Her voice caused him to spin immediately. Of course his conscious mind believed it was because he had been practically snuck up on; a feat which only happened rarely. But we all know that isn't true. That isn't the reason why he turned - or at least not the only reason. Sohalia. The beautiful mare and mother of his daughter. The petite dove, who he had awkwardly and stumblingly tried to express his feelings for, by presenting her a rose (which had nearly wilted by the time he had found her). He had done so many wrongs by her, and yet knew of very few of them. Too many of his mistakes were simply caused by his brutishness, and perhaps it was his bus regime, or Sohalia's kindness of a combination, but she had kept her heartbreak from him. Even now, with memories hidden and confusion fogging his vision, he voice touched something with him.

As his stormy gaze looked upon her, his intentions almost exactly mirrored those of their first meeting. Ignoring her question, his gaze hungrily took in the lines of her body, which, after her time building the wall, had become even more toned. Of course he did not remember what she looked like before, but his gaze was appreciative of how she looked now, nonetheless. His wings rose slightly from his side, reiterating his size - as if she needed a reminder. He clearly towered over her, and this difference became even more apparent as he stepped closer. The fire from his wings cast a warming glow on Sohalia's pristine coat, as his antlered skull lowered slightly. No longer did it hold a dreamcatcher - that had been left as a signal for the herd, when they had run into the caves, but it still held Mara.

Frantic with excitement, the snake hissed loudly and continually, practically wiggling with joy in her antlered-perch. She dropped quickly from Gaucho's antlers, to his neck, wither, leg and finally to the ground, slithering swiftly towards the desert Queen. Reaching out the end of her tail, she curled it around Soh's foreleg affectionately, hissing delightedly as she did so. Gaucho, who had not seen Mara so enthusiastic about anyone in a long time, remained silent.

Telllll herrrrrr Mara mentally urged. If anyone could help Gaucho restore his amnesia, surely Sohalia could. Or at least, she would know of a healer who might be able to help. However Gaucho interpreted his companion's suggestion as pertaining to his sketch in the earth. Grunting, he tore his husky gaze from Sohalia, looking into the grass, where the lightning bolt was carved.

"Gaucho need to find that." Wait. There was more. What was the word Oxy had used? It was a name...her name...he had called her..."Ampere. Need to find Ampere."

Mara, absolutely horrified, immediately stopped her hissing. Although Gaucho couldn't remember, it was Ampere who had torn the two apart into the caves, on a false warning about the Wraiths. After that, Gaucho had not seen Sohalia again. Looking up, her beady black eyes full of shock and horror, she waited to see how Sohalia would react.

[Feel free to slap him. .____. ]

Not very surprisingly, Gaucho was confused. Oxy had said the symbol meant Ampere. Was that wrong with that? The idea of being a 'double agent', of pretending to be who everyone thought he was, to try and get at the bottom of this, was not without its difficulties. Darling ampere? That seemed...odd. Were they together? Is that why he had drawn the symbol? It made sense...in a way. Mara shook her head from the ground. No togettherrrrrrr, she said. Although, perhaps that wasn't totally true. Even so, she decided her bonded didn't need to be confused. She simply showed him an image of Ampere screaming at Oxy for having a companion. That would do for present purposes. But the scene didn't strike a chord within Gaucho, the way other things had. Other things like..

...Zenobia

Gaucho's black ears flickered forward hesitantly. That name...was seemingly familiar in a hard to specify way. Like coming out of a dream and still remembering certain pieces, but being unable to articulate them. At Sohalia's hooves, Mara hissed again, but not happily. She sent a flurry of images at Gaucho, bombarding him of his time with Soh. Flashes of crystal and rose petals. Of summer days and the birth of a foal. The caves, and panic; Sohalia asking where Zeno was...

Still, these images as others before, did not register within the dun's memory. The pictures faded, just like complicated words would often fade before his mind. Whatever life she was showing him, he still could not recall. And so, not realizing that Zeno was his child, Gaucho unhelpfully responded: "Mara say you lost Zenobia."

Without knowing it, Gaucho cast yet another stone at Sohalia's crumbling walls.

In the grass, Mara shook her head repeatedly. NOOOO IDIIOTTTTTT. YOU LOVE SSSSSSSOHALIA. Gaucho looked down, confused. Who So-hal-lee-ah? He asked, stupidly doing so out loud. Flabbergasted, the snake could barely move. Before she could do more, the Zephyr was angrily (and rightfully so) flying towards, and around Gaucho. As loyal as Mara was to her bonded, she made no move against the flying creature. He was an idiot, and he deserved this. Mara sadly looked upwards towards Sohalia, who likely wasn't even paying attention; regardless, reptile faces weren't the best for expressing emotion.

