The gold painted mare apologized profusely, first assuming that she had hurt him and before he could even get a word in edgewise, she assumed again that some kind of danger was among them. It was a fair assumption, he supposed, but he hardly had time to assuage her doubts before her mind moved to the next thought.

Staring at her wide-eyed, Zahhāk leaned backward as she leaned forward into him. He kept his feet planted into the ground since it was the least painful option. He can see the panic in her eyes and it made him uneasy, unsure of how to handle such delicate emotions like protectiveness over a child.

“There’s no danger,” he said flatly, looking back into her sparkling eyes as clear and crisp and green as new grass. “Not for you, or your child,” he added, slightly under his breath. He hoped that telling her this might alleviate her panic at least a little, but in truth he was in no position to help her even if there was danger. The fight with Jabari had left a few fresh half-moon shaped marks on his slender, smoky black frame that would likely scar over with time.

He sighed, looking over his shoulder back toward where he came, mostly to see if this was some kind of elaborate trap to further inflict punishment upon him. “I really should be going,” he continued. “Jabari would not have me stay a moment longer,” he added before talking a few more painful steps past her.

Zahhāk

There was madness in any direction, at any hour.