ARAXES
tender heart
The rain had left Araxes soaked through, her fur bunching up and slicked in some places, while standing on end in other spots. Even the wings were soaked and bedraggled, giving her the look of a wet dog, and a wet bird, all at once. Blinking, rain slipped over her face, from her eyes, and she shuddered, mostly from the way that the lightning had struck. It had been so close that.. well. Part of her front leg was singed from it, the smell wafting up to her. It tingled, and she had a headache, but she was lucky that it hadn't struck her full on. Despite herself, the small mare lifted her front leg, propping it on her hoof instead, glad to get the weight off of it and feel less pins and needles while she leaned on the wall.
Only then did she realize she wasn't alone.
She shivered, and her head lifted, tilting toward the large hulking form and... "T-Torstein?" She swallowed, and attempted to give a smile, but the loud boom of thunder made her wince, even if she was protected. She was never a fan of storms; in her youth they were horrifying. Loud and devastating, her old lands that she had come from were wild, constantly changing due to storms. She wasn't used to them here, even after being part of Novus for a few years now. Something in the back of her mind was on permanent alert (and terrorized) when it came to roiling black clouds and the snarl of thunder.
"Y-yeah. I'm.. aha... I'm okay. I'll be okay." She lifted her leg a little, giving it a small wiggle as her wings pressed in to her head a little more, shivering along the bones, wet feathers shaking. "Just.. a little lightning." She would have to find herbs after the storm; they'd help with the pain, and she was more than willing to pluck them once it all blew over. "Um.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.. startle you?" He looked a little slack jawed, and her eyes darted over him, feeling a bloom of shame in her chest that came from barreling in to a cave.
That's when she noticed his chest, and the spines, and.. his heart? She blinked, once or twice, but looked back up to him, not the least bit perturbed.
Only then did she realize she wasn't alone.
She shivered, and her head lifted, tilting toward the large hulking form and... "T-Torstein?" She swallowed, and attempted to give a smile, but the loud boom of thunder made her wince, even if she was protected. She was never a fan of storms; in her youth they were horrifying. Loud and devastating, her old lands that she had come from were wild, constantly changing due to storms. She wasn't used to them here, even after being part of Novus for a few years now. Something in the back of her mind was on permanent alert (and terrorized) when it came to roiling black clouds and the snarl of thunder.
"Y-yeah. I'm.. aha... I'm okay. I'll be okay." She lifted her leg a little, giving it a small wiggle as her wings pressed in to her head a little more, shivering along the bones, wet feathers shaking. "Just.. a little lightning." She would have to find herbs after the storm; they'd help with the pain, and she was more than willing to pluck them once it all blew over. "Um.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.. startle you?" He looked a little slack jawed, and her eyes darted over him, feeling a bloom of shame in her chest that came from barreling in to a cave.
That's when she noticed his chest, and the spines, and.. his heart? She blinked, once or twice, but looked back up to him, not the least bit perturbed.
