Hespera wishes she could keel over and collapse, die a quiet death and slip away to rejoin the gods, return to her home and rejoice in the peace of being a god. If only Tarleton had not refused her admittance... where would she be now? In Wenopa, watching over the House of Nighthelm? Would her damn half-brother be praying to her? Would she smite him to the earth with his prudishness and assholian-likeness? Throw him to the darkest regions and watch him wander until he starved? No death was too bad, too horrific, for the cremello idiot, traitor to his family. He had killed his own father for a bit of rank. If she were to leave the fucked-up land that was Helovia, it would be to cut him up and throw him to the wind. Perhaps Otienu would feast on his flesh, tear out his eyes before she cut open his silky throat with her glistening white horn. Bastard! Bastard, bastard, bastard! No respect, not even for the daughter of a god and Star Eater... Hespera's lips curl in a cruel snarl at the thought of him, and then Otienu's chirp of alarm breaks her memory-wallowing.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the last cobwebs, Hespera's audits flick, catching the sound of hooves marching on hard rock. Yet there is no need to be silent- clearly the young filly marching up to her is no master of subtlety.

She wasn't dead after all.

The unicorn lifts her head, nostrils flaring to drink in the scent of electricity, shocked. Hadn't she been flung far off by the lizard? Crushed beneath its paw? How could she have survived? Look, there was hardly a mark of blood upon her! Otienu chirped his agreement, cooing softly in the back of his throat, his surprise and pleasure throbbing through their bond. Don't be so happy, she warned him, even knowing he could not understand the foreign words she spoke. With a deep sigh rattling her chest, the mare picked her way towards the filly, the hard rock massaging her hooves. Only a few paces away, the girl spit out words, and she flinched and recoiled, stunned by the vehemence in the child's voice. No, she was not afraid, not of one so young- but she was impressed. This was not a child, but a morgrim. And a foul-mouthed one at that.

"I apologize; I have gravely underestimated your strength in battle. I am Hespera, daughter of Tarleton, God of the Sky somewhere far from here, and Arjuna the Star Eater." Otienu utters a soft cry indignantly from the unicorn's shoulder, upset at being forgotten. Laughing gently, Hespera pauses to add, "and this is Otienu, the little chaos-maker, and the bonded-of-my-heart. May I be so bold as to ask who you are, and how you are so strong for one so small?"