i have died everyday waiting {lizzeh/open}

[~Snowy]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Catalyst

[/color]

- time has brought your heart to me

===

- There were no words to describe the pain, absolutely no words that she could even imagine or think of; the sting in her face and chest, the stab in her stomach that crawled all the way up her spine and into her crown, it was at best sheer agony. the very simple fact she could still stand in her pitiful state, let alone walk towards her destination, was a miracle in of itself... or it could just be because she absolutely refused to fall, no matter the pain she felt. still, her pistons gave a stumble every now and then, the heavy weight of her swollen barrel and the fierce contractions that slammed into her every few minutes braking her concentration and balance just enough to disorientate her. still, she pressed on forward, unwilling to stop, azure optics locked onto the distance, hoping against all hope that, when she did fall after her body was unable to continue carrying on, that it would at least be in the land she called her home. home... even now the concept was foreign, so different from what she was used to. only less than a year before, she would've considered no place her home, she would've given no one her trust, and would've felt no guilt or regret in leaving any place behind. but that was not the case now, no - it was far from the case...

if one were to look at the chestnut now, they would've given her a pitying glance. here was a femme who, at one point, had been a truly beautiful sight to behold; deep chestnut robes, border-lining on crimson red and so soft to the touch, light airy flaxen banners that shimmered in the sunlight, and shimmering blue orbs that gleamed like sapphires and burned with all the ferocity of a tiger. now though, abuse had taken its harsh toll. she had been coveted by another brute, and one morning while she had dropped her guard, she'd been stolen from her homeland when revenant was away. she'd tried to fight, oh she had tried, but she had been carrying her and revenant's child, and in the attempt to protect her that innocent soul, she had been overpowered by the more aggressive zunden rogue. for almost a year, she had been oppressed and beaten; injuries littered her lithe form, wicked burns from having fire thrown in her direction stretching over her face and running from her boa down to her heaving chest; punishment for her mouthing off and not submitting when she should've. like hell she would submit to that demon.

that wasn't the worst of it though; the moment he realized she was expecting after he stole her, it had been a life of constant harassment. she could barely rest, barely think, and was always fighting him off. the zunden - she never bothered to remember his title, it didn't interest her - had chased her, bit her, kicked at her, and body slammed her daily, not giving her barely a chance to eat or rest at times, trying his damnedest to make her stress out and miscarry her child so he could have her carry his spawn. she fought back to the best of her ability, but with her barrel slowly growing each day, it was truly hard going. most of the bite marks and injuries from the sharp talons of her captor had healed now, but she still had some that were given just for the heck of it; after a certain point, he seemed to realize stressing her out wouldn't work anymore, and instead just decided that he'd beat her up because he felt like it one day. she supposed she should've been thankful he didn't bother to use his fire unless she really pissed him off; at least she wasn't completely scarred with burns that way. so now here she was, thin and tired, wounded and battered, and to top that all off, in painful labor with her firstborn. just her luck.

the young hielo maiden stumbled again as a particularly painful and forceful contraction hit home, her ivories gritting and orbs shutting tight while her audits flew to her crown, breathing harshly as she attempted to regain her bearings. "i know, i know..." she whispered softly, lyrics rough and scratchy from the agony. "just wait a little longer, we're almost there." she pleaded before attempting to take another wary step towards felwood forest. if only she had been able to use her powers against the zunden, none of this would've happened. the snowflake marking on her satellite was of no use to her against him, because she had no control or mastery or training over her abilities, and the sweltering heat that the zunden had kept their surroundings in did no help. she never thought she'd see the day when she hated heat so much. thankfully, during their constant travels, the stag had come close to where felwood's forests stood on the island one morning; catalyst, even after having been away for almost a year, had managed to recognize a landmark, and with a soaring heart she sent her talons out at her captor's dial and made a run for it while he was distracted. she didn't think she'd ever run so fast in her life.

that had been less than a day ago, and while she had managed to lose the zunden, she was certain he was still chasing her. she just couldn't run anymore. and then about an hour ago, just moments after she realized she had a moment to herself, she had felt the contractions start. now a new sense of urgency filled her soul, forcing herself to keep walking in spite of whatever stress her body suffered, and at last, her gaze laid upon felwood's open fields. home. the sight gave a thrill to the sorrel damsel as a smile stretched out over her maw, putting a pep in her step despite the danger and pain she was in. once she crossed that border only meters in front of her, it all would no longer matter. it never crossed her mind that perhaps her sudden disappearance had caused revenant to seek another mate, or that revenant might not be in charge of the lands anymore; her only thought was just getting across the border. that was when another, painful flash ran up her spine, and a neigh of pain echoed from her vocals, a shrill song that sent a couple of birds fleeing as she stumbled harshly, barely able to pick herself up. she laughed in spite of herself then; it seemed even her baby was excited.

joy turned to horror as another neigh, one of fury and rage, sounded in response to hers; her dial threw itself into a twist to angle itself over her shoulder, wide azure orbs landing upon the black form of her zunden captor charging in her direction, smoke flaring from his nostrils and anger burning in his very figure. without a moment to waste, catalyst flung herself towards the border, doing her best to run from the danger approaching behind her. she couldn't fight, she could barely run, and she knew if he caught her this time, he would kill her foal the moment it touched the ground, or even kill her this time. she just barely managed to cross the border into felwood before a vicious contraction tore through her, and this time when she stumbled, she ended up on the hard, unforgiving ground with a scream. catching her breath, she tried to stumble back up without gathering her bearings first, but it was no use - the pain was too much and her body wasn't complying with her orders. the talons of the zunden could be heard slamming into the ground as he drew ever closer. "someone, anyone help me!" she screamed, and hoped beyond all dwindling hope someone heard.

ooc ;; cata's back! <3 i was wondering on whether or not she should've lost her foal or had it has a yearling, but then i decided that the best was probably having her still pregnant. :3

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[big daddy lizzeh.]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,392,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true]

