The fire flickered before them. Flames danced, weaved, ducked, grasped, clawed and consumed the woody material, turning it black, blacker than Mirage's own pelt, before eventually it succumbed and crumbled away to a pile of ashen flakes. Golden eyes watched the flames with their greedy consumption of the damp log, ears pressed forward to hear the barely audible hissing that resulted from the flames complaining about their wet meal. ,I>Resistance.. an idle thought tracked through her mind, and suddenly, she could see what the flames actually described before her.

Gaze peered above and around the flames now, to watch the interaction between dragon and horse. It was a rare thing for her, to observe what she so often did herself. She saw the intricate beauty of the log within Lace, she saw the many different pathways that had grown, the millions of thoughts that could be likened to the many flakes of bark that make up a tree. But she could see the flames attempted to consume him too, flames of guilt, anger, fear - would he be able to fight them off, just as the damp areas of the log resisted the flames? A puff of air blew from the mare's nostrils.

He is stronger than a log. With some small surprise Mirage heard her dragon speak to her. Akaith had settled beside her bonded's head, and having always been intimately close with her mind, knew what the little shadow was thinking, seeing, pondering. The mare nudged her little queen with affection, wuffling her agreement at decibels only she would hear. Yes, Lace was much stronger than this log that would eventually fold into a pile ash, before spreading on the Moon Goddess' graceful windy ways to coat the beach, and eventually add to the many granules of sand that constructed the coastline.

Mirage had faith in him, for she saw him for what he was - a thinker, perhaps a bit broody in his thoughts, but a creature of intelligence nonetheless. He as so caught up with himself, she knew that she was yet to uncover his full potential, even as he struggled to face whatever it was Fajira was attempting to help him face. Refocussing her golden gaze upon him, she looked with mild surprise as he shouted, ears pricked and muscles twitching from the contained urge to rise and perhaps defend herself, or flee. Another breath passed, and she realised what he had said, that it involved betrayal.

The swift and cunning mind of the little shadow mare chewed this over, even as the stallion twirled away from her, and made to leave. She was glad her words gave him pause, gladder still when she saw him prepare to speak. With a small effort, the mare rose from the sandy bed she had lain upon, coat twitching to loosen the grip of sand upon her hairs. With Akaith's keen senses and her own, she was able to discern his words, his plea to her - and again, she was left surprised. He yearned for judgement? For someone to call him out on his past errors, and make him pay? He seeks retribution.

"Judgement is a matter for Gods to deal with, Lace, I am no God." Though her voice carried strong through the storm raging above them that she might have sounded like one. It was definitive, clear and unyielding. "But I will listen, I will judge, I will offer you retribution, if that is what you seek from me." It was a unnerving task she had given to herself, or rather, had accepted from him. Of course, the question of whether he would take her words to heart or not existed, but Mirage could sense the desperation in this steed, the dire need for acceptance and recognition of his crimes.


The insatiable thirst for knowledge the mare possessed also fuelled her acceptance. A smooth, long step was taken towards him, and another, until she was standing square before him, the fire to their sides now. Warm breaths passed between them, and Mirage looked him deeply in the eye, before speaking with her exotic and most honest tongue. "You have my word." Her tiara bowed to him, as good as a handshake or signature on a contract. Mirage signed her word to this stallion, her word that she would hear him out, and honestly deliver what he sought in return.