Gaucho waved his flame tipped wings at the creature. Though, knowing that it likely meant him no harm, did not actively try and strike it. The flames were heatless besides. It was just for show, just as the Zephyr's flight had been.

Wait. The Dragon's Throat? Isn't that where everyone said he was from? Where he had led? And she knew his name...but didn't they all. Nearly everyone he had met upon his return had known something about him. It wasn't surprising that she would too, regardless of whether or not he could reconcile Mara's suggestion that he loved her.

Then again...did he? Her voice. The force with which he turned at the sound - he didn't know her voice, so how could he know her voice? How could he -

Did I really mean so little to you?

Well that sure sounds like a trap, if I"ve ever heard one. Even if Gaucho had all of his memories, he likely wouldn't be able to give Soh the answer that she desired. Then again, the beast could never be the mate that the intellectual beauty required. And so, knowing that there was really no answer he could give to satisfy the dove, he tried:

"...No?"

Not surprisingly, Gaucho was continuing to say stupid things that only worsened his situation. At Sohalia's feet, Mara was doing everything she could to try and communicate with either the Zephyr or mare. She bombarded them with images of confusion, the word amnesia, and of Gaucho repeatedly telling her that he did not remember. Although the snake had never tried to communicate mentally with anyone but Gaucho before, she was starting to realize that it wouldn't work. Unlike Gaucho's mind, which was an easily negotiable hole, their minds were like steeled-walls. Completely impermeable, no mater how hard she tried. And so, not wanting to give up, she continued to hiss and shake her head.

You used to call me Soh.

Soh? The word sent a dry chill down Gaucho's spine, causing the WildFire to noticeably start. His black nostrils flared, as his ears twitched. He retreated into his mind, to try and find the source, but, of course, it was already gone. Soh... it meant something to him, didn't it? LOVE HEERRRRRRR, Mara practically screamed from her place on the ground. The snake turned now from waving at Sohalia, to waving at Gaucho, who did understand her. Ssssssssoh! She repeated, once again flooding his mind of times that the two of them had spent together. Although these images were brief, they were nonetheless passionate, just like the courtship had been between the two.

Coincidentally, Mara once again forced the image of the crystal rose into Gaucho's daft mind, just as Soh threw the pendant to the ground. How he had painstakingly found one perfect enough for her, how he had arrived to find her upset, confiding in the shiny pegasus. How he had dropped it into the sands, nearly wilted from the journey anyways, but how Sohalia had saved it - preserving it forever. The thud from the crystal caused the dun's head to turn, and he focused on the object curiously. Same..? He wondered to himself, completely lost to the wave of emotion currently drowning Sohalia. His mind was far too overloaded in piecing together this simple puzzle.

Just Soh...

And suddenly, she was pressed against him.

Without even a moments hesitation or thought, Gaucho's wings stretched forward, encircling the petite mare. His fire cast wondrous shadows upon her pristine coat, but even as the flames rested upon her wither, they did not burn. The only heat produced was that from his own body. Surprised by this unconscious act, Gaucho's blocky skull rose slightly - which was quite easy to do, given Sohalia's short stature - to peer down at the mare pressed tightly against his striped chest.

I loved you, you know. Maybe I still do.

On the ground, Mara was silent. She was afraid if she interfered, whatever in Gaucho that had forced him to accept Sohalia's embrace, would suddenly slip back into the darkness. He seemed to be remembering, but the snake didn't know what, or how it had been triggered. As silently as she could, she slithered over to where the crystalline rose had fallen, curling her steel colored body over it protectively.

Gaucho's dark nose lowered to the crest of Sohalia's neck, gently moving her mane in a soft caress. It was exceedingly gentle for Gaucho, almost as if he weren't sure if he was allowed. His wings locked on the small of her back, resting easily there. The two simply fit together. If she could preserve the rose...could she preserve this? As his antlered skull lowered, as if once again making a cave for the two, as he had done so long ago, the WildFire sighed as his pierced-nose rounded inwards, resting just to the side of her cheek. "Gaucho not remember..." He whispered, normally rough voice soft with emotion and uncertainty. In the grass, Mara raised her head slightly hurt. Her bonded had defied violently the idea that it was simply amnesia, instead thinking it was a trick. She had sent him countless images to try and convince him that he was simply not remembering...and yet he was now confiding to Sohalia? Well...better than nothing...

