it'll burn but won't let go; everybody

[Mazikeen]

Breach had left, shifting into a hawk and Mazikeen had not been able to follow. She had tried, of course, but her friend moved too fast and grounded as she was, there was only so much that could be done. Worry ate at her, fueled by the parting words. She would do whatever her friend asked of her - but the request itself troubled her. She had come to think of Breach as a keystone, her friend’s presence was one of the constants in her life, and Mazikeen was not sure she’d do anything other than crumble in her absence.

The shockwave that ricochets through Hyaline gives her enough of a direction to move in, though Mazikeen isn’t ready for what she finds at the epicentre. And though she had suspected she would fall apart, there’s no way to prepare herself for the grief that cascades through her body and shakes her heart into pieces.

How long she stays there is impossible to guess.

Mazikeen takes one last, deep breath to steady herself, to put her heart back together, before she moves. Before she starts to do what Breach had asked of her when they last parted. Her return trip to the mountain is a vague thought in the back of her mind - pushed back by more and more important things. Which, ironically, she thinks must mean she’s ready. Now that there are things that need to be taken care of first, when before her shifting had been all she thought of. Back when she thought its absence had been the worst pain she could feel.

The pale mare is steadier now than she has felt in a while (though that is greatly due to the fact that she is just stubbornly not thinking about if she’s ready for this task).

She doesn’t call them all together but instead travels through the mountainous kingdom - seeking them out individually. Whoever she can find, whoever will agree to talk to her for a few short moments. It doesn’t take long to share the news, the changes. Her conversation with Sabal brings a smile to her face again - asking the squid to be her Champion had been an easy (and amusing) decision.

She tells everyone that while they’ll still focus on recruiting shifters, all children - all family members - are allowed to stay however long they wish, whether they can shift or not. Guilt eats away at her, that she is already changing one of the rules Breach had laid out, but she knows it’s wrong to ask foals to leave. Knows she would still be rotting in the darkness somewhere if it hadn’t been for their angelic non-shifter, and this small change is something she can do to repay that kindness.

She will spare those that call this place home whatever heartache she can.

MAZIKEEN

mazikeen

Instead of having an official meeting this is my "whoever wants knowledge of the leadership change can say Maze came up to talk to them" post. Replies are not necessary!

in case you don't feel like reading the actual post, things to note:
- Maze is captain now
- non-shifter babies and family members are allowed to stay as long as they want