[bg=#5E5A4E] His shattered heart had conquered over his strong mind, the shadow of the once proud stallion standing within the wind swept meadow, mane and tail blowing in every angle imaginable. Silent sobs wracked his body, bi-toned eyes closed tight, though no tears slid down the frost lord's face. They had been cried out already, but the pain remained, a constant reminder of the love lost. Revenant had tried to reconcile with himself, to just push the memory of the fiery mare from every fiber of his being, but she still haunted him. Opened his eyes against the snow that whirled around him, he managed to manipulate the flakes into an image of a horse, only to have that same painful jolt jar his already torn heart. His head dropped, ears pinning against his skull, hating what he had been reduced to. Something spurred the grey stallion into motion, hooves taking the depressed lord toward the forest where he had last seen his lady in red. A shaky breath escaped into the frigid air, a plume of steam emerging in front of his face, only to be whipped away by the blowing wind. Snorting out against the winter's weather, he forced the snowflakes and cold away from his body, a bubble being created around him before he hit the treeline. As soon as he was partially sheltered by the dense forest's branches, the shield dropped, and he sighed. He still pushed onward through his home, hooves dislodging partially frozen pine needles and twigs. A sound brought the lead's head up from where he had been moping, and ears bolted forward. Glancing to his right, a curious look crossed his face, and he picked up his pace, wondering where the sound had come from. It had been snapping twigs, and it surely hadn't come from his own movements. Stopping suddenly, the scream of an animal erupted into the air, too close for comfort. Then another sound: one of a stallion heading for whatever had let loose that frightened cry. This spurred the natural instinct to protect his home, and the Hielo barreled forward, hoping he wasn't too late. The scene he came upon caused him to pause for a moment, almost doing a double take. A mare lay on the partially frozen forest floor, malnourished and beaten, with a stallion baring down on her. A Zunden stallion. Even though he knew that Aithne was not the evil thing that most Zunden's were, he still had that natural hatred of the fiery creatures. Rearing up on his front hooves, he sent out a fierce battle cry, lunging forward as soon as his front hooves had hit the ground. He didn't pay much attention to the mare on the ground, his mind was more focused on the stallion who dared enter this forest. Ice formed around his body, brilliant shards, whirling and aiming for the hellion who dared intrude. The grey's body was placed between the charging stallion and the mare, ears pinned against his skull, the shards of ice dancing around his body, threatening to be launched. | revenant | two steps from hell, 1hr epic music track. | five hundred sixteen. | table [c] lizzeh 2012.

[~Snowy]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Catalyst

[/color]

- darling don't be afraid

===

- It had been said before that when one is so close to death, they see their life flash before their sight; all the memories and experiences they had accumulated over the years running by in a film that was suppose to bring peace to the good and torment to the evil. for catalyst, a soul who had done no wrong, right now it was bringing her nothing but torment as she was reminded of all the things she had experienced in her lifetime. the closer the zunden's talon-falls came, the more painful the memories. the death of her mother, frozen out in the wastelands amongst other freezing bodies who could do nothing but watch, the torment she endured as a filly amongst a herd that valued only colts, the moment she left her homeland and made for other places, the loneliness she had to endure in her endless search for a place to call home and the hopelessness that had settled over her hardening heart. then, there were the happier, but no less painful memories that came after that; her savior, her lover, and her king, revenant. even now his very title, so noble and proud, gave a skip to her heartbeat, relaxing her and upsetting her at the same time. every day in the hell she had lived, she had thought about him, forced herself to remember him in every detail she could even as that bastard took her farther and farther away from felwood. the way his muscles pulsed under his satin robes, the exact shade of gray each hair on his body was, the tone in his lyrics whenever he spoke to her and the feel of his body against hers, and every night she wished upon every star she could find that one day she'd be able to return to him, to return home.

the memories of her time with her king suddenly flooded her vision, her curtains flying open and a gasp escaping her mouth as another painful contraction slammed fully against her stomach. the first time she'd met him, amongst that snowy blizzard, how warm he'd been to her as he saved her from freezing, and how callous she'd been to him, her heart so hardened that she couldn't find it in her to be anything else even has he invited her to his homeland. she remembered staying in those woods she would one day call home, straying away from most company, just waiting for the gray lord to show his true colors as everyone else had, but he never changed, and slowly he broke the stone surrounding her heart and wedged himself in so deeply she knew she'd never be able to remove him. then there was the day in the meadow, when he had saved her from that stag, when she confessed her feelings towards him and was surprised that he reciprocated... and afterward where he proceeded to show her just how deep his feelings and lust ran for her in a night of passion and pleasure she'd never experienced anything like before. a broken sob escaped the sorrel maiden then, her mind and heart reaching for and grasping wildly at those memories, trying to hold onto that one source of comfort. her dial fell to the half frozen grass, reveling in the cool icy feeling against her burns as she lay there. hot tears flooded down her muzzle, ivories gritting as two more contractions, one after the other, hit hard as blood and fluid poured from her body, the feeling of pressure coming between her hips heralding the arrival of the child she had fought so hard to keep...

the stag was so close now, only a few more moments and he'd be upon them, and then her new child would be dead and most likely her with it. well... she suppose it wasn't too bad; she had gotten back to felwood... at least she could die having reached her home, even if it was only for a moment. at least she would die here, on felwood's land. her only regret was that she had not been able to see her lord again, and give him that answer that had been burning on her tongue since he asked the question all those months ago. that night after they had mated, he had asked her to become his queen, to be by his side through thick and thin and be his and his alone. in her shock and surprise, she had froze up, been unable to answer right then. now she wished more than ever she had answered, because of course her answer was yes, it would always be yes. "revenant... i love you... i'm sorry..." she whispered softly, closing her orbs as the zunden cried out so loudly in fury that it hurt to listen to, so close she could practically feel his fire.

and then, without warning, salvation came in the form of an enraged battle cry and a temperature dip that had her reeling and her burns aching. another set of footfalls echoed in her audits, and then there was another form placing itself between her fallen one and the black stag's, bringing the zunden to a sudden halt. catalyst raised her dial up so quickly it hurt, both physically and figuratively, and her breath left her in a rush as her gaze landed on the oh so familiar form of her king, standing strong and brave, with ice shards floating all around him, ready and willing to pierce the black beast without a second thought. the zunden snorted, smoke escaping his nostrils as he pawed at the ground aggressively, audits lowered for a moment before his dark eyes widened and recognition flashed before them. then he laughed, as if he'd just seen the funniest thing in the world, the deep, insane sound escaping into the wind. "well, well! lookie there! the king of felwood finally coming to the rescue? its about time i say, it was too easy to steal her you know? you should watch your whores better." in response, catalyst only let her dial fall back to the earth, unable to even muster up the anger she would usually feel in the face of such a comment, instead opting to use her energy to continue to try and hold her little one in. just a bit longer, until it's father removed the threat before them.

ooc ;; there we go! <3 you can do whatever you want to the zunden now. xD

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[big daddy lizzeh.]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,392,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true]

