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I have an Englima, princess. Strong wolves are in every pack, my dear. She only turned partway through his words to see his palette, and she was met with an unsafe grin that made her pause for a second, though she only tilted her head and smiled back, auds facing right forward, taking in everything he was willing to share. Kobato was no spy. She was no information gatherer. She had never been such and would never be. She was merely interested in the lives of others. But her attention was soon moved to the terra beneath her pads. She slowed so that she was no longer beside him, but rather had a tail length between her and him in front. The little dove felt a prickling on her flesh and looked up, only to see that Marx was looking straight at her. He broke the gaze and turned back to face forward, navigating a piece of land that might have stolen Kobato’s life if she had not been led by the gray beast. The girl stayed silent. For what else was she to ask? If he did not want to answer her questions, he did not have to. But this would leave her at a quiet standstill in a chess game. Soon, Marx tensed and Kobato watched in interest as he moved towards the sound, with her following close behind, more interested in his reaction than falling now. What would have him so on edge in his own territory? Was Abendrot so on edge that they did not even feel safe in their own home? Empathy cradled her body now. No creature should have to be so on edge if they are protected by a King, especially a strong one such as Kershov. When Marx stopped to stare at the source, Kobato peeked out from behind him. Instantly her heart sunk. The happiness drained from her face. A buck had trapped himself in the dangerous ground that Marx had safely led her from. The animal voiced his concern at the sight of two wolves near to his coffin and Kobato pressed her auds back, stepping back a step. She didn’t want to stay here and watch him die. The jester in front of her turned, a smile on his palette. Kobato did not change her own distressed expression. She would not feign joy at the sight of something suffering. Why would you be worried about us?
Kobato stared at him for a moment, silence laying between the two. Then she looked back at the stag, sinking further into his demise, allowing Marx to drop another piece of libretto into the mix. Abendrot, as all packs, has casualties from time to time. Why did you leave Gekko? She did not turn back to him, but rather watched the animal. What use is a princess if she does not know the suffering of those in need outside of her walls? Her body moved without her asking for it to. She pushed past Marx, body too close for comfort, ribs against ribs, and kept moving forward, leaving the stag and Marx behind. She did not want to see such a thing. Especially if there was nothing she could do. But she stopped, and her tiara turned back. Looking at the animal. She did not hear Marx’s words as she turned and raced along the safe zone, spotting a piece of land close enough to be a good jump from the beast. She took steps to said edge and leapt off, knowing that this would be one of the moments that would define who she was. But she already knew why she was doing this. Her legs collided with the bog, a small length away from the stag. His antlers had no chance of hitting her. They were lifted too high. Kobato extended her jowls, grabbing onto his flesh and using it to exhaustingly move herself so that she could clamber on top of the creature where his body was still above the bog. The ess, covered to her chest in mud, clasped her teeth round the animals neck and tugged. The windpipe came loose easily. Especially since the deer was too exhausted to fight her anymore. Blood mixed with the mud as she spat the flesh out, watching as the animal hit it’s death. Now for her. She looked towards the same place where she had leapt off. There was no way she could get back to it without a fight. She readied herself, using the stag’s skull as her jump board, and gave it her best effort. Again she landed in the bog, willing herself not to become frantic as her body was suctioned into the mud. One movement at a time she reached for the safe ground. Kobato sunk farther each time, but she got closer and closer. Two breathcatching movements and she was able to snag her claws onto the ground and, after resting a moment, pulled with all her might to lift herself out. It shouldn’t have happened so easily. And perhaps it looked too easy. But it was not easy for Kobato. She lay there for seconds, heaving in breaths. When she was ready, she shakily stood and walked to Marx, staring him straight in the eye.
Now for the answer to his first question. A true Queen will not stand idly by while others are in pain. She will decide what she thinks is the best and she will do it, regardless of risking her own life. We must look out for each other if we are to survive, Marx. None of us are meant to be alone. It was not hateful, the way she said it. It was decisive. Something that would never be taken from her thoughts. She stared at him, determined, exhausted but still sad. The smile was all but gone from her lips. Instead she had a grim frown. Clearly disappointed. I wonder if you would sit idly by, smiling, if that were your Engima. And she pushed past him, once again in close quarters as she returned from the direction which she came. The ess’s happy day had become upsetting for her, and the blood and mud on her body was something she had not wished for. She would return to the river, clean herself and find something else to do. She doubted he would follow her. But if he did, he would just have to wait until her spirits returned for her to speak aloud. Kobato was upset. She was lonely. And she was worried. She wanted Vladya.
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