In my locks, a prick of claws distracts me from the pillar of light I aim for. Tuning into Ilaria's mental prodding, I was already prepared for the verbal lashing she'd give me, though she was too young for the words I spoke to come from her mouth as well. She is angry, but I know her worry comes from love, and her anger comes from that worry. The moment I'd made my decision to at least try to become Sergeant, she'd been immediately against it. Again and again she'd tried to point out how important crafting and metal working was to me, but I diligently responded that I would gain my own, special kind in time. The idea of me getting harmed set her in a tizzy, and there was nothing I could do to calm her. Not that she let that stop her from digging her paws into my neck as punishment. Wincing, I retaliated by folding my wings to my body and angling my head towards the sands twinkling dully below, an arrow shooting down to earth. Ilaria, far from a wind dweller, gave a nasty sound until I pulled up once more. For all my scrawny form, I had a massive wingspan, one that was whitening slowly with age. With the speed of it, slow as I may consider it, I doubted I'd retain anything but a tiny whisper of caramel before my second year.

This darkness does not bother me, though I feel an uncharacteristic ache for the Apollo of our land. Since his magic had burned clean the poison from my blood, leaving me with a jagged, white scar, I had been forever indebted to him. The ties I felt towards the flaming deity were nearly as strong as those I held for his gentle brother. Even so I use the visibility while I can, and with a swift descent my pale stockings reach forth to greet the earth once more. Jogging easily on my endless pillars I shake the feeling of flying from my skin as if it were morning dew, already yearning to return to its endless depths. And, from outside the range of my vision, a tremulous whinny touched my ears. Clearly not a filly, but definitely feminine. Concern kissed at my features and even Ilaria paused in her reprimanding, crawling to my poll as I trotted around the light source to find the second source- the one of the noise.

Huddled down away from the chill of the season and the disparagingly dark skies, a similarly shaded form stood uncertainly upon the sands. Her eyes glittered like onyx stones, topaz burning in their reflections. I stepped forward quietly, letting out my own comforting nicker to her pleading, broken call. My voice had deepened alongside Hototo's this season, and we spoke like aged warriors and stallions alike despite our yearlinghood. "Are you hurt, sister?" I asked softly, Father's ever-present mannerisms having been raised within me as I had grown at his side. Stepping closer to the doe I offered a small, warm smile, hoping to show her that I wouldn't harm her and only sought to help chase away the chill and loneliness of the night with its now untold passing. "My name is Cera, and this is Ilaria. May I ask your name?" Ilaria chirped softly and waved her tail and paws from my head, deigning not to chew my ear off- perhaps literally- and instead focusing on her new chewtoy. Not that I'd let her nibble on any of the Throat inhabitants of course. Now the Basin? Free game.

Oh yes. Ilaria the Horse-Eating Red Panda.

Oh wait, correction. She apparently only ate unicorns.

My presence does not calm, instead it seems to sour her ebony features as if I have done something to insult her. I know I must wear a look of surprise, one that only turns to bemusement as she snaps at me. Clearly she is older, but she seems anxious, frazzled, in this darkness and absence of our Lords. She pins her harks at me, stomps her hoof and raises her wings threateningly. I stop immediately, quirking a brow at her in a somewhat offended manner, wondering why in the world his concern was apparently a problem. Not that she remained quiet on the matter for too long, and he was soon enlightened on what he'd done to offend her. Shifting my legs I settled into a more upright, composed posture before answering her. "This has never happened to me before. In fact, by my knowledge and that of my family, it hasn't happened at all in Helovia's history." Ilaria makes a disgruntled noise atop my crown, but then again she's far more judgmental than I. Shadow's scathing words do not bother me, but Ilaria doesn't seem to be in agreement.

"I have strong faith in the Gods. This is the hour where it is our turn to give that strength back. They did not leave us willingly, and I for one will not falter in my trust in them while they are fighting to get back to us. The fire of the Throat glows bright, within and without. Danger may face all of Helovia, but I know that we will rise strong in the face of any challenge. I don't want to be scared. I've had enough of that." My voice grows more passionate as I speak, until finally I must cut myself off for fear I will go too far or something similar. Shadow seemed far too worried, too tense, and I didn't want to force more stress upon her. Especially from what I'd seen of her temper.

Even so, the shrill fright in her voice made me chance a step or two closer despite her apparent dislike of my attempts to comfort from earlier. "I've seen both of them, don't worry, they're safe. They were both heading to find Kri and my father, from what I saw." This time I kept my lyrics soft, letting her take it as she wanted in her frazzled state. She was pacing, disturbing the sand, so I just remained still and let her work off her energy, hoping she wouldn't take it out on me. "I've seen a majority of the Throat, but I don't know who is unaccounted for. I'm sorry I can't be of more use."