[bg=#5E5A4E] With ice still swirling around his body, the lord of ice let a snort escape into the air, the temperature around them dropping rapidly due to the stallion's presence. Ears were almost invisible as they lay against his skull, quivering in the anger that suddenly roared through his veins. This Zunden had dared entered his lands, and it bothered him to the core. No longer were these owners of the flame allowed to go unchecked upon Isola's land. The Heilo drew a single crystalline shard back, the colors of the rainbow flashing wildly within it's core, before an invisible force caused it to land near Catalyst's body. The sliver of ice exploded then, small flakes of snow springing up into the cold air, falling upon the fallen mare, much like a protective blanket. Such sour words from the Zunden bounced right off the shining knight, a smirk flashing across a muzzle that was pulled toward the quivering stallion. "I'm sorry if my whore gave you any trouble. But she's the least of your worries right now," the words weren't from the stallion's own mouth, but rather from the crystals floating around the stallion's body. The blackened stallion merely laughed at the grey's antics, flames erupting around his own body. "C'mon then, silly colt." A single fireball shot from the Zunden's own display of power, landing at Revenant's front hooves, obviously trying to provoke further action from the grey stallion. That smirk still had it's way laced across Revenant's muzzle, completely unphased by the fire that was so close to him. The heat hadn't bothered him as it would've a year ago, having gotten used to it by being so close to Aithne. Not a word was spoken from the knight, as he then launched himself forward, the shards of ice whirling around him as a shield. There was only a moment's hesitation from the Zunden, before he launched himself at Revenant, flames reaching forward to destroy the ice barrier. Ducks and dodges, Revenant and the Zunden were evenly matched, shards of ice and bouts of fire hitting the various trees. The two elements never went near the reddened mare, the protective snow shielding her from any attacks. It was only a matter of time before one of them slipped up. And slip up the grey stallion did. He left his side opened, and the other stallion took the advantage. A pillar of fire swept across the grey's side, searing the flesh. The stench of burning flesh filled the freezing air, and a cry of pain escaped the frost lord. An insane smirk crossed the black stag's muzzle, and he lunged toward the Hielo, teeth bared for the grey's neck. But his attack never met the other stallion. Revenant had moved too quickly, a solid slab of ice forming at his side, slicing through the air. It met the black stallion's chest, surging forward and piercing the skin. The Zunden grunted, feeling the stabbing ice, the solid mass not melting at his unnaturally high body temperature. Eyes widened, feeling the blood ooze from the wound, the ice finally melting away. A gurgling escaped the wounded fire wielder, before he stumbled forward and collapsed onto the frozen ground. The adrenaline filled frost stallion huffed, frost covering the burn to the stallion's side. A soft wuffle escaped the grey lord, and he turned as he remembered the fallen mare. Bi-colored eyes went to the red lady, and the shattered pieces of his heart suddenly stopped. What kind of trick was this? Nostrils flared, and his hooves carried him toward the mare who had broke his heart. "Catalyst..." | revenant | chalk outline, three days grace. | six hundred seventeen. | table [c] lizzeh 2012.

[~Snowy]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Catalyst

[/color]

- darling don't be afraid

===

- The moment that protective shower of ice fell over her, catalyst felt she could've just cried even though she had not the energy to do hardly anything else but lay still and try to remember how to breathe as the urge to push became too strong. she couldn't hold her child in anymore, and she felt if she tried, she wouldn't have the energy left to push it out later. she had no choice now, and so as the battle between fire and ice began, so did the battle of fatigue and life, the ruby woman desperately trying to fight off the darkness creeping up around her vision field as her child slipped further and further down her birth canal. all the while, she tried her hardest to keep her audits on the fight, unable to lift her crown again as she focused on her pushing and breathing. the euphoria of knowing revenant was there had given way to horror the moment the zunden had set his own defenses up and charged at her king, the sound of fire swooshing through the air and the whiz of sharpened ice shooting from everywhere all around her, but not once did any of it touch her; the moment a fire ball came too close or an ice attack went astray, the shield would block it and destroy it, keeping her and her still unborn foal completely safe and sound.

sweat had begun to build up on the chestnut femme's bodice as the final moments of her labor were suddenly upon her, a painful stretching sensation fluttering over her rear as she felt the head start to emerge. a scream echoed out from her maw as she was forced to raise the hind leg that wasn't pinned to the ground by her weight up a little, giving more room for the child to pass through. all the while, the battle continued to rage, until suddenly a scream sounded off, one that she didn't want to hear. in her concern and shock, she tried to force herself to her talons out of instinct, but the movement sent a powerful pain through her entire form and she once again fell to the earth with a hard 'thud', screaming out as she was forced to push again and again in rapid succession, hardly a second of rest in between. and then, with a swoosh of fluid, she pushed her newborn out at last, hearing the tiny body plop onto the ground and suddenly start thrashing about, two small spindly legs kicking against her sore rump as the foal tried to set itself right. a broken sob of joy escaped the femme as she finally found some rest, unable to even get up onto her stomach yet and greet her new baby from the fatigue she was feeling. and just as her new child straightened itself on its tiny tummy, the sound of something sharp going through flesh rang in the air, and then the thud of a body. catalyst didn't need to look to know who had won - the zunden had not been fighting with sharp objects, the heat in the air was gone, and honestly, she hadn't had any doubts in her mind.

and as the chaos finally ended, a soft tone echoed towards her, her name set in a song she thought she might never hear again at one point. "catalyst..." in her weariness, she still managed to turn her gaze towards her king, azure orbs landing on the grey stallion and a soft, painful smile crossed her maw. "revenant..." her own song was so weak, so tired, and so broken it didn't even sound like her anymore. where was the spitfire young mare with the chip on her shoulder? where was the feminist approach and the snark comments? where was the passion and the devotion she felt in everything she did? shakily, the chestnut woman tried to push herself up, raising her dial just enough to angle her frontal pistons in front of her and curling her hind legs up towards her stomach, somehow managing to do so without falling over again. now that she was up, the full extent of her injuries was revealed - burns, cuts, bruises, both months old and days fresh. some were showing signs of infection, others were raw from rubbing against dust and earth, but all looked as if they had either given pain, or were still giving pain to their owner.

but nothing could compare to the pain that echoed of days of sheer agony that rested in her sapphire hues, the shards of a broken heart that had been ripped away from the place it loved so much - from the stallion it loved so much - floating endlessly through the depths, slowly coming back together but hesitant all the same. now some of the thoughts that had left her before were now pushing to the forefront; she had been gone for almost a year, and the zunden had left hardly a trace when he had kidnapped her - what if revenant had thought she left... or what if he had taken another mate in her absence? she had never meant to break his heart, she had never wanted to leave, and she had sacrificed so much so that their child could keep living in spite of the one who wanted it dead and buried. now that stag was dead and to be eaten by carrion hunters, and her child... her and revenant's child... azure orbs turned towards the little foal that lay behind her, and another broken sob escaped from the worn out woman. the little one, a filly... she was so beautiful - a bright, rich chestnut color with dark chestnut banners that faded just at the ends. her white markings were so unique too... she just wished she could see her eyes, but the child's eyelids were closed, as if in sleep - her daughter's tiny chest rising up and down was the only thing that let her know she was alive. weakly, catalyst tried to summon her new daughter to her side, but her nicker came out barely audible, and the babe herself was too tired to respond except for the flick of a tiny ear.

