Represent the ashes / Amore

[Levi]

It isn't often that he travels to the Big Island anymore. Secluded on a spit of land to the south-east of what was generally considered Tephra, Levi kept out of the way of the newcomers.  Some of them were old faces just returned, but either way, none of them knew his name. At best, they may remember him as the runaway son of a mighty king.

Except for Amore...

The thought of her lulls him from the solitude of his home, causing him to rise from the sand with a grunt and a mighty shake of his crested neck. The day is hot, but the crisp ocean breeze whisks along his skin and prevents the heat from building into sweat.  

The scent of The Forest, where he met his twin, has been washed off, smothered by the token scents the volcanic island. Likewise, the scent of Rapture has faded from his burning skin, along with the indent in the sand where she slept and the feeling of contentment she had given him. 

But his anger had burned down into a lingering discontentment, but as the sun sinks and he catches sight of Amore in the distance he can almost pretend he doesn't feel it.

Almost. 

[Amorette]

She is lonely. Lonely, and unable to express the many things she feels. Her head keeps going around in circles, whenever she thinks she has finally moved on, the terrors, fears and insecurities hit her right back.

Yes, old friends have come back, but they don’t know the things she has seen, the terrors that keep her up at night. Next to the terror, there is now worry too. She had known something must have happened to Warrick, the navy stargazer would not abandon them, but at the same time Amorette had been unable to help her dear friend. She has said goodbye, yes,  but that does not take away the pain the ebony woman feels for losing him.

Her dark gaze wanders across the fields, but she does not take in Tephra’s beauty. She is looking, but not seeing. One might think she’s dozing, with the sun warming her back, but Amore is simply lost in thoughts. Unpleasant ones, but they keep her mind occupied.

At first she does not notice his approaching form. How, you might wonder. Amorette has yet to meet an equine that looks as impressive as Levi. Not only big and strong in build, but especially his mane and tail are hard to miss. It’s the gentle flicker of the flames in a soft breeze that catches her attention.

Her ears swirl forward, and a little smile tugs at the corners of her lips, but then it falters, and uncertainly her ears flick back. Not too long ago he had held her, offered her the support she so desperately needed, and ever since Levi had visited her thoughts quite often. She had seen glimpses of him, or his scent that got carried towards the mainland by a breeze. But that had been all.

Levi is a master of disappearing from one’s life, but somehow he always finds a way to get on her good side again. And that is not something he has to put much effort in. Amorette does not approach him, instead she watches the bay sabino stag come closer, only whispering his name once he gets within earshot. “Levi.”


@[Levi]

[Levi]

His name softly falls from her lips as he crosses the final distance between them. He presses his muzzle firmly to her shoulder in getting, making sure (as always) that the flames along his crest burn low enough not to sing the hairs of her dark pelt. "I thought I would find you here," he mumbles, only lingering for a second to take in the familiar, comforting, scent of her. 

Stepping back, his mismatched eyes seek to read her own and he does not miss the hint of sadness which has been there too often since his return. His mind jumps to what he thinks could be causing it - that was what he was hoping to talk about anyway. He had always valued her opinion, especially on matters about their home. She had always been easy to talk to and more honest than any others he knew. Always wary, Levi knew he could get the facts from her without as much discomfort to himself as if he went hunting down the newcomers.  

"Warrick, his family, have they all left?" It could be said that dark stallion had his head buried in the sand, with half of his time spent on his secluded island and the other half in the commonlands, he was not the soldier he had been in years past. With the influx of strange faces (two of which belonged to former leaders of Tephra) he honestly had no idea who was running things. 

"I'm sorry, I know you were close to them," he adds in a rare moment of sensitivity.  But it passes quickly and once again he returns to his usual gruff baritone. "Who is in charge now? What the hell is going on?"