i'm two quarters and a heart down

[Celina]

A nod accompanies Nashua’s repetition of Celina’s words. Elio is not to be trusted. He had made the choice to leave them and that can’t ever be forgiven. He will suffer for it. That’s what Dad says, sometimes, on days when he is most upset. Celina is certain that she is supposed to feel the same way. She certainly is able to act like she does. But does she truly feel that way? She pushes her doubt aside. Dad feels that way. She should too. “He’d probably be lying.” Celina tells her brother, forgetting that she might need to soften the words. “He’s like my mom is. He’s got the bad kind of different magic, the kind that makes you think you feel something when you really don’t. I bet you felt happy when you saw him? That’s his magic. He tricks you because he can’t be trusted.” “I think my eel’s gone stale,” Celina announces suddenly. It’s certainly gotten sandy, she determines with a careful prod. With the first eel and part of this one in her belly, she finds that her appetite is far more discerning than when ravenous. This is a dangerous state of mind. Full, content, most likely to lower her guard. Her father’s words echo though her mind as she leans one last time against Nashua, ruffling his blonde mane affectionately. A sea hawk readjusts his position in a tree overhead, and a twig falls down from the canopy high overhead. With no mind this time of night, Celina stiffens, her pale eyes narrowing suspiciously as she looks up into the darkness. “It’s getting a little late. Why don’t you go find your mom? We can meet up in the morning. I can show you the very best places. Ones so good I bet your mom wouldn’t even let you go there!” A handful of fireflies leave the crown that lazily circles her head, and nestle into the wispy hairs of her brother’s mane. They won’t stay there forever (once any distance from Celina her hold on them weakens and they are nothing more than ordinary bugs), but they’ll at least last him back to his dam for certain.  She glares into the darkness with distrust once more. celina i'm that bad type, make-your-mama-sad type make-your-girlfriend-mad type, might-seduce-your-dad type

@[Nashua]

[Nashua]

NASHUA

Nash is frowning as he leans into his older sister, oblivious to the war going on in her mind. About what Dad says and about what she thinks. Nashua is listening to her words and his mind can’t quite grapple that if Elio has Magic, it’s the Bad Different. Not the Good Different, like they are.

He goes back and forth to the day of leading Fire Wing to his and Yan’s Fort and standing here with Celina now - both feelings that they evoke are different. So was this Magic then? Was she using Magic on him now?

"I did,” he admits in a very small voice. He did feel that. He had felt very happy around Elio - he had tossed up his head and raced the dunalino through the Taiga, had shown him the Fort and a few other favorite spots. It’s a day in his memory that is rosy - there are no echoes of an emotion to stain it into a darker shade.

His confusion just makes him bury his head into Celina’s pale side a little more, trying to fight the bleariness of his tiring mind. He yawns and blinks up at her when they finally separate, "If you find me tomorrow, maybe I can catch you an eel.”

How such a thing happens, he isn't sure. But if there is anybody who can teach him, he’s certain that it’s her.

The darkness looks a little intimidating - the path he had taken to get here suddenly feels much longer on the way back - but as a few fireflies nest in his mane, he glances back to her. "Thanks, @[Celina].”

The young colt turns down the trail thinking that once he’s big enough, he will fly to the stars. And he decides that he’s going to bring back one for Celina. One for her to have, one that not even her fireflies can swallow.

and for every king that died
they would crown another

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