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[big daddy lizzeh.]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,392,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true]

[bg=#5E5A4E] That voice. So full of pain, so full of emotion. A sadness washed over the grey stallion, as he turned his head away from her, the pain of her vocals causing his shattered heart to ache once again. How could he stand here and look at the mare he had loved - could he he still love her? - and not feel anything? Revenant resisted the urge to pin his ears against his skull, to turn and walk away from the red woman who had utterly devastated him. So instead of walking away, he turned to look at her once more, realizing she was standing. Bi-colored eyes looked over her once sleek body, now riddled with scars and scrapes, cuts and bruises. A new wave of agony washed over the Hielo, and he reached his muzzle forward, the coolness that was so accustom to the stallion washing over the mare, caressing her body, trying to heal the wounds that the fire user had created. He didn't say a word, just stood there, as he then realized that they weren't alone. Golden-green eyes looked to the small bundle near Catalyst, her own chestnut coat catching his off guard. Where were the walls that he had built up around his once whole heart? Where were the precautions that he had tried to place? Eyes couldn't leave the filly - their filly - and even as Catalyst tried, feebly, to get the child's attention, Revenant moved a few steps toward the newborn, curious. The temperature dropped as he moved, surely the filly could feel it, unless she was more Hielo than he could sense. Finally, he tore attention from his daughter, to the mare who had carried her, ears twitching. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't form. They only clogged up his mind, his throat, and it frustrated him that he was so tongue tied. Of course he would be, finally seeing the one he had been so willing to give his life for, after her disappearance so long ago. Blinking his multi-colored eyes, he looked back to the filly, breathing out gently. No words. He wasn't going to say a thing. He would allow Catalyst to talk when she wanted to, but for now, he was going to take everything in slowly. | revenant | undying love, two steps from hell. | three hundred eighty four. | table [c] lizzeh 2012.

[~Snowy]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Catalyst

[/color]

- colors and promises

===

- She wasn't sure what she was expecting of this reunion, one she had begun to believe would never happen, but she supposed it was going better than it could've. catalyst wasn't blind, nor was she stupid - after being gone for almost a year, without a trace or a goodbye even though she couldn't give one in her predicament, she knew better than to expect the same treatment she remembered: the kindness, the love, the gentleness. he probably assumed she had just walked away one day and never intended to return, which was just what that zunden had wanted all those months ago. everyday, as he harassed her in vain attempts to get her to miscarry, he told her over and over that she had no hope, that revenant would believe her gone and move on, so she should just as well, but she couldn't - wouldn't - believe it then, not when she had her child to think of. but now... now her baby was safe: she could dwell on those thoughts now, let them take over where once she wouldn't dare. and every time she looked at this stallion, her savior, the father of her new daughter, and the man who had stolen her heart in what seemed so long ago, all she could feel was that old love and affection, and the pain in knowing that the zunden might've just successfully tore it away from her forever. that was what was breaking her, believing that there was no chance left, no way to just go back to how they were, because that was impossible now.

she watched as he moved his dial away from her, and she too looked away in shame, a soft and utterly broken nicker escaping her vocals as she closed her orbs, ready to accept his leave. he probably had a queen already, another mare who hopefully loved him as much as she did - so much could happen in the course of a year after all - and he probably wanted to get back to her. she wouldn't call after him if he walked away now, not after seeing the devastation that was written all over his figure; she loved him too much to keep him in a position that caused him pain. to her surprise, he instead reached over and pressed his muzzle to her, a comforting wave of coolness overtaking her aching form, slowly closing the wounds and fading the scars and bruises. it didn't hurt, but the touch itself felt like fire to her battered skin, a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill out from behind her orbs. soon, all her injuries and scars were gone, disappeared under the healing power of the ice king, never to return, and his touch left her.

now healed, but still tired and drained, the ruby woman turned her dial back towards her equally weary daughter, whom revenant had just noticed by now. in spite of the atmosphere that surrounded them, she couldn't help but smile as the father's gaze remained locked on the little filly, who seemed to be heading to sleep already without even attempting to try and walk yet. catalyst juggled with the thought of waking her up and bringing her to her side, but soon decided against it. the filly had had a hard birth, and even harder gestation... as long as she was breathing, catalyst was content to let her sleep off all of that horror for as long as she wanted. "nieve mireya..." she nickered, her tones as soft a whisper. "it's... her name. nieve mireya..." she explained, each word sounding more uncertain than the last, but not because she wasn't sure of the title - oh no, she had chosen that title long ago... if she ever escaped from that bastard and gave birth to a filly, that would be her name. a testament to the horror they had suffered, and yet still survived.

as revenant tore his gaze away from their sleeping daughter, catalyst lowered her dial to the ground, resting it upon the earth she had given birth on. her rear end was still filthy and sticky, but she couldn't be bothered to care. orbs turned back to the gray king, and her gaze suddenly widened as she then caught sight of the wound upon his side, a flash of sheer agony flowing over her azure gaze. "your side... you're burned... he... burned you..." she remembered hearing the hielo scream out during the battle, while she was delivering their daughter, but... oh god why? she couldn't heal him like he had her, and once more she cursed her inability to control her powers and her own weakness in body. why couldn't anything go right in life for once? the silence stretched on, uncomfortable yet strong, and for a while it seemed neither wanted to break it. but finally, catalyst sighed brokenly, gaze directed at the ground as she spoke in the most even tone she could muster... which wasn't saying much. her king deserved an explanation, even if he didn't care for her anymore. "...i didn't leave... that zunden, he came into felwood and... i tried to run but... he was too fast, and i... i couldn't fight him. he stole me away, and then... he harassed me... day after day after day!" her voice took a higher pitch now, tears flowing down as she gritted her ivories, reliving the hell she had gone through for so long. "he wanted me to miscarry, he wanted our daughter dead! i couldn't control my powers, i couldn't fight back, and if i tried anything, he burned me, kicked me, hit me! no one would help me... no one! i could barely eat, he wouldn't let me drink most days, he kept it so hot around us...! it was hell!" she screamed out, audits lowering down her crown as she wallowed in the dust, tears still streaming down face to hit the earth silently. how pathetic must she look, in front of his stallion who no longer loved her...