"Soh He began, emphasizing her name, as he leaned his cheek against herself, though still holding his head high enough so that their muzzles failed to tough, although only slightly. "Not remember...anything. Gaucho not mean to...to hurt Soh."

A creature with more sense might have questioned the familiarity...might have noted and tried to understand just how it was that their bodies fit together so neatly. That Gaucho just knew where and how to hold his wings, to hold the dove so completely to him. The type of creature who would have wondered those things, would likely have paused. Have asked themself how this could be the case? Didn't this sort of physical remembering necessarily mean that everything Mara had said was true? That he did know Soh; that he did love her. Well, perhaps... But Gaucho is not a creature with more sense. And so, in all his masculine wisdom, Gaucho merely enjoyed in the moment.

At each instance where Sohalia allowed herself to be pulled closer, Gaucho took advantage. Although the weight of his wings upon her back was light - for he was partially using his muscles to hold his wings up, rather than limply leaving his appendages to rest upon her - his grip was insistent. The tips of his wings constantly re-affirmed their purchase upon her back, drawing her closer one millimeter at a time.

Rainbow reflections danced across her cheek as her solidified tears broke and fell from her eyes. Although Gaucho sensibly felt that conversing would do quite a bit of good right now, especially since Sohalia was offering her aid, his pragmatic disposition was greatly displaced by another sort of disposition. Although Sohalia was pressed firmly against him, still his feathers worked upon her back - massaging endlessly. Those flame tipped feathers seemed to be saying, Closer! Closer still... as they danced and played upon her ivory spine. Although Gaucho heard and understood Sohalia's words, he didn't seem to acknowledge them. His dark muzzle sought out hers once again - exhaling deeply, and inhaling her own scent with a needy insistence. But even this new embrace was not enough.

Gaucho's forelegs shifted, as desire permeated through his core. Although Sohalia would not have been able to see his wing tips (although she might have been able to see his hooves, which would have done the same) - the flames there burned brighter and larger - their size and brightness pulsing seemingly with the increased flow of blood surging through Gaucho's veins. Exhaling sharply into her neck, Gaucho's antlered skull raised slightly, as he moved to once again play with the silken tresses of her mane. However, instead of just moving them as he had before, this time his lips smacked together as he tried to grab and tug gently.

Recalling that Sohalia had spoken earlier, Gaucho paused for a moment, exhaling a sexually frustrated snort. "Are helping- He mumbled distractedly. Although the distractedness of his voice should have suggested something else; that it was the truth. His mind was almost fully ignorant of his memory loss at the moment, a state he had been trying to seek out through sparring for the past few days. Although that sort of physical contact certainly helped, it had only dulled the frustration and confusion. With Sohalia however, it all seemed...unimportant. Who he was...if it was all lies...it didn't matter. He only wanted the here and now. The past could wait.

In the grass, Mara blinked. Her reptilian gaze awkwardly looked to the skies, to find the electric Zephyr. As Gaucho grunted, Mara turned her back completely. Clearly she wasn't needed. Although she didn't really trust flying things - not since the ice-dragon had tried to throw her off a cliff - she also didn't really want to be a third wheel. What did Zephyrs eat anyways? Maybe it could pick her up and they could go hunt together.

Mara looked at the bird with large silent eyes. Eyes that said we could be friends, but also we could kill each other. Given the course that their bonded's had placed themselves on, it was probably better that it was the former. But...well. You never know. Nodding, the steel coloured snake streaked forwards, sliding her tail into the open clutches of the zephyr. She had flown many times with Gaucho, but always wrapped around him, never like this. Sssss she hissed softly, wanting to be away from the inevitable dance that was about to take place.

Then don't stop. Please?

The desperation in her voice went unnoticed. A more emotionally available creature might have noted this longing - noted her need, and responded to it in a way that would be meaningful. Perhaps with words or trinkets. Actions that displayed just how he felt about her. But Gaucho didn't know how he felt about her, no matter how many times Mara insisted, and he simply wasn't the sort of creature who would noticed the need her words were laced with. But he wasn't completely stupid to her, there were certain things he did understand perfectly well.

The bone piercing his nose danced and stroked the length of her unmarred flank, as if tracing some invisible pattern. He did this with an astute forethought - pausing and pressing where he thought it might force shivers from her body. He dwarfed her petite form, especially as he began to move around her - his neck elegantly curved inwards, cresting with masculine appeal. It felt right to be with her in this way, but also familiar. But familiar how?

Familiar why ?

But of course, that certainly wasn't what Gaucho was thinking about at this current moment....