Relief washes over her as she spies his giant form, Akaith following close by in the skies above. That he was able to move at all made her sway, the surprise of just how worried she had been hitting her as the adrenalin already begins to wane. But she rouses her bodice once more, for they were not out of the danger zone just yet.

“To the Forest.” She said with her strong, clear voice – it was a command, one that she doubted neither he nor Akaith would object to, given the Deep Forest was indeed next to the treacherous climb to see the Gods. Pressing her form against him, she took whatever of his weight he could not carry, Akaith’s mind still holding onto his own consciousness – but it was difficult, like trying to grasp jelly with wet hands, and there were moments where she knew the steed may have blacked out.

But they must walk on!

She didn’t keep track of how long it took. The ruby-red bottom of the pond stretched out before her, and the mare herself bent her tiara to drink from the effort. How many times had it been now that her shadowy form was used as a shield? And yet she would continue to shield those who needed her, for as long as life still animated the inky mare. Watching as the steed drank deep and long, she sighed, allowing herself to rest after what turned out to be quite the risky task.

Wearily his ears twitched to hear her voice, his attention captured once more as her melodic tones reached his battered mind. The Forest, yes. Reflexively he turned his head toward her as she leaned herself against his side, supporting him in his moment of physical weakness. The gesture was aborted not even halfway through, as his abused throat protested moving so far, and he snorted softly. He could still feel Akaith, a warm presence wrapped around his mind like a silken blanket. He yearned to give in to the comfort he took in the both of them, but knew he couldn't stop yet.

Studiously he focused instead on the steps he must take, one after the other. Each one took him further away from the source of the heat that seared his throat and battered his figure, yet that heat remained. Sweat that originated not from pain but from too much warmth darkened his hide and made the scales on chest and belly glisten more than usual. The length of the journey gave him time to realize that some of that heat was now within him, deeper than his seared throat and damp hide. Fire inside his gullet, that warmed in a fashion that could have been pleasant in another season.

Abruptly he realized that the quality of the exterior heat had changed, and his head jerked up reflexively as his gaze focused on his surroundings. Trees, shadows... the Forest. Immediately he calmed, though he wondered how much time he'd lost while wrapped up in himself. Mirage was still there beside him, and Akaith's presence still coiled around his mind, though he knew not where the gold's physical body was.

Time slipped from him again, but for a shorter length of time this go-round. For now he found himself before the crimson waters of the pool at the forest's heart, and bent his head gratefully to drink the cool liquid. At first he sipped, letting each mouthful trickle down his throat until the differences in temperatures were not quite so stark. Then he drank deep, allowing the water to soothe the dry pain, until he felt more himself.

Still not entirely solid on his hooves, he stepped back from the pool and folded his legs to sink slowly to the forest floor. Had the pool not been lined with stones, he might have immersed himself in its embrace. As it was, he didn't trust himself to not loose his footing today, and opted to rest on solid ground instead.

Slowly he extended on wing to its fullest extent, the tip just brushing the underbrush that encircled this clearing, then folded it with deliberate care. Then he extended the other, out over the water's surface, before folding it as well. At last he gave a great sigh, allowing himself to fully relax. Golden eyes turned toward Mirage, clear and focused, their pupils slightly widened from their narrow slits that the relentless sun demanded, now that shadows lay heavily around them. "Thank you. I'm not sure I could have done this without you, Mirage."

The mare was quaking with nerves, and she was surprised by this, you see. That this stallion had indeed crept this close to her heart almost made her want to turn inwards and build that wall up again, to treat him with nothing more than cool indifference. But how could she do that, when her mind had been fused with his in the emergency procedure Akaith had performed. The dragon was flying low over the ruby pond, her wings skimming the surface, creating ripples and waves that lapped lazily at the edge upon which Mirage and Vikram stood. At least, Mirage was still standing. Following a deep, refreshing drink, the great brute eased his carcass lower to the ground, all the while the mare’s golden eyes watched him, making sure no other harm had come to him while he was out of her sights earlier on.