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[big daddy lizzeh.]

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[bg=#5E5A4E] A dead silence radiated from the frost king, his ears hoisted forward, eyes darting between Catalyst and his daughter. Nieve Mireya. His daughter had a name, and he hadn't even known. He hadn't believed that the two had actually made it. Yet, here they were, standing, well lying, before him. Were they really here? Or was this all a dream, a figment of his imagination? Or were these the ghosts, here to torment him for not loving them as much as he should have? Breathing out, he lowered his gaze away from the two, looking at the frozen ground beneath his hooves. He was ashamed. Ashamed of letting his love fade away, of letting his grief overwhelm him so much that he had become numb. The only one who had managed to penetrate the walls he had built up was Aithne. Aithne... the dear Zunden who had gone through hell and back. How was she going to take Catalyst being back? Especially with the frost lord's daughter? The words that Catalyst spoke afterwards, explaining everything that had happened, the torment her kidnapper had put her through, wasn't ignored. It hurt, each thing that the mare had said, ripping at the pieces left in the little box where his heart had been. Looking back up once Catalyst had finished speaking, tears that hadn't graced his eyes in many days finally appeared, trickling down from his bi-colored eyes. "Catalyst.. if I had known you had been taken, and not had left me, I would have gone searching for you. I thought that I scared you away, that you didn't want the responsibility that came with becoming my Queen." Finally, he spoke. His tone was shaky, not as strong as he had hoped it had been. Shaking his head violently, he breathed out again. Stop being weak, he hissed within his mind, and he straightened out, a few small snowflakes falling around him. "My dear... you don't think I have fallen for someone else, have you? You don't think that I've forgotten about us?" | revenant | intervention, plentakill. | three hundred fifty three. | table [c] lizzeh 2012.

[~Snowy]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Catalyst

[/color]

- colors and promises

===

- The tears that streamed down the chestnut maiden's face were slowly coming to a stop, but not from the effort of calming down - she had no more tears to cry, no more tears to give to her grief and sorrow, because she had cried them all out. she had never cried like this, not since the death of her mother and the day she left her birth herd, but then again she never had a reason like that to cry like this again. her bodice was trying to save whatever water it could, her every part suffering from some minor effects of dehydration thanks to the zunden's handy work. sure, he had let her drink whenever she couldn't go on another day without water, having her die of dehydration would've defeated his purpose after all, but beyond that she was not allowed a sip of water, and whatever she ate she had to snatch or wait until he wasn't looking. if he caught her, he would punish her, but she didn't care honestly at those points - she'd been eating and drinking for two, and in those moments no amount of pain could've deterred her. she'd done well too - her daughter was healthy, if not a bit thin and exhausted to the point of falling asleep so soon after birth, and most all, alive. that was all that mattered; her mother's body had been battered, bruised, and bent in ways it that should've broken it at times, and yet she gave all she had for her little nieve mireya... just so her father could see her.

her eyes still closed, she didn't see the tears that began to flow down her lover's own face at first after she explained her disappearance, but as he spoke up in such a broken voice, she couldn't help but raise her dial up slightly to look at him, gasping softly as she caught sight of the rivets of salty water, a sight that tore at her own burdened heart in a way that left her experiencing that agony once again. she had never seen revenant cry up until this point, and after this sight, she didn't want to again; she'd rather go through what that zunden had put her through hundreds of times over than see that broken expression on his face. the very sight of revenant's tears had almost deafened her to his lyrics, her desire to get up and nuzzle those tears away so strong, but her body still yet unable to comply to any wish except to listen. "catalyst... if i had known you had been taken, and not had left me, i would have gone searching for you. i thought that i scared you away, that you didn't want the responsibility that came with becoming my queen." she laughed softly here, a humorless, callous laugh that didn't sound like it belonged to her, and she turned to look at the still form of the black stag that had been her tormentor for so long. now that he wasn't a threat, he seemed so much smaller on the ground, and so much weaker too. "i know you would've, revenant... i know you would've searched for me, and so did he. he covered his tracks, he soaked his pelt in water as to disguised his scent with steam, and he waited until he knew you weren't around. he wanted you to think i left by myself..." she explained, tearing her gaze away from the body to stare back up at her broken king. she supposed she should've been smiling, but she couldn't, not right now, not in the face of that grief on revenant's features. "you didn't scare me away when you asked that, you didn't scare me at all. i was shocked, but... never scared. i was going to say yes, i would've loved to have been your queen, to have been your mate... i just needed a day to digest it; nothing like that, nothing that wonderful, had ever happened to me. i wanted... i wanted to make sure it wasn't a dream..." her tone dropped to a whisper now, soft and tender, as she spoke the last reasoning for her not answering that night, for her hesitance then that had no doubt helped to spark these broken hearts each carried.

she watched as he shook his dial suddenly, then straightened out his stance. all around the area, a few snowflakes floated down around them, and at last a small smile graced catalyst's face, her own snowflake mark glowing behind her audit as she watched the crystals dance around her, reflecting in her blue orbs and shimmering in the light. even when she had hated the cold, she still had harbored a secret love for snowflakes - their uniqueness and fragile appearance always a wonder to her even in her foal days. and when they floated around revenant like that... it just made him seem all the more surreal... "my dear... you don't think i have fallen for someone else, have you? you don't think that i've forgotten about us?" that was a harder question than he realized, for that's what she thought now, in her vulnerable state, both physically and emotionally. she could easily lie, say she never thought that for one moment... but she'd never lied to him before, and she wasn't going to start now. "he kept reminding me... reminding me that he made it seem i had left alone. he told me you would move on, find another to love, and that i would never be taken back or be able to go back. i didn't believe him, didn't want to believe him... but it was enough to plant doubt in my mind." he confessed, her dial lowering in shame as she spoke. "i never doubted that you forgot about me... about us... but i thought about what your eyes would've seen that day, when i was taken, and that broke me... because i know... it would've broke your heart..." she nickered, her gaze raising up to his with an air of shame at her own thoughts and doubts. her features then suddenly scrunched up, and with the determination she was known for, she managed to force herself upon her weary pistons, looking more like a foal trying to stand up than her own child would probably look when she woke up, but finally managed to stabilize herself and turn her blue hues towards her broken king. carefully, she walked the short distance between them, hesitant but determined, just encase he did decide to push her away suddenly, gently extending her boa as if to embrace him but uncertain if he would accept her again. "revenant..." there was so much behind that one word there, so many questions and fears, reflecting in her eyes as she nuzzled at his face where the tears had wet his pelt. 'do you still love me? do i still have your heart as you have mine? do you still want me? am i forgiven...?'

ooc: whew! i'm literally crying right now. x'D so much emotion here for me.

