ashamin

lochan

&rakt

Blood: Both the name of his companion and the scent in the air. This was old blood, though, and without Lochan's keen perception, focused even in the hours of his exhaustion, Ashamin would have missed the smell of it. It drove the Clovenheart further into the Threshold, quickened his pace to something like urgency. He had been alone and bleeding one too many times to let anyone else suffer the same fate--experience that same fear. If not for Zahra, Ashamin would have died. She may have only been a child at the time (what was she now, besides missing from his life?) but the gold-blooded filly had been there when Ashamin needed her. If he desired to do anything with his own new lease, it was the same.

Even Lochan, who normally would have been asleep (or at least begging for it) during such a hot day seemed energized by the dire situation. Rakt moved quickly and summoned his nascent magic, gifting Ashamin with the ability to temporarily do the same. As a trio, they leaped through the woods and dodged the tall trunks of the trees that shot up before their every step.

When they were close enough to hear voices, all three slid to a stop as abrupt as they could while staying quiet. Lochan edged forward while the others stayed back and narrowed his keen, bright eyes.

Three, the little eye said before painting three increasingly elaborate portraits of the beings in the clearing. And... he paused, not knowing the word, and drew a long line that was not unlike Ashamin's own tail. A snake.

Lochan stiffened at the site of the fanged thing and moved back, but Rakt pushed forward. Just as the portraits of the figures started to fade from Ashamin's consciousness, Rakt added to his brother's painting of the pegasus. Swiftly, he painted an unforgiving red slash in the shade that was characteristic of the young blood and the sufferer's wounds.

So it was the pegasus, the one now struggling to stand and cursing wildly, that was hurt. The painted buck let his long tail cross over each of his companion's backs to settle them and then stepped forth, breaking through the trees just as Lyanna offered her aid. The white stallion was obnoxiously standing idle.

"Lyanna means well," Ashamin said, though he wasn't sure why. She'd seemed kind enough when he'd encountered her with Banjo, but he didn't know much about her beyond that. Still, if Banjo liked her then... a friend of my friend. Besides, Ashamin was fairly certain he'd seen Tiamat with the same herbs, and he'd chewed bark after many a fight. "I had no idea you were a healer; if only you didn't have a home, I'd offer you one with me. We could use more like you, always offering to help," Ashamin said, first with a friendly nod to the blue-tipped pegasus and then with a thinly veiled glance at the white stag.

His two companions moved around the scene, both avoiding the snake and its bonded and keeping their stances guarded whenever they looked its way. "I am Ashamin, stranger. I'm sorry that you've come to Helovia in such a condition, but I assure you that my companions and I mean you no harm, " the Clovenheart flashed his hindquarters and turned to show the black gash behind his cheek after he spoke. In this dappled light, his gold scars shone.

"I'm no stranger to battles myself, I can only imagine how much that wound must be hurting. If you'd like, I could also take you someplace to rest. I'm a part of a group of outcasts that values independence and knowledge above all else, and our loyalty to each other is strong. One of our healers could stay with you and watch over that wound," Ashamin offered, thinking of Seanan. Perhaps it was a little soon in their relationship to be making offers like that, especially given Seanan's demeanor, but from what little the clovenheart had observed he could see the pale practitioner and this pegasus getting along quite well.

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