Akaith slowly retracted the hold she had upon him, and the vague touch of his consciousness Mirage could only describe as masculine, draconic and noble, was removed, and the mare was left with only her own and Akaith’s souls touching once more. It was a strange feeling, to know that another’s consciousness had come seemingly so close to her own, that the dragon she was bonded to had orchestrated the entire thing. Advanced telepathy indeed, Akaith had many years of practice in the art of making her thoughts and emotions known to Mirage, and while Mirage did not hold the ability to project her thoughts to others, Akaith sometimes could, when the situation called for it. Only a few times before had it ever happened, once many years ago, to the grulla steed, Gunslinger, and since then, her siblings, and Torasin. Now Vikram could be added to the list of those who had felt the majestic caress of Akaith’s mind.

The queen was gentle in her retreat, for the shock of feeling another’s mind against your own was just as terrifying as losing it, and after the pain that Vikram had suffered, and deflected through her, she knew he would probably feel mentally exhausted, and weakened from within by the whole experience. He is whole now. Her comment to Mirage was strange, the mare did not know exactly what the golden one meant by it. As Akaith tilted her wingspan to loop back and land beside the great stallion’s head, touching her scaly muzzle to his equine nose, she looked up to Mirage once more. He was able to exhale breath that carried flames now, she understood – he had finally been given the tools to fully embrace his draconic half. She wondered just how long he had felt so unfinished, incomplete, and pondered at how she herself had never really felt that way – most probably because she had had Akaith for so long, she couldn’t remember feeling that way.

Gaze tilted as his wings stretched out, one at a time, the mare appreciated just how large they were, how large they had to be in order to carry his masculine weight. The little shadow mare had experienced flight, albeit second hand, through the running commentary of her bonded. Concave soldiers captured his words, and that dark, shadowy smirk played across her lips, the devious little black mare could not help but say; “It seems we are both well practised at helping the other survive when pitted against dire circumstances.” Mentioning the experience of her slaying another steed, and remembering Vikram’s anger at her for not seeking his aid sooner, the mare spoke lightly, playfully, essentially aiming to stir some familiar energy within the stallion again – even if it was an energy that was in memory of an old anger once held. He had behaved dragonly that day, and now he was as much a dragon as he could possibly get, without altering any more of his physical appearance and genetics, anyway.

Though weary, he could sense something of the turmoil within Mirage, and his expression was quietly curious as he watched her. That sense of her began to fade though, as Akaith unwound herself from his mind. For a moment he was alarmed by the unexpected sense of loss that came with having the gold's consciousness draw away from him. Then he became thoughtful as he accepted the distance again. Was that what it was like to have a dragon? To have another wound that close to you, heart to heart, mind to mind? Already the vague glimmerings of understanding were fading from his exhausted mind, though he struggled to retain as much as he could, which was precious little.

The dragon settled beside him then, seemingly replacing her mental presence with her physical one. He bent his muzzle toward her, wondering. He decided that he'd like to have that sort of bond with a full-blooded dragon himself. It was a thought he'd had before, one mulled over and contemplated. But now he was firm on the decision, though he wasn't in a huge rush to seek out an egg. It would occurr in due time, he was sure. In the meanwhile, he was content to spend time with Akaith, whenever it was allowed.

Ears tilted to catch the mare's words, and he chuckled softly at the memory inspired by her reference. "Yes well, we are not equally practised in accepting that help." His voice was low, but was becoming increasingly steady. The words no longer rasped their way out of his throat, but that didn't mean there was no discomfort associated with the task of speech. His expression was one of warm amusement as he regarded her. No irritation lurked beneath the surface, for he'd accepted the fact of her fierce independence and relunctance to depend on others. It was his task to chip away at her and Akaith so that they'd think to ask before turning to such drastic measures, or be in the right place at the right time to aid them. And now he had one more tool to facillitate that. Once he'd mastered it.