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[big daddy lizzeh.]

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[bg=#5E5A4E] As she spoke, his mind began to slowly turn. The Zunden had been very smart to cover any trace of his existence near Catalyst. How he knew when Revenant had been gone, though, was something entirely different. How had the fire bearer known when the frost lord had been outside of his own lands? Blinking his bi-colored eyes, he let his breath out in a deep sigh, the steam rising before his face, crystallizing before disappearing. Eyes went to her in a heartbeat as she spoke of when he had asked her. Narrowing his eyes, he shook his head at her words. "Would have been? You act like there isn't a chance in the world now, that I've taken someone else." He didn't know where the anger had sparked from, but small shards of ice formed around his head, spinning slowly. He felt the need to turn and walk away from her, but something caused him to remain rooted to the spot, the ice crystals that had suddenly materialized disappearing. Flaring his nostrils, he fell into his uncomfortable silence once again, listening as she spoke about the Zunden once more. The anger still bubbled underneath the surface, but he remained quite emotionless on the outside, watching her with mild interest. Words swirled around in his head, thoughts that he had half the mind to say to her, but didn't quite have the heart. Then there was the anger, the fury that had suddenly overwhelmed his recently normal depression. As Catalyst moved forward, the grey king's body tensed, not quite sure what the red woman was doing. As her muzzle reached his, the stallion's body deflated, the anger melting away, replaced with the same sadness that had plagued him moments before. His name reached his ears, and they twisted forward, trying to catch anymore words said by the mare who had stolen his heart so long ago. Breathing out, he reached his muzzle out, nudging her cheek gently. She could be forgiven, it wasn't her fault that the Zunden had taken her, was it? But Revenant didn't know if he could love her again, not after the pain that he had endured at her disappearance. "What is your plan now that our daughter has been born?" | revenant | 3hr epic music mega mix, theprimecronus. | three hundred eighty four. | table [c] lizzeh 2012.

[~Snowy]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Catalyst

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- let the water flow right through this broken soul

===

- Indeed, what the zunden had done was incredibly smart, but also something he had practiced time and time again. he had stolen women like this before, honing his craft until he made sure no one would know he was there, and there would be no one to follow him and steal back the prizes he had snatched. princesses, broodmares, queens, etc. all had been stolen at one point or another; all against their will too. some escaped, but others, like catalyst, were either too weak, or pregnant when he came bursting into their lands. catalyst was the only one to escape him, the only one to fight back in the way she had, and the only one who, despite her current state, had not broken under his harassment. but at the very sight of her king, and the state he was in, she had shattered in less than a second; her weak state from starvation and weariness from a tiring birth did nothing to help. her strength was gone, her fire weaned in the presence of the grey ghost before her, a shell of the stallion she had fallen for all those months ago... was it really only months before all this that he had looked at her with all the affection and love in the world? was it only months ago that she had been healthy, happy, and so in love she felt it was a bittersweet dream that she would awake from? it seemed like a lifetime ago now, it did. another time, another place, and another couple compared to these broken hearts that stood before each other.

revenant's nostrils suddenly flared, and ice formed around his dial, a deadly crown to match the anger that had sparked in his orbs. "would have been? you act like there isn't a chance in the world now, that i've taken someone else." there was an urge to flinch, a warning bell screaming in catalyst's mind that she was about to get hurt, that there was danger here, but she squashed it down, refused to obey it. there was no stag here that she couldn't trust; this was just revenant. revenant had never hurt her, never once, and she knew in her heart he wouldn't do it now. "i didn't mean it like that..." her vocals was slightly stronger in that instance, apologetic; she had not meant it like that, she had meant no insinuation at all. she had been thinking back to that question, telling him what her answer would have been... and what it still was. "it still is my answer... even now. it always will be." even if he couldn't trust her, even if he couldn't love her anymore, it would always be the answer she would give, because she still loved and trusted him without doubt. she knew he would've come if he'd only known, and she knew to some extent what she would see if she managed to get back. that zunden had done more than just take away a pregnant mare, had done more than just try and kill a single child - he had nearly killed all three of them, and almost succeeded.

he tensed when she stretched her boa out towards him, and a sharp knife stabbed her heart at the subtle movement. still though, she didn't hesitate in nuzzling him, and watched as all the anger and tension deflated out of the gray lord's body, that wretched sorrow coming back into his orbs as he returned her action, his muzzle brushing against the side of her face. her orbs closed in that moment, enjoying the touch, and feeling another tear slip from her face. "i'm so sorry, revenant." sorry for the pain, sorry for the sorrow, sorry for everything short of the kidnapping itself. the chestnut maid slowly took another step forward, her boa reaching out towards the horrific burn on his side, where the zunden had caught him in the fight. "i... i can't heal this... i want to so badly but... i don't know how..." she whispered, broken lyrics reaching around the air around them. her core temperature was lower than any other horse breed's, she could control and manipulate ice and snow however she wished... but she had no idea how... not even enough to heal the one who still held her heart and would always hold it. "i want to heal that pain in your eyes; i want to strip it away, i want to see you smile again... i don't know how right now but... i'll do whatever i can, whatever is needed... i'll die before i ever leave these lands again for whatever reason..." she promised firmly, pushing down some of her own pain as she spoke, her azure gaze returning to his; at last some of that fire sparked back in her orbs, a flick of a flame that lasted only a moment, but promised that she could and would heal from this tragedy... and she'd do whatever she needed to see to it that he healed as well.

audits twisted forward then, catching his lyrics as he spoke. "what is your plan now that our daughter has been born?" his question had only one answer to that. immediate, and without hesitation in the least. "there is no plan. all the time i was with that bastard, i just wanted to come back home. come back to all i loved, come back to you. that has not changed." home... it was the first time she had called felwood home out loud that she could remember. maybe she had called it home before she was taken, but those days were so far away now. well, she was saying it now; she had wanted to come back to felwood, no matter what awaited her there, and that was all that mattered. the mare's azure gaze turned towards the little chestnut babe for a moment, and a small smile crossed her muzzle; the filly had by now rolled onto her side and was kicking out her little hind legs in her sleep, fluffy little tail twitching every now and then and soft nickers escaping her tiny muzzle. what an endearing sight; and to think, that zunden wanted that little innocent soul dead. it was truly a miracle she was even here at all; looking at her mother - emaciated, bones showing from beneath the skin, chestnut robes dusty and unkempt, banners tangled and crusted with old blood, and just moments earlier covered dial to talon in injuries... it wasn't for a lack of trying on the zunden's part to end that little life before it even began...

ooc: i'm in love with little nieve. <333

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[L Y N X !]

