04-08-2021, 09:50 AM
From one minute to the next Borderline’s condition only seemed to decline. Yanhua held her up, racking his brain for a solution or way to find help in the middle of a pitch-black jungle, miles from their home and without the ability to use his echoes. The weight of the humidity here was almost as stifling as his failure. Even in the dark, with all his shine and confidence, he was useless and Borderline was dying in his care.
Just like when he and Amarine had descended from the mountain. He’d led her there with good intentions and a dream shared, and then lost their children during a moment of unthinkable disaster caused by the Eclipse. He’d been useless then and he was useless now, an alliance deserter, a failed father, and now a failed protector.
Borderline wilted and Yanhua moved to help her, forgetting his despair in favor of her comfort. Wit watched as Yan curled himself over the dappled gray mare protectively, and his father wondered what kind of memory this would be as a first one. Were they leaving ghosts behind right now, he and his son? Someday in the future, would they walk this way together and remember what happened, see what had happened as a flash of painful color, or only nothing?
“Wit.” Yanhua nickered toward the colt, using the name his mother had chosen. He couldn’t help the small thing with the pain of eating; Yanhua couldn’t leave without him either, to try and find a solution. They could wait here together and listen for Borderline’s breathing, comfort each other while Yanhua thought silently about miracles. That was their best hope at this point. Wit seemed to understand that as well after a moment or two, and eventually Yanhua could feel the warmth of the tiny new body pushing up against his own. Gently, the elder stallion lifted his wing and draped it over the colt, and then he pulled Wit as close as he could manage.
Now that they were together, Yanhua listened.
The jungle was deadly quiet. He was sure that just beyond the pale ring of light from his body, figures danced and curled with alien-like movement, drawn in and yet repelled at the same time. For them, he had a snarling frown. “Fuck off.” he thought, glaring out at the darkness with eyes gone cold. They would not have her, so help him by the four winds. He’d seem them all die before he let a single one of them lay a shadowy claw on his family.
The hours ticked on.
Just above the quiet, Yan consoled his misery by listening for the faint whistle of Borderline’s shallow breaths. She was sleeping, but he doubted she would be out of the woods anytime soon. That didn’t matter to him. He was fine to sit here, watching over her and the now-sleeping Wit, and think of help. Perhaps a mind-reader might be nearby, or another psychic-type horse capable of sensing him. He let that become a little prayer of sorts: Please help. Please find us. Please let this night end, until it turned from desperation into a vow. Help will come. Someone will find us. This night will end.
The hours ticked on, and Yanhua refused to sleep.
YANHUA
@[Borderline]