Darwin&&Antaa

Got so much to lose, got so much to prove

God, don’t let me lose my mind.

The stallion heaved a gentle sigh, weaving in and out of the bamboo stalks of the Labyrinth. This place was new to him, and in turn he wondered when it had became a place here to begin with. Whether or not it had been here the entire time and he had just failed to explore it (as he had for much of Helovia as a young colt, but at least he’d heard stories of the lands he missed). It was foreign, smelled of foreign Birdsong rain and the shadows that lashed out from behind each stalk of greenery. Darwin wasn’t uncomfortable being here, but it definitely wouldn’t be his first choice of a hang out spot.

Antaa, on the other hand, was quite enjoying the task of weaving in and out of the bamboo. Chirping her delight, as if she could talk to the other strange birds that lived in this land. Instead, they seemed to avoid her to the best of their ability despite the ball of flame that bounded in and out of the thickest parts. Darwin had been working on teaching her to fly, successful for the most part. It had been interesting, watching the anger of the phoenix as she screeched at him for being able to fly while she was still rooted on the ground. But after much coaxing and the tenderness that settled in Darwin’s heart for his companion, she had grasped the concept. And now, he couldn’t seem to get her to stop until she was too physically exhausted to continue on. It wasn’t so bad, though. She had learned to hunt for her food herself, and be a bit more independent. Which in a way, made Darwin sad to realize she would be growing up to not need him as much as she had as a chick. But he was also thankful that he wouldn’t have to keep dealing with the fiery bird as her temper grew from being unable to do many things.

Many things had happened, for the two of them. She was growing up, and Darwin had ended up meeting and inevitably living with the very person that he told himself he refused to see upon his arrival. It was a strange interaction, one that he wasn’t totally set on. But having a place to go home to at the end of the day was at least somewhat reassuring to him - even if deep down he still thought Archibald wanted him dead after everything. So with Antaa’s help, he always kept an eye to his back and his surroundings, doing his best to prevent and untimely death. And that’s what Antaa did, as Darwin walked. She scouted, reaching out to him in their bond as he walked beneath her. Ebony dipped pillars striking the earth with careful accuracy as his ivory wings tucked gentle to his sides. His riverstone eyes constantly gazing at his surroundings in the possibility that someone unwanted might appear. It was hard to tell in a place such as this, with the clouds overhead and rain drizzling down matting his mane to his thick muscled neck.

"Talk."