Smoke still lingers in the city. Despite the fires having been put out hours before, the smoke is thick and settles between the buildings. It burns her lungs. She is covered in ash and soot, a testament to her attempt at trying to save what she could from the burning food stores. Finnick lays exhausted on her back, his wings clinging to her charred fur. She can hear the wheeze in his voice and she knows that it will take healing to get his lungs ready for flight again. She hates that she has put Finnick in danger, but deep down, she knows the eagle would not have done anything differently. He was just as much of a fighter as she was. He knew his place and he knew that Denocte needed him. He was a hero in her eyes.
The exhausted pair meander through the city, their pace slow and without any sort of direction. Her body was screaming for her to return to the little home she shared with Metaphor, to take comfort in his company. And yet, her heart could not bear to take her away from the citizens which she was growing to love with all her being. She could not leave her fellow Night Court citizens in their time of need. How could she cuddle with her lover when others had lost so much? It didn’t seem right.
Snow was still falling and her eyes looked up at it fell. For a moment, she couldn’t figure out if it was snow that was falling, or ash. It was probably a mixture of both. The ash collected on her back, the snow melted away without thought. Her heart ached for Denocte. The food that was supposed to last them through the winter was mostly destroyed. Some of it was saved, but it would not be enough to feed them. Denocte would be at a disadvantage. Whoever was behind this attack knew that would be the case. The warrior in her told her that this was only the beginning, that a secondary attack might happen now that they were tired and weak.
Up ahead, she sees Isra surveying the damage as she had done. Despite the disaster, she could not help but smile. Her queen was home. She steps forward, careful not to jostle the weakened eagle who lay lifeless on her back. “Welcome home, Isra…” Her voice was soft in volume, but rough in tone. The effects of the smoke were ever present. “…it is a shame you had to come home to this.” Her voice is solemn. She hates knowing that her queen returned amongst devastation. Only home a very short time and now had to be ready for what would happen next - organizing the clean up and preparing for a secondary attack. That was not the sort of welcoming party one wanted.
@Isra