That Vikram might have felt, even if for a moment, the turmoil of emotions rolling about the maiden unsettled her even more. For an instant she was scared, terrified of being unveiled as the unstable creature she truly was, and she even felt a twinge of anger at Akaith for revealing her inner self so intimately with another being, without warning. But that was the old, selfish thoughts of Mirage who reacted without thought or care for consequences – this mare had grown in her many years wandering the Earth, and through Akaith, she realised that she did indeed care for the mahogany steed lying before them, and that was enough to quell any nerves that might have sprung up from the brief touch of their minds. It was a comfort to her to know that her own dragon orchestrated the entire thing, and that she would not have performed the act without due thought and consideration, not wanting to put Mirage nor herself in that kind of danger.

My façade is broken to him, and him alone; it is likely now that he would be able to read me even when I try to hide myself. Akaith, it is you who has instilled this weakness in me-
It is not weakness.
To break my composure is a weakness-
Not to him.
I long to believe you, dear heart.

The dragon was sharp with her interjections on Mirage’s thoughts, her eyes flashing violently red as she glanced at her bonded, warning her not to question the choice she had made. The mare already aware that she held a deep loving fondness for the stallion, but her feelings were conflicted, a platter of complete disarray; she wondered just how much Vikram might have gleamed from their momentary mental caress, or whether he might have simply put it down to being Akaith’s foreign, draconic mind, or perhaps even his own emotions resettling after being encased by Akaith’s gleaming soul. Fear was a natural reaction for the mare to have at being uncovered for her innermost feelings, for they were what she hid from the outside world, locked away behind many layers of hardened expressions and defensive actions. But her dragon was unfazed, rather she seemed more concerned that Vikram feel comfortable than her bonded’s reaction to being so revealing, even if only for a heartbeat.

“I am fortunate in my bond with Akaith –I am rarely without help.” The mare replied quietly to him, wanting to wipe the amusement from his face, but feeling it too difficult a task – she could not strike him while he was down, even if his strength was returning, as evidenced by the slow steadiness of his voice growing. She could hardly imagine the pain he would have suffered as those stones slid down his throat, she didn’t think she had ever experienced anything like it, nor did she ever want to. Akaith, who was a dragon capable of breathing fire could only provide a handful of thoughts and feelings on the matter. My first flame hurt, the insides of my cheeks ached and my tongue hated the taste of charcoal – but that flame came from inside, from my fire-belly that has always been there. Vikram did not have one until now, I cannot imagine what it must have been like. Mirage was surprised, as she constantly seems to be around this stallion and her dragon, at the insight Akaith was willing to go into. Normally she couldn’t care less about those who weren’t her bonded.

“It seems you will rarely be without help now, too.” Allowing a twinkle of amusement to add a charming glitter to her gilded eyes, a hint of a smirk darkened the corner of her mouth. Already the mare knew what it was her devious little dragon friend had been thinking, as the golden Akaith then promptly shot the thought both towards Mirage and Vikram;
I will teach how to control your flame.
The golden queen had all the while been sitting by the crown of the steed, mulling over the implications of his new ability and growing excited and determined the more she pondered it. Yes, it would make sense for her to help him, he was her friend, and she wanted him to become the best he could – who better than to learn from, than herself? She thought without missing a beat. The mare had to smile at the vanity of her dragon – a token of their personalities they probably shared. Certainly, Mirage was not against the idea of spending more time with Vikram, whether it be under the guise of helping him learn his magic or not.

She was so incredibly still. He watched her, ears twitching as he considered. Then, he spoke quietly. "You're unsettled. By what Akaith did, I would guess." His features quirked into a wry smile, and his tail curved against the ground. Its tip dug a small furrow with the movement, before he stilled himself again. "You don't stay that still that long unless you're thinking about something." It was a simple explanation, omitting the fact that he had caught a bit of her agitation during those last moments. It surprised him a bit to know just how much went on beneath that cool exterior. Amused him to realize that he was beginning to be able to read her as well. He was around her so much, it wasn't entirely surprising.

