The girl's quiet discontent cannot be phased by her brother's rising glee; indeed, the small fox is quelled by it, fire doused by the sudden gloom. It sits at the base of her stomach, in her eyes, and waits for some ill guest to stir it into action, a raging swell of fury and fear. It is with a somber nod and a steely eye that she answer's Sacre's questioning concern, the arc of her lips now a grim and unforgiving line. He does not offer to help her, and though she did not expect him to take up knight's mantle, she cannot help the disappointed dim when the promise of aid does not come. She chides herself, eyes closed briefly against the burn of unwanted tears- it is not his fight, not his fault: it is yours. Why should another fight your battles?

Natraj chirps questioningly at her feet; she lowers her head to him in attempt to hide the bitter anguish in her eyes, and so it is with surprise that she looks up to find Sacre not far away, long red blade pointed dangerously at her maw. For a moment they are unbearably close, and she can smell his breath and the warmth of his skin- for a moment her sorrow is not only for a lack of brotherhood, but a lack of something she cannot name, a desire to touch the boy - the young man, really - in the soft spot beneath his lip. She raises up abruptly, heat burning unexpected and confused in her copper cheeks, heart pounding irregularly with the shock of something foreign and new. She is grateful for his attention on the orange fox, and steps back a pace while he speaks, eyes passing distractedly over the red flower as her mind flutters anxiously to find escape.

She does not enjoy emotion.

She is thankful for Natraj, and his endless curiosity and good grace. The kitsune sits at proper attention, oblivious to his sister's new distress, caught up in his fascination with the red flower and the one-tailed fox. At Sacre's declaration of intent the shadow jumps up, yipping his excitement at the prospect of a joint venture to meet the gods. He has yet to meet the Moon, despite Her standing as their mother's patron god; eagerly he turns to the girl, who starts from her thoughts at his inquiring bark. We go up? he asks her, bright- What? she answers, blinking out of her mind.

A moment's deliberation, and the fox-child wins. Firechild turns back to her friend(?), head held high and eyes refusing to meet his. "Raj says we should go together," she informs the bloodstained boy. He is not given time to respond before she turns away, long legs striking out against the rocky trail, lava reflecting on the copper coat as she schools her mind and stills her face, wondering glumly if she has further doomed any chance she had of moving Sacre from companion to full-blown friend

[ @[Sacre] sorry for the wait, life's been crazy <3 ]