She can see the way the hoof prints begin to lead a path deeper into the forest. For a moment she lingers back, wondering what she should do. Should she follow the foot prints in search of the relic, or should she stay. There is a part of the warrior that knows her duty is to protect Denocte. Part of that Duty inevitably means ensuring the safety of those that she protects. In order to do just that, she needs to fight for the relic. She needs to be the one to ensure the safety of Kibou, of all the citizens of Night Court. Not only this, but to refuse to pine after the relic, she can be seen as nothing short of a coward, unwilling to take the risk. No Champion should ever appear weak. But then there is a part of her that knows it is dangerous, that she has something more to live for now. Kibou needs his mother to teach him. He needs to know how to be a medic so that he might follow in his father’s footsteps. Katniss could not do that if she were dead. And then she realizes why warriors are not meant to have children.
But in the end, she knows that Night Court will protect her son, even if she is no longer on this earth to do so herself. If her life is taken, she cannot help but grin at the thought that she might be reunited with Metaphor again, that she might one day feel her heart whole again.
And so, the silver black mare steps into the dense forest, intent to follow the crowd and the hoof prints. She can feel the way the vines tug at her feet and she is careful not to trip. Head hangs low as the canopy threatens to pull tufts of hair from her mane. But she continues, knowing that she must press on. She must continue forward for the safety of not only herself but of Night Court. She cannot let this relic fall into wrongful hands. She needs to ensure that it is not used irresponsibly.
By the time she comes to the clearing, she can see that she is not alone. There are many gathered, many faces from her own court. Camilia, Morrighan, August, Eik, Kassandra, amongst other faces that she has not met. She can see individuals from the other courts too but she knows that they cannot have the relic. There is no one she trusts more than herself.
So when the others step towards the relic, she too steps forward. She has to fight. She has to try.
Katniss is staying.
STAFF EDIT***
@Katnisshas rolled a 1! She has been awarded +1 EXP.