But it was entertaining to catch a sense of the dialogue he was certain was happening by watching Akaith. The gold wasn't nearly at an even of a keel as her bonded, and her little movements and expressions told a great deal to one experienced in the physical language of dragons. Vikram was certainly one such.

His head inclined in acknowledgement to Mirage's defense. Yes, Akaith was of great help. But it still irked him, knowing that everything the queen did was just a whisper from Mirage. He'd seen how utterly devastated she'd been. How much she'd broken down in the wake of having to end the life of one too stupid to understand 'no'. She'd been weak, a target then more than she'd been before. Perhaps that was why then, only then, Akaith had called. Because then she'd really needed the shelter of her friends, her loved ones.

Those thoughts he shut away before they could stir up old emotions again. It was of no use to linger on that. He smiled then, listening to her speak and knowing the truth in what she said. They had been there when he'd needed them most. But Akaith surprised him. He blinked, looking down at the dragon in bewildered pleasure. "Th-thank you. I appreciate your willingness to teach me." His muzzle dipped the short distance required to lightly nose a golden shoulder, rumbling softly in appreciation before removing that touch, before it could become intrusive.

I hope your trust is not misplaced, Akaith.
You know that it is not only I who trusts him.
Oh, my dear, I trust him, but not like I trust you, or my kin.

Perhaps you should try.

Indeed, the mare had grown still, and the surprise at his quick assessment of her only added to the feelings of disconcert, though her façade barely showed it, perhaps a glint of sharp warning shone through her golden eyes as she seemed to refresh her gaze upon him – but then again it could have simply been the way the light filtered through the leaves above. His powers of perception were probably equal to her own, though she was reluctant to ever admit such a thing. He was intelligent, and had always attracted her attention, and she was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he held a more significant chunk of her heart than she cared to consider for too long, for fear of – rejection? Conflict? Hurt? – she wasn’t even sure. Never had she dealt with that particular emotion in this magnitude or context before.

Akaith spoke the truth, as always, revealing that the mare indeed trusted this stallion in particular, with her life and more. Had he been wholly dragon, the queen herself knew she would have selected him as a mate – as it was, he was a bronze stallion, his equine half making him all the more interesting (particularly in Mirage’s eyes), and the dragon longed for her bonded to realise and accept those troublesome emotions; but that was something even the queen was not capable of doing. No, Mirage had to accept the feelings within herself before she even considered exposing them outright to another being, particularly a being towards whom the feelings were being projected. And the mare was a stubborn one, stubbornly blind, it would seem. The stallion seemed to explain away his assessment of her, but she barely believed him – she knew that brush of a foreign consciousness against her own was indeed, him.

“She does not lend her abilities out often.” Understatement of the century. “I was taken by surprise.” To say the least. “I’ve never had need to doubt her decisions.” Sharp eyes seemed to intensify their gaze upon him, before almost immediately softening to an affectionate, playful quirk. “I am glad that I am not given cause to doubt her today.” Once again, the mare was internally astonished at the ease in which she was able to admit hints of her affections for the steed openly, though she did wonder at his reaction to them, she was optimistic; he had never given her cause to think that he would deny her anything.

Akaith purred her draconic purr as Vikram showed suitable gratitude for her proclamation, but of course he should be thankful, her ego boasted to Mirage, her long reptilian nape arching as she grew just a little bit over-smug. Brusquely she gently bopped Vikram upon his pelted nose, quipping a sharp chirp with her vocals before mentally shooting another arrow of thought at them; show your gratitude by being the student I know you are capable of being. The golden one then diverted her vision elsewhere, across the pool of water they sat by, tilting her scaled cranium as her ears listened to the surrounding wildlife. Silently, she looked to her bonded, before bumping her nose against Vikram, and after taking a few steps away to avoid her wings clashing against him, took off, muttering something about hunting to Mirage – the suspected she thought Vikram might like to replenish his strength on more than just water and grass. The inky, shadow of a mare watched her take her leave, the fondness for her companion just as strong and clear as the day they bonded.

