't look as desperate for companionship as she feels. Even if it had to come from this guy.

@[Rostislav]