It is rather blatantly obvious that Natiya’s bid for distraction had failed. She was far out of practice and really, had she ever been IN practice? In a way. She had always known what to say around Blackthorne to keep him from becoming a bomb. Her fear of his explosions had made certain of that, for Blackthorne was the kind to erupt and obliterate all in his path, regardless of loyalty and situation. She had been surprised that he had never killed one of those Iromar pups. All the times she had watched his lips twitch, saw those fangs, the deadly glint in his eyes as he stared at them. Not with hatred, but a sort of dead light. It scared her, thrilled her, alarmed her… so many mixed emotions. It is no wonder that Natiya had gone so long alone, hidden. She had to dig deep to find even a piece of herself left. It had all been taken since birth.

Elohim does not seem dangerous in this moment. In fact, he seemed more stunned and consumed than anything. The consuming part was a bit alarming to her; she did not want to be devoured again. She came through such a soul-eating once before, to survive again would be less likely. Natiya had once been that small bird Elohim thinks; she had flitted around Blackthorne, drawn to him like a moth to flame, blinded by his brilliance. Disillusioned by her failures.

Her sweet voice falters as he smirks, his soft look erased by his own cunning. There would be no deceiving here. She was not as good at it as her brother was, his silver tongue enough to woo the ear of even the hardened. She blinks slowly, sighing gently, gaze dancing away from him and in the direction of the border. ”I am leaving. For no reason other than to leave,” she adds, sharply, glancing back at Elohim, almost daring him to deny what she says. Blackthorne had forgotten about her and hopefully, so had the world. It was bad luck that she ran across someone who remembered her.

”It isn’t… it isn’t really an arrival, is it, when I’ve been here all along!” She stumbles over herself at first, heart hammering at what she takes as a threat before she snaps back at him, though much softer than anyone else who might have snapped. Natiya was familiar with a sharp tongue, having learned to use hers a time or two, but it was always difficult. She did not wish to enrage Elohim because he could easily bring trouble to her with a quick bark. She eyes him suspiciously now, nervous once more, ready to be off, and when he clambers down to her side she twitches involuntarily. It is impulse to dart away from him but she fights it. She had been around too many fight or flight moments to know what kind of instincts running might draw from him.

Dainty paws draw a few feet in front as she tentatively begins walking towards the border, head hunched between her shoulder blades and ears half-cocked back, giving away her annoyance even if her soft face looks mostly nervous. ”Are you going to follow me all the way to the border?” There is an underlying current of aggression in her lyrical voice as she asks the question, irritated, unsure how to get out of this predicament. To run? Her tail twitches, haunches jerking, ready to run, but no – stop. No running. Careful breathing. Measured, slow. ”Why do you ask if I am summoned?” She jerks to a halt then, head rising and swiveling in his direction. ”He… my brother… he is not back, is he?”