“We live in a strange world, Vikram. One where Gods throw tantrums, dragons and horses share a bond most unique, creatures of all forms live in harmony (or not), and yet; the same laws of survival still apply, and I find myself wanting to change, to shape this world we live in. But I do not know where to begin.” It was a seemingly random speech, and a long, deep sigh followed it, the mare peering out over the crimson pool, her bodice giving the appearance of relaxation and yet she was always ready to jump to action should it be required.

So much hung in the air, one could almost taste it. Could almost slice through it with claw or horn or tail-spur. Yet it was intangible, invisible. Felt only as a tension that flittered on the edges of consciousness. Fed by emotions, thoughts. Yet it wasn't negative. Nor was it entirely postive, for there were sparks there as well, and not the sort storytellers told of. It was... interesting. And that was probably a huge understatement as well.

His acknowledgements to her short statements were equally short gestures. A small nod, an ear twitch, a smile. There really wasn't anything to say to that, though his underlying amusement was rather plain. It was mostly situational, though. Circumstances were strange things, and did stranger things to those caught within them. "I try to not disappoint, as well." Whether he was referring to dragon or mare, it was hard to tell. It very well might have been that he meant them both, but he wasn't going to tell. If they wanted to know that badly, Akaith was a thought away. But he doubted they'd linger that long over such a statement.

What he didn't expect, was for the golden queen to bop him upon his nose as he withdrew it, making the movement definitively more accentuated as he jumped slightly. Ears quirked outward quizzically, then tipped back in a pass at a submissive posture as she spoke to him. It was... difficult to be submissive when you're already laying down and still were larger than your teacher. But he tried, she had to give him at least a little credit for that much. And then she was off, moving aside before launching herself into the air and into the trees. His ears tipped forward as he watched her vanish, and then looked to Mirage.

Her gaze was cast out over the crimson tinted waters as she spoke to him. Spoke of the world and its hazards, its simple truths. With a grunt he levered himself to his feet, swaying slightly for half a second as he fought off a wave of exhaustion driven vertigo. Then he flicked his tail, a gesture that would forever be less graceful than a similar movement made by mare or dragon, and walked slowly toward Mirage. "A step at a time. That is all we can do. Begin with yourself, your family, your friends. And expand from there. One needs solid footing beneath before one can reach up to grasp the apple." Hesitation slowed him for a moment, before he bumped his nose companionably, briefly, against her shoulder.

Ever the guardian, she watched as he rose from his position, almost moving to position herself beneath his great bulk in order to prevent his collapsing back down to the earth below when he swayed. But he regained his steady footing, and Mirage too recovered what composure had slipped as worry peeked through her otherwise cool mask. It was impossible for her, she concluded, to ever hide completely from him, and though that same thought had resounded within her cranium numerous times now, she finally seemed to digest it, accept it. And was surprised when she found herself comfortable with that fact.

It was curious to observe the way the roles switched so easy, as the friends provided comfort and wisdom to one another with a natural cadence. First, the mare tended to the stallion’s wellbeing, and now the stallion lends the strength of his words to her. As his rich tones speak, ideas and images suddenly come to life in the mare, but they are a jumble, a confused mass of wants, and faces, and hope. They rush through her mind so swiftly that the maiden fears she would not retain them all – until he touches her. A touch so soothing, and calming, and comforting, that everything falls into place in a sudden onslaught of realisation.

“The Qian.” Immediately she knows the name to give it, this dream of hers. Unwittingly her eyes had shut, as she had focussed upon the internal churnings of thoughts and emotions; similar to when she was discussing something deeply with Akaith. But the golden queen was relatively silent for now, though aware of what her bonded was going through, she was busy gathering game. Aureate eyes then peeked out from their inky folds, a smile openly curving her lips now, making the lines of her visage softer, friendlier, and far more beautiful than the steely façade of indifference she usually wore.

