A sapphire crown bobs in response to the Queen's words, not really understanding what is being said and only comprehending key points from the mare's speech. She mentions a home in which her family burned, and memories that she wish had burnt too -- oh, now she is laughing, what on Earth has possessed her to laugh at that? Perhaps it was the other way around; did she laugh first, or was she speaking of some Khan? Her misery has left her hopelessly confused, but the maiden makes no attempt to wade through the fog invading her mind. The horrified cries of her people drown out the dame's voice, and images of vibrant warriors choking on their own blood fill her cranium. Orange eyes gaze at the grass but they do not detect its rapid decay. All that she can see now are her tribe's beautiful bodies being hacked to pieces by man, the pieces of them constructing a shifting mountain of flesh and bone. She stands at its summit, striped legs locked in place, as a wave of maggots descends upon her from the belly of the mangled heap. No, no, NO!

It is the hyena's surprise that frees the bird from her cage, causing the maiden to start as her conscious is sent sprawling back to the present. She gasps for air as the images fade, blue audits picking up on the lost conversation, which has shifted to comment on love. It is not a topic that the Aztec is familiar with, but she owes her friend some sort of reply. She will make certain that she is not ignored for long, but for now the effects of her visions still plague her.

What the hell was that? It is a rhetorical question for she knows that the boy cannot answer that, but he halts his advances nonetheless, receiving a playful whack to the side of his head by doing so. Tentatively, he reaches out for her through the bond, but the maiden reacts by stabbing at his mind. The rougarou howls in protest as pain overtakes him, and the bird immediately regrets her actions. Forgive me, Mictla. I was held captive by my thoughts. It is past me now. Go back to playing. The boy obeys her command, but his concern does not dissipate with the pain. He prepares to leap on one of the dragon's wings, although his heart is not in the game any more. The hyena insists on having his mother confide in him, and the mare consents to his offer. Some day soon, boy. You will not be kept in the dark for ever.

A low snort sounds from her nostrils, dispelling her fear with the burst of air. The transition from grief-stricken damsel to proud chieftess is swift, and her colorful features exhibit this change just as brilliantly as the rougarou does his. Feathers sway in the wind in time to outstretched wings, and a multi-hued neck arches to accentuate its magnificence. Although it is true that the maiden's transformation is not as noticeable as her companion's, it is certainly just as significant; she is no longer a soldier acting without cause, but a bold leader set in the ways of her fallen civilization. Never again will the she return to the vulnerable state of a girl with no home; she does have a home now, and why she has been avoiding it all this time is beyond her. They are her people just as much as her family was, and they need her more now than they ever have. Just as they rely on her, she requires them.

With the eruption of this epiphany comes the lady's final question. The bird reasserts her fiery gaze upon her, and her lips form an apology just as the paint moves to give her something. The Chieftess moves forward without a second thought, receiving the gift with a gracious bow of her head. "Cualneci, Kahlua. Thank you." Craning her head down to glance at the icy thing, the maiden frowns. She is undeserving of such beauty, especially after her silence. "Forgive me, though, for I've nothing to give you."

A blue nose reaches out for an onyx one, meaning to offer a warm breath of appreciation but delivering a shocked gasp instead. Blazing eyes snap downwards to watch as writhing creatures dig into her coronets. A hoarse cry sounds from the peahen as she balks, stirring the air with her wings in a horrified frenzy. Dark hooves slam into the ground in an effort to kill the wretched things, but the bursting worms die almost faster than she can get at them.

The spotted boy is sensitive to her fear now that she has already felt it once today, and he rushes to her aid. Before his teeth can grasp a blackened body though, a harsh wind races by to whisk them away. A brown stare peers upwards to an orange one, seeking an explanation for this very unnatural occurrence. The boy may not have been here for long, but he is almost certain that what has happened is not normal.

When at last the maiden is certain that the threat has gone, she refers to her beast aloud. "What are you playing at?" She speaks of the Gods when she says this, although her knowledge of them is limited. Surely those who can revive a dead babe can send monstrous beings up from the Earth. "I think it would be best if we parts ways, Kahlua. You have a herd to tend to as Queen, and I have leaders to report to." A grim frown sets itself upon her lips at that. She has not seen either of her rulers for quite a few days now.

"I hope that you can forgive me for my silence. My thoughts overtook me, as they threaten to do now." I have a home to watch out for. This is something that they must know. "Thank you for the gift, but it is time that we left."

{OOC: Leaving this open so in case you want to talk this through, Bel is here. Otherwise, assume Bel has left!

Cualneci -- it is beautiful}

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