[private] B l o o d f e a t h e r || Lepis, Aten ||

[Wolfbane]

ALL THE DOUBT YOU'RE STANDING IN BETWEEN

The sound of his mate’s wings are new and yet familiar. He’d never been able to notice that each creature with a pair of them made distinctive sounds. Now it seems like everything that flies is unique in a new way; some buzz and some flick, some move in a figure eight fashion and others are more triangular. Lepis had always been the quiet type when she flew, graceful and clean-cut. Now he can hear the way one wing moves separately from the other (was that from being broken and then mended?) and he can smell her - someone he’s spent years being close to - from a distance that surprises him even in this body.

He knows how fast she’s traveling, and can calculate the exact moment she arrives.

“Nothing can stop us now.” He comforts her, having been comforted himself by her touch. Something about the way she’s unafraid of his changes soothes him. Wolfbane feels that much more confident and in control because of her nearness. Odd. He was worried about nothing, then. “It’ll be over soon.” Her husband says, turning away to glance at the dark night in a subtle motion that seemed predatory. On high alert.

His senses were focused. The quivering of the earth underneath his hooves gave away Aten’s approach. Bane only had to shift a bit and slow to a stop. Turn his head and breath in the smell of everything to pinpoint exactly where Aten was hiding and watching them both. Wolfbane smirked. His eyes flashed. Let the other stallion watch them all he liked; without meaning to Bane’s sight had adjusted to the dark and now everything was as clear as it had been during the day.

When the other horse decided to finally leave the safety of his position and expose himself by blocking their path, Wolfbane’s gaze was steadily trained on him. The green-striped Loessian could smell the exhale as it left Aten’s mouth and he could discern the faint scent of emotion. Something like anxiety. To his continued surprise, Bane found that he liked that smell. Aten spoke and Wolfbane admired his strength in the face of the unknown, but it would be hard to hide anything from the pegasi who’d come tonight.

“Change is inevitable.” Bane spoke smoothly, “We came because of it, and it will follow us into these woods.”

Gently, two of his wings extended away from side to cover and cloak his beloved wife. “Understand that my mate and I aren’t doing this out of hate, please,” The short, bulky stallion explained. This would be one of the few niceties he’d offer to Aten in the ensuing conversation. “but because we are capable and proven in our ability to talk peace before taking action. Keep in mind that we didn’t need to come here first, only that we did.”

Here he pauses, inclining his head towards Lepis in solidarity. If he said anything else he might lose his temper, and that would be no good. No good at all after what he’d just said. So he smiles softly into the darkness and ends with, “I’ve never been the best of diplomats. Perhaps it’s best you explain, dove.”

WITH WOUNDS THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS SEEN

WOLFBANE

@[Lepis] @[Aten]