“Would you ever call me your WeyrLeader, Vikram?” It was a curious query to pose, but the mare longed to hear his reply, longed to know if he would understand the implication of her question. He had said we, and she knew, at least she hoped she knew, that he truly did mean together - there were few others she could ever hope to build her dreams with. The namesake of her title was draconic, as was most things with this shadowy mare, and she hoped he knew enough of dragon lore to recognise the rank. That he might accept her in it would realise but one of her dreams.


[Technically the quest started before the whole drought, even before Mirage helped the Tuuli invade - I got the idea to make them have this conversation and thus, the Qian are born..
But lemme know if you want it to go another way xD]

Golden eyes watched, could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as his words made an impact. It was curious, seeing how a few simple words could make things clearer or foggier for someone. Interesting to wait to see which way things came out. He privately reveled in being allowed this quiet intimacy, his approach not measured and his reaching muzzle not deflected. But he was startled out of it when she spoke, two simple words that didn't quite make sense at first.

Ears flicked back, then forward as he peered questioningly at her. They quirked outward in bemusement when she looked up at him with a warm expression and a smile. Such an open display of feeling was out of place on her... but it suited her immensely. There was a warm, fluttery feeling in his chest, which he firmly ignored, even when it threatened to choke him when she spoke again, questioning him.

WeyrLeader... It was a word that spoke of leadership, or guidance. Of strength and wisdom. Of the building of a group. It whispered of dragons, making his skin itch. The question was a weighty one, but its meaning more so. He studied her, gazing into her eyes for a long moment. Then he dipped his head. "Of course. You have been such to me for longer than you've asked of it. But are you ready to be that for others?" That was the true question here. Was she ready to do all she intended, be all she intended for all whom this dream of hers entailed?

The heavy silence that followed her query weighed down heavily upon her, her eyes longed to flutter shut as a small seed of doubt was planted. But determinedly she allowed the fire of purpose to disintegrate the seed before it had time to take root, extinguishing the remains with more grit and resolve. Her eyes burned with that purpose, as they clutched onto the equally vibrant eyes of Vikram, her entire form seemed abuzz with a new energy, as suddenly the mare found an ambition to direct her life to a path she might not have previously entertained.

The inky maiden saw it, the understanding, the acceptance, the question, all before they were spoken. She could read his silence as simply as though his thoughts were shouting the words in her own mind. Only, it was not him, but her own thoughts that posed the questions, just before his deep rumbles vocalised the same thing. So you have named our herd. Came Akaith’s amused comment, as the dragon was rounding closer to them again, Mirage detected the plump rabbit she had managed to find being clutched in her jaws and claws.

Do you approve, my dear?

Though Mirage did not directly consult her dragon upon the whole decision, Akaith was ever-present on the runnings of Mirage’s thought patterns, and that she had not interrupted them, but probably, in her own subtle way, orchestrated them to suit her own ideals, was approval and acceptance enough. You know I do. The shadowy mare had to wonder whether everything she did was on the whim of her dragon, so smug and seemingly all-knowing that the little queen seemed to be. A small chirrup sounded across the pond, muffled by the kill in her mouth, as the dragon returned.

Akaith landed upon the back of her beloved with ease, draping the rabbit over the small of Mirage’s back, before settling back on her haunches, not wanting to disturb the exchange by making the stallion eat when he was likely to need his mouth for communicating. No, the kill could wait. If the dead rabbit bothered the mare, she didn’t show it. Vikram nodded his head then, and a knot of tension was released within her, unawares that she had been holding onto his every word, seeking his approval. She was shocked to realise that had he offered rejection instead of acceptance, she would have dropped the plan altogether.

But he accepted, and the simple, undulating happiness that quaked within her pulled at the smile upon her lips, lighting up her entire façade into a palette of raw and colourful emotion. His question did crimp her brow with thought, for she took it seriously; but no doubt reared its indecisive head at her this time, no dark sense of scepticism at her own abilities – she was ready for this. Conveying this, she felt herself step closer to him, their gazes separated by mere breaths, the intimacy of the scene fitting for the proclamation she uttered in a voice that never wavered.

“Yes. I will lead those who choose me as their Leader, those who seek direction, protection. I can do this.”