Faith is the bird that feels the light
when the dawn is still dark.
She knows, like the others that they will find each other in the clearing and so, it is there that she flies arriving shortly after Scorch does. Her other sisters have also lost their tattoos and Scorch's appearance nearly takes Malka by surprise. She was one of few who was still around from before Scorch was tattooed and she lands quietly next to her friend, letting her body shift back to it's equine form just as Scorch begins to speak.
It made a little more sense now as Scorch speaks of her encounter with the Amazons and Malka's ears are pricked attentively towards the now truly hairless friend. Even now as Malka thinks about it, she wonders what the change could've meant for her if only it had happened some twenty plus years ago. The same magic that had prevented her father from holding the throne after his quest was now gone. It would mean much change in the monarchy - deserving horses, no matter their differing attributes could now rule any place they wanted. Malka, for one, was excited for what this meant for the kingdoms.
Like Rhy, besides the loss of her tattoos, the painted mare had not changed much. Her shifting had been the generosity of quest of knowledge and her other traits had been given to her by her father as Rodrik stamped the life out of him. She had earned them and no one could take those from her.
"It should have a name," she randomly says aloud, not yet realizing that she had spoken. When she does finally notice she'd spoken out instead of keeping the thoughts to herself she expands on the small thought. "The cub, we should name it," she corrects, hoping her sisters think the same as she. It seemed odd to just call it "the cub" and not give it a more formal name, one worthy of it's position and honor.
As Scorch continues to speak of ranks and new traits Malka shakes her head. She knows that as far as the ranks currently stood, she was the 2nd highest ranking member in each caste. "Please bestow such trust upon sisters more deserving and needing of them," she said. She could shift into a bird which, in a sense was similar to having wings and invisibility. She had often sat unnoticed high up in trees as those below her chatted confidently. With the exception of her sisterhood, many would not recognize Malka unless they knew to look for her. Camouflage was much more convenient than invisibility. She also knew that she was not active enough to deserve either gift, whether her caste leaders wanted to give them to her or not.
She falls quiet then, waiting to see the further responses from her sisters and to see if others would join them as well. Malka knew that there were more than just the four mares living among the Jungle and all of them must be curious to the change that was happening. Scorch steps forward and gentle touches both Lagertha and Rhy and the quetzal mare waits until her friend steps back by her side before dropping her head gently over the Khaleesi's neck in a comforting hug.
"Everything will be alright," she says in an almost whisper. They had one another for support and their kingdom was still whole - a promising start to their new lives.
Malka
immortal, quetzal-shifting Lekh, Kosi & Erinak of the 'Zons