she’s got jumper cable lips
she’s got sunset on her breath. now i inhaled just a little bit, now i’ve got no fear of death

While the humidity of summer lays thick upon Beqanna, the weight of tension seems heavy enough to fill her lungs before oxygen can reach them. Each inhale brings its own air clinging with concern and fever and apprehension. Belgaer’s appearance on Nerine’s border and the announcement he brings with him only further materializes the thunderclouds in the very near distance. They are dark and full of potential downpour, threatening to break above the heads of each head within Beqanna.

There’s an urgency in Wishbone’s step as she travels with Scorch to Ischia. She stays mostly quiet as they move along the shore, following the quickest path to Ischia. The hush of the summertime waves is gentler than the roar of Nerine’s waves against the granite cliffs, but the Khaleesi finds that she is caught in a swirl of thoughts and emotions to offer much conversation to her Dosh.

They are not the first to arrive on Ischia’s shores, nor will they be the last. Wishbone dives quickly into the seawater, hooves shifting into the mainland’s sand before pushing off into the deeper water. The ocean doesn’t terrify her (not like it will now terrify her mother, who might be being dragged through coral reefs and along sharp rocks this very moment), having spent her entire life in it, and she reaches Ischia’s side of the canal easily.

Wishbone casts an amber-hued gaze to Scorch, certain her Dosh has found some way to cross the water, before turning toward the gathering. There’s an undercurrent of reckless excitement that thrums beneath her skin like an electric current; while the anger of Brennen is heavy in the atmosphere, this is a summit of the Allies and her father and sister will both be here. In fact, Solace has already arrived. Wishbone moves to greet her sister for a brief moment, gaze heavy with understanding of the severity of their meeting. She touches her sable nose to Solace’s shoulder before offering a dip of her head toward Kagerus.

The Khaleesi has never met Brennen before, despite the connection of their kingdoms, and Wishbone hopes they will enjoy each other’s company. The lithe mahogany mare steps forward, in the moments before the meeting begins, and dips her head toward Brennen. It’s not a deep bow, but one shared between equal authorities. Her dark, tangled forelock shifts against her forehead as she does so, auburn highlights warmed by the sun’s rays above. “It’s an honor to finally meet you, King Brennen.” Wishbone pauses for a moment, amber eyes glancing over the Kraken King’s face to calculate his reaction. “If you don’t know me, I’m Wishbone. The Leviathans new Khaleesi.” The name of her title should sound familiar to his ears — it is the title of the Queens of the Old, another piece of the Amazons resurrected.

She steps back then, moving alongside Scorch to settle until the meeting begins. Her father’s arrival brings a warm smile to Wishbone’s face, though she doesn’t move to greet him just yet. This isn’t a family reunion, but a gathering taking place in a dire, unnecessary situation. Her speculations are even further brought alive by Brennen’s voice, speaking of events taking place that cause Wishbone’s body to feel warm and cold all at the same time. A fever of dread and anger, perhaps. When Jesper’s name is mentioned, the mahogany turns her sunset gaze toward the dark stallion with a curious yet impressed expression.

Yet Kagerus steps in first with her brazen tongue. The Khaleesi barely smiles, despite the situation — her own tongue might surely find similar language upon it. A thought rises to Wishbone’s mind at her sister-in-law’s words. “Perhaps Hyaline could shelter the young or elderly of the rest of the Allies.” The mountains seem strong enough to protect the young, alongside what members Hyaline might have now. It would be risky, putting all of the incapable in one location, but it also had the potential to save lives. Wishbone’s gaze now turns to Brennen’s again. “Nerine will stand by Ischia’s side through anything.” Despite the tension that winds among them like a snarling cougar, there is peace within Wishbone.

She realizes, in that secretive moment between just her heart and her mind, that this is what she was born to do.

“The insane will always need a hole to crawl back into.” She’s heard stories from her mother’s time spent in Beqanna’s forests (of maniacal laughter and shadow-dwellers and bloodied smiles) and Wishbone knows there are too many filling the darkness and they must now bleed into a kingdom. “We should attack, but allow them their hole.”

wishbone