PERSEPHONE

Persephone listened as Yngvar and Creed spoke first. She nodded, a warm smile on her lips as she learned that this stranger had indeed been a friend to her herd-mates. He had known quite a few of her family, then – Yngvar and Creed, and Han too – it was the reason she had an open borders policy with Shamwari, after all, so that their families could mingle as they pleased.

“Han left some time ago, but it is good to see a friend of the Forest here,” she replied with a nod.

It did not appear that he was here on a strictly social visit, however, as it soon became clear that he had much more to say. Persephone listened carefully, her expression impassive for a moment as she absorbed this information and considered it. Her dark eyes flicked between the members of the group surrounding her.

“The Prairie and the Forest have long been friends and allies, I am willing to continue in that good spirit with you in your new home as long as you continue to show me I can trust you. Let us be allies,” she replied with a small smile.

The conversation turned then. It was bold of Roheryn to try to take away her herd members right in front of her, but Persephone was straight-forward and she would rather he did it to her face than behind her back. She didn’t want any of her Forest family to leave her or her protection, but a small, worried part of her mind couldn’t help but wonder if they might not be safer on Salem, knowing that trouble would unmistakably find them on Luthien.

“Nobody in the Forest is my prisoner, Roheryn – if they want to leave, they need only tell me.”

She looked to Creed and Yngvar for their reaction. Yngvar seemed enthusiastic about the suggestion, Creed less so, given her phobia, but she had not outright refused.

“If you want to go with him, my friends, you may.”

She turned her gaze back to Roheryn.

“My only condition is that you look after them, no matter what. Should you ever not be able to, they will always have a home here in the Forest, as long as I am here.”

all of your demons will wither away

mixed, bay varnish roan, 14.3hh