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Soft lips brush over his forehead, tease the soft silk of a frosted forelock in pleading, apologetic prods. His first reaction is to flinch and pull away, dread for her safety washing away any trace of sullenness. Cathun is not one to hold grudges. His temper flashes like lightning, like a bright red spark in the night; with the fury of a storm it flares up, but once it has passed there are no traces left but a slight tension in the air, the memory of blinding light engraved on the eyes as you close them. He wasn't even really angry - just tired, overwhelmed, worried. Sparks fly from his mane and old habit make him jerk the head back so she won't get burned, so that his fire won't harm that which has become precious to him already. Perhaps the motion will cause a different kind of hurt - but it is better than searing skin and starting fires, better to loose a friend and soul sister than steal her very life.

He does not know that his fire is no longer capable of harming. Cathun doesn't trust the magic of this new realm, doesn't know its origin or nature. To him, magic and unnatural events are an evil, a plague conjured to punish and curse. Benevolent magic was unheard of in his homeland, and power without a price did not exist.

His attention is elsewhere when Amaris offers to fetch someone else, and while he does listen the suggestion seem both strange and unnecessary to him. The colt doesn't even objecting but simply snort and throw her a sideways glance beneath sloping ears. "If that's what you want..." Are you tired of me already? I thought we had become friends...

"More importantly, 'Rii, is this normal? Does your magic always affect artifacts like this?" He jerked the chin towards the bead, frowning as he studied the center bead. The flickering was gradually slowing down but while the glow appeared steadier it was less bright than before, less vibrant. The energy radiating from the tear-drop felt different too, but it was hard to pinpoint in what way.

Teeth worried at the lip when the colt raised his gaze and sought out the dragon filly's, eyes aglow with fear at the thought that the seal might break. One had failed already, and if the second was weakening already...

"This wasn't supposed to happen" he whispered, distraught. "Coming here was supposed to fix it, not break it even more. Could... could he have been wrong?"

The thought was uncomfortable - Lace had always been right so far - but it kept nagging him and without being fully aware of it the tall youth sidled closer to Amaris, as though being near her might make his troubles go away.


@[Amaris]