The time that passed in her time in Felwood did little to quell her overwhelming depression and loneliness, but Revenant's company did help to return her sense of self-worth and decide against suicide. Even with their relationship a bit on better terms now, she still felt their were demons between her and the Hielo stallion that they were not yet ready to address. She wasn't in a hurry to discover what poisoned their friendship that was despite the obvious loss of each other's lovers, as she was almost afraid what it would entail. She was still obsessed with the thought of her Stranger, assessing in her mind why he left her again, when he had promised that he would never leave her! Then why did she feel to bitter and empty, and so helpless to the fates? She had worked so hard for salvation from her sins as a member of Aiden's herd, but she had nothing to show for it, nothing! She gave gave and gave, but what did she get in return? A piss-poor life with an entire race wishing her dead and a mate completely missing from her life. What happened to her old mind set, where the righteous would inherit the Earth and the evil would prevail? Oh, that was right- because it was total bullshit. There was no magic in the world, and nothing played by the rules that many believed life went by. You would be wasting your time if you thought that way.

Aithne's breath came out in slow jets of vapor in the freezing air as she stood underneath a tall pine, seeking a bit of shelter underneath it's outstretching limbs. She was numb to the cold, radiating her own heat that caused a constant rise of steam off of her body. Her condition had improved slightly from how it had been before; her hips had filled back in and her legs weren't as skeleton-like, but her ribs still stuck out against her gray pelt that glistened with constant idle grooming and from the steam that surrounded her body like a blanket. She wasn't able to quite regain the weight that she had on before because of the current season; the thick cords of muscle that she used to have would be an entirely different step after that. Out of all this time here, most of her time was occupied secluding herself to the woods of Felwood to try and find some inner peace to her turmoil. It's not like it mattered, anyway. She was wasting herself away without a purpose, though she tried to keep thoughts of suicide at bay. After attaching herself to Revenant's company once more, she didn't think it fair, for him at least, for her to abandon him again. He was already abandoned by his mate as she was, and for now, they needed whatever solace they could provide each other, but it was hard, when she didn't know the answers to the problems plaguing her.

The Zuden's ears swiveled at the sound of commotion that reached them, and her golden eyes narrowed as she tried to look for the source of what disturbed the silence that she was enjoying. Slapping her tail on her haunches, the sounds of distress and agony seemed to echo, causing her ears to flatten as she began to head towards the direction where she thought the sounds were coming from, unsure on what she would find. The deep snow made it slightly difficult to traverse, but the heat radiating off of her body made the snow soften so she was able to glide through without much other problems. She traveled through the cover of the trees, wrapping around the meadow so she would have the advantage of cover if she faced confrontation. When she at last arrived upon the scene, she witnessed the final strike of Revenant on the Zuden stallion, and her eyes found the mare that was shrieking a moment before on the ground, immediately connecting who that was. Catalyst had returned.

A strange sense of bitterness swelled in her gut as she looked at the chestnut mare, and the child that she bore on the snow. So that was it? She just showed up, and all was forgiven? That was convenient, she also brought a gift, she thought with scorn, her eyes looking upon the fresh foal on the snow, a mixture of emotions bubbling up inside her. What would it be like for her to have a child with Stranger? Would she feel sympathy for this mother's plight, or would she still contain the jealousy that raged inside her, that she didn't even know she would have harbored? More steam rolled off of her body as she watched the 'couple' interact, assessing the situation that she came upon. She hadn't realized that she had developed feelings for Revenant, but it was obvious to her now, in the form that she felt nothing but rage towards the mare, despite the horrific conditions she might of had to endure under the imprisonment of a Zuden stallion. Was this the bitter being she had become? Well, the world hasn't been kind to her- so it was about time she started showing the same in return.

Moving from her cover, the mare stepped towards the three gathered horses, though she didn't directly address them. Her eyes ran over them with indifference, hiding her reservations towards the other mare, before she stepped towards the fallen Zuden, who's chest accompanied a gaping hole from the massive chuck of ice flung at him. The horse was not someone she recognized- they must have bred and produced more filth to taint the island. She snorted in disgust and moved from the corpse, turning her attention to the pair, and their child that was kicking about in it's sleep. She eyed it for a moment, previous thoughts of a child of her own returning, before coming a few feet off to Revenant's side, observing their exchange of gestures with a blank face of indifference, but inside, anger was seething against her skin. "What happened here?"

music: unholy, dirty, and beautiful - david usher

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[big daddy lizzeh.]

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[bg=#5E5A4E] Confusion still gnawed at him, the bitterness that Catalyst's departure from Felwood had stirred swirled around in the spaces of his shattered heart. He probably wouldn't ever be the same, the fragments of his heartache never truly mending. It wasn't just Catalyst disappearing then reappearing doing this to him, there was something else there, keeping pressure on the switch that was his emotions. He wanted to forgive the red woman for everything that had happened, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. But it wasn't really her fault, was it? Did she willingly leave with the ebony stallion, or did he have to drag her, kicking and screaming? Ears twitched uncomfortably at that thought, not wanting to have that mental image within his mind. The tone of Catalyst's voice caught his attention, again the feelings of the frost lord changing at a dramatic speed. It wasn't something Revenant was going to get used to, all these emotions speeding out of control. He needed to regain control, to become the stallion he once was, so sure of himself, so in control. Not this upset mess of a being he had become. Clearing his throat, he shook his head at her apology, and knew she was right. She didn't have the powers he did. Don't beat yourself up over it. You'll learn someday. Until then, let me heal my own wounds. Besides, I'd rather let these heal naturally. Just a testament of what I'd go through to save ones I love." With that statement, he began to feel better. Not just about Catalyst being here, but with himself. He was finally able to say something that didn't cause the overwhelming rage and sadness to breach his fragile mind. And the statement was more about his emotional wounds than his physical one. Shaking his coat out, small crystals of ice fell from his wound, the blood already clotted and forming a scab over it. Bi-colored eyes looked to Catalyst, and a small smile crossed his muzzle. Happiness, something he hadn't felt in a while, finally spread within his cool veins, the wonderful feeling causing small snowflakes to fall around the pair. He reached out, nudging the mare's neck gently with his nose, before looking toward their daughter once more. "You are always welcome here, my dear. This is your home, as well as Nieve's." He was going to continue when the temperature around them suddenly heated up, and he had to glance to his side to realize what it was. As Aithne's vocals hit his ears, he flared his nostrils, curious as to when she had arrived. "Well... a Zunden crossed into Felwood lands, chasing after Catalyst. You remember her, don't you, Aithne?" His voice had changed it's tone, a bit shaky due to the presence of the Zunden mare. The two had comforted each other with the loss of their loved ones, and it wasn't a lie to say that Revenant had gotten attached to her. But now, as she stood next to him, in front of Catalyst, Revenant felt a little flustered. And if he wasn't mistaken, something was up with the mare at his side. Bi-colored eyes went to Catalyst, even though his head was turned toward Aithne, "Catalyst, this is Aithne. A very good friend of mine, one of the first horses I met when I came to Isola." He didn't know if they knew each other or not, but it wouldn't hurt for them to know about one another now, would it? An uncomfortable feeling set over the frost lord, and he turned his attention toward his daughter, wishing the little filly would get up to distract him. | revenant | firin' my lazer, vexare. | six hundred thirty six. | table [c] lizzeh 2012.

