Striking mights and maybes even more

A useless thing called life

It's a biting cold again

Most came; it should've warmed his heart but the lost faces swam before his vision. Cineviam and Ricciardo stood out perhaps the most, a stab of bitterness in his cold heart - betrayal, or too wounded to make it on time? He'd heard the crack of his pet's skull, had known without looking back that he was lost. What of Snö? Had she run again? Psyche had been with her... so she ought to be okay. Right?

What he hadn't expected was for Alan to throw a bitch fit about it. Mauja's ears fell back, flat against his neck, head hoisted high as he snorted. What a fool. She'd always been a hotheaded, passionate mare, but this folly? And Leyra, she who had not even come to the battle, dared to agree! A low growl rumbled in his throat even as Kou and Descaro leaped to shut Alan up, as Korra dealt with Leyra. "Death is useless," he hissed at them, too tired to be diplomatic now. "And dying in this stupid battle would've been pointless, a waste of life. So shut up and survive." He had met a deadraiser once, in the forest to the south - he had met an undead colt in the marsh. But what kind of existence was that? Rotten and detached? He was not cold enough to wish his unicorns into undead tools simply to raze Helovia's hornless to the ground - then there would be none to carry on their legacy, and he'd die a mad, power-wracked king.

Tamlin and Aviya, who had suffered with her cough during the journey, stood near Kou, but he could see - and smell, damn it - Lotus somewhere. Lucius came with the torn-off end of Monster's rope, Faelene's fervent growl on his heels. Pay for it, yes... It lay by his feet, and for a moment he stared at it. To keep it would be sentimental and useless. He'd miss his pet, but life went on. It had to. He tilted his head, masking the sorrow in his eyes, and gazed upon the old half-demon by his side. How comfortable he seemed to be, standing next to the King. Was he assuming something? Too tired and hurting to argue about it, he turned his gaze north instead. Deimos spoke, hushed glee like a cat in his voice, and Mauja wondered if he meant Monster or someone from the Qian. He doubted the necromantic warrior would express such deranged joy at the demise of the black pet, though, but decided against asking. If it turned out that he did... Mauja was too tired to kill anyone today. "We'll go north; if they want to raid us, they'll have trouble finding us. I know how to survive in snowy wastelands, and I will show all of you. We will rest here today, and move on to the Frostbreath tomorrow. We'll set up a perimeter with guards; Lucius, Lloyd, Alan, you take the first shift," came the crisp, terse orders. They'd have no more stupid bickering today. Order would hopefully shut them up, and then they'd be so tired they'd just fall asleep - or so he hoped. The two bulls seemed in quite good shape, and Alan needed something to do. Lucius' flank looked troublesome, but the post was more to give warning than actually defend - should the Qian send fighters after them, they had little choice but to flee.

He moved to Kou and the two foals. He gave Tamlin's forelock a tender nip, before turning his worried eyes to the mother. "I'm worried about her breathing," he confided in a low voice. "I don't want to risk her health.. do you think she can make the journey?"

( it's okay if you want to just go to sleep etc or something in this round. ^^ this thread has pretty much served its purpose, I think? )