I watch the city burn, these dreams like ashes float away...
The corner of Lilitha’s mouth softened in a hint of a smile and she leaned lightly into his touch, brushed her muzzle against the side of his neck as he lowered his head to greet Singe. Who huffed out a little breath back and bumped her nose against his to say hello herself. Familiar warmth bloomed in her chest and she nuzzled her girl again, smiled at Magnus in response to his introduction--and then.
Well.
She frowned at the stallion Ruan hadn’t introduced her to, following him with puzzled gold eyes as he walked around her, clearly inspecting her body, noticing the scars that littered her skin, but his reaction was nothing like she expected. Instead of cringing away from her or wrinkling his nose in disgust, he crooned admiration and brushed his nose against her hair. And she...had absolutely no idea how to react to that. “I...uuhh? Thank you?” Caught utterly off guard, she stared at him, head tilting just a little, any grace or composure she’d had knocked askew by his compliment. “O...I mean, okay, if you want? There’s not much to tell, really.”
She was still reeling when he lowered his head to talk to Singe, who at first shied back farther into her chest. Clearly Set had some kind of impressive charm though, because it didn’t take the little filly long to relax and reach out to breathe in his scent, membranous wings rustling against her back as tension melted from her spine. And instead of shrinking back from Magnus in fear like Lilitha might’ve expected, she glanced back and forth between the two stallions, her little brow furrowing. Back and forth again, and then she tilted her head back to peek up at her momma and ask with a quiet little whisper, “Playing?”
Lilitha smiled and nodded, brushing her lips against Singe’s forehead. “Yeah, baby, they’re playing.”
Singe peeked back and forth between them one more time and then lit up with a bright little baby smile, the first one Lilitha had seen on her face when there were strangers around. A word and a smile? Damn. Lilitha stroked her hair, fussing over her scruffy little mane.
“Well, gentleman, cannibals or no, welcome to Taiga. It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Magnus, I hope Tephra fares well. Set, if you’re in search of a place to settle, perhaps we could show you around? If Taiga isn’t to your liking, we won’t take any offense, will we, baby?” she said, her voice softening as she directed the second half of that sentence to Singe. “But if it feels like the right place for you, there’s plenty of room in this lovely forest.”
Singe rustled her wings again and took a hesitant little step forward, bright green eyes wide as she reached out to sniff at Set. “Could maybe play with me?” she asked softly, voice just a squeak above a whisper. But using her voice at all was progress, and Lilitha melted a little at the hope that flared to life in her chest. See, baby girl? Don’t gotta be scared of your voice. It’s gonna be okay.
...your voice I never heard, only silence.