[~Snowy]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Catalyst

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- all i am surrender...

===

- Was it even a question how catalyst had been taken? when had she ever gone willingly with a stallion who wasn't revenant? she had been burnt and kicked and snapped at, screaming and fighting with all her might in those horrible moments with the zunden, but he had still managed to tear her away before help ever heard her pleas, and when she was too far away from felwood to get back safely, her attention had turned to keeping herself and her still developing foal alive long enough to return, enduring mental abuse, physical abuse, and more until she finally found the chance she'd been looking for... and not a moment too soon as her filly had been born the moment she stepped into felwood. for that she was glad - her little nieve mireya would live, grow up to become a beautiful and strong spirited woman like catalyst, yet she would not be the callous female her mother had turned out to be, because even if things never went back to the way they were, nieve would never be put in any of the positions that catalyst had been placed in. but now that the danger to their filly was gone and never coming back, catalyst had to try and mend the relationship she had unintentionally helped shatter, one she had never wanted to break in the first place.

she hated that look in his eyes, hated the bitterness in his voice, the sorrow she could feel seeping out from him. she would give anything to see it just wither and die, absolutely anything. it didn't strike her as ironic that she was feeling this way when only two years earlier she had sworn she'd never be reduced to this, to a woman sniveling for love she would never have, and yet... she found herself in a position not much different from that one right now. except she wasn't sniveling for that love, she was mourning it, and wondering if she'd ever get it back even now. the audit with the snowflake emblazoned on the back flicked towards the ghostly grey lord as he cleared his throat, her sapphire gaze turning to him immediately as she awaited whatever he had to say. "don't beat yourself up over it. you'll learn someday. until then, let me heal my own wounds. besides, i'd rather let these heal naturally. just a testament of what i'd go through to save ones i love." catalyst felt her heart slam to a stop at that, a painful hope flooding through her veins so strongly she thought she'd pass out. she managed to regain some control of herself though, of her emotions that were just as rampart as the hielo king's; as hopeful as she was, she wouldn't allow herself to misread anything - she wanted this chance so badly, this chance to heal their relationship; she didn't want to do anything that would mess it up.

and then, he smiled, and she forgot how to breathe for the shortest of seconds, her azure optics widening slightly as she saw something spark behind his eyes, something that wasn't sorrow or anger. he was... happy. that was happiness there. as the snowflakes began to fall around them, catalyst sighed softly, her azure orbs closing as she relished in them, the little crystals she hadn't seen in a year. how funny - she had taken these tiny crystals for granted at one point, yet never again. when - if she ever did learn to control her powers, she'd make sure snowflakes were always around her. revenant's touch against her nape sent a pleasant burn to her skin then, a pleasurable contrast to the cold air around them, and his lyrics filled the quiet space. "you are always welcome here, my dear. this is your home, as well as nieve's." she almost cried again there, sweet tears of joy threatening to spill from her closed eyelids, water she honestly couldn't afford to lose yet was being pushed up anyway. home... she was home...

revenant seemed like he wanted to say something else... but suddenly the temperature rose sharply, and catalyst's eyes snapped open, a flash of fear burned into her gaze as she recognized the presence of a zunden. call it whatever you would, but she would have a fear of that signature temperature spike for a while; too many bad memories, and too many bad burns. she relaxed slightly however, when she saw that the owner of the spike was another woman, ashen gray in color and horrifically skinny. a soft gasp escaped catalyst as she watched mare walk towards the fallen corpse of her tormentor, studying over the features of him for a moment before turning to stand beside revenant. the indifference on the mare's face unnerved catalyst for some reason, more so than her obvious breed; it felt like this woman could become more dangerous than any stallion she'd ever encountered at any moment. "what happened here?" that voice... it made catalyst even more uncomfortable than before, and she stepped a little closer towards her still sleeping filly as revenant began to explain. "qell... a zunden crossed into felwood lands, chasing after catalyst. you remember her, don't you, aithne?... catalyst, this is aithne. a very good friend of mine, one of the first horses i met when i came to isola." aithne... yes, she remembered that name from somewhere... she remembered hearing it from revenant a couple times in passing. relaxing a bit, she gave a friendly smile towards her fellow mare; she still felt uncomfortable, but if revenant trusted her, couldn't she? "hello aithne." she nickered.

ooc: crap's about to hit the fan. o.o

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[L Y N X !]

Aithne felt it discomforting to be standing next to two, three Hielos, their chilly presence putting her already sour mood a bit worse. She was used to being in the presence of Revenant and she found the effects his breed had on her tolerable, but the sudden addition of two more made her shift her hooves with agitation. She could sense their distress in her presence as well, which made her feel a bit smug with herself at the observation. She felt like a spring coiled up, tension bunching her muscles, but she managed to remain still, her nostrils flaring as she observed the mare in front of her. Though Revenant spoke to her, she only turned her head slightly in his direction to acknowledge that he spoke, her eyes remaining on Catalyst. "Yes, I remember her, faintly. You mentioned her time to time," she replied, her voice still the same neutral tone that she had spoken with before. She didn't miss the flash of fear that crossed Catalyst's expression when she first approached, and it sent satisfaction through her that she had some form of leverage over the other mare. She was unsure of her own intentions towards her, but for now, she would reserve any form of friendship towards her.

"Hello," she replied to the other mare, her golden eyes studying her carefully. She could say that she was surprised at her own reaction towards Catalyst, not really realizing her possessiveness of Revenant until now. She didn't want him to get hurt by his mate again. Her mate had left her twice, who was to say that Catalyst would do the same? Even if it wasn't her fault that she got captured, she still felt no sympathy for her. She knew nothing about suffering, no matter how much she thought she did.

[fail post sorry. :c]