The puzzle pieces that had once fit so well together began to split apart at the seams. The pieces of Kiada and Ru’in, despite however close they got, remained further distanced by invisible plastic separations, soon to have a face to the objects. No matter how much she wanted to listen to Ru’in, to share in the little intimacies and soft conversations, there would always be something that drifted them apart. It was upsetting, to say the least, but the filly didn’t know how to exactly fix it. However, as with most things, they often came to a pinnacle. It was just that Kiada didn’t realize she had stepped into it when she asked Ru’in to follow her.

Khairi stayed perched on a more healthy branch, watching from above as the rosen hued filly came into view. Worry spiked from his end of the bond as he noticed the other filly’s body language. Swiftly, he chose to dive from the place he had been perched comfortably, to land upon Kiada’s spine as some sort of back-up. He’d protect her, even if nobody else would. And he could tell as Romina’s words spread into the air the way they spiked and speared at his bonded’s heart.

They both knew she wouldn’t show it, though.

And as Romina began to accuse her of being weak in not fighting off the griffons that had attacked that fateful day in the Edge, Kiada had to do her best to refrain from snorting. At least she had done something. She could’ve died, in all reality, but she had managed to escape their clutches with only scars and healing wounds. At least she’d have a story one day. Romina’s grin grew wide at her statements of Kianzo and Kiada’s ears flattened to her skull – her spine that once glowed with griffons were now replaced by the threatening jaws of wolves as they prowled across her back, molding their way around Khairi’s body while his feathers puffed up in the anger that laced through their bond.

“No.” Her answer is rough and forced through gritted teeth as she watched Ru’in immediately head to his sister’s call. And suddenly, sadness began to bleed its way into her chest, into the places where Romina’s sharp words had cut it. Even though Ru’in and Romina spent time apart, it appeared as though she held her brother in the palm of her hand. Kiada, on the other hand, struggled with Kianzo ever since his capture. And when Romina began to pout at the fact she hadn’t given her a goodbye, Kiada shook her ink dipped head, her long ebony tail swishing against her hocks. “I’m sorry I never said goodbye, but I had more important things to do. For instance, finding my brother.”

She stood there, as Kianzo began to fold into the picture – her eyes evading his mirrored face as she looked to Ru’in, knowing that he’d be unable to offer any help to the situation. Not when Romina had him hanging onto her every word. “Naye? Kweli, mlongo? He is a beast.” Kianzo’s voice rang out to her, her sapphire gaze darkening as her head swung to look upon him in his anger, while Keusi split a bone in half.

And suddenly, she laughed. Not out of humor, but because of the sheer number of things uttered that she couldn’t believe. Kianzo was telling her what she should think? No. Her ears remained flat as wolves grew stronger and larger, as if they were mocking Keusi’s own size. “Wewe – wewe huna chumba kwa majadiliano.” She began to hiss to her twin, as anger began to spread along the creases of her eyes. “You think you can come here and act as though you are the victim? No.” And she uttered another mocking laugh. “You left me.” Her voice turned dark, as her head grew higher, eyes staring down that of her brother.

“I spent months out there searching for you. And you have the ignorance to be upset at the fact I met someone else? You have no right.” Her voice remained darkened and accusing, as rage seared through her bones. Suddenly, along the earth at Kianzo’s side, smoke began to grow. A small flicker of a flame began to burst from the grasses in a twirling motion. It was small, but it seemed to grow slightly larger with each accusing word. “And then when you come back with Thranduil, you act as though nothing happened? You act as though everything could go back to normal? Things will never be as they once were.” Khairi began to grow frantic at the growing fire, his wings spread from his sides as he bit into Kiada’s mane and tugged.

And suddenly Kiada realized what had happened – the flame spiraling and growing slightly larger as the rage grew had her eyes grow slightly wider. A quick glance to Romina and Ru’in before a sharp glare was sent Kianzo’s way as she turned away from the trio and began to run out of the clearing. The fire stopping almost immediately and shriveling away into nothing but a pile of smoke and ash.


"Talk."

---

wewe – wewe huna chumba kwa majadiliano. - You – you have no room to talk.

— she wears fire for skin,

but a storm lives in her soul.