Rougaru’s words glowed red-hot in Vihar’s mind as the silver bay stallion slinked away into the jungle. Fury almost drowned out the fear and pain of labor, but the insistent tugging of her infant son as he nursed served to anchor her in the present and prevent her anger and imagination from spiraling. Bargaining chip remained stamped in her ears, however, even as she sighed in an effort to release the grinding tension throughout her body.

As the electricity of high emotions seemed to leave with Rougaru and Vihar came slowly out of the haze he left in his wake, she felt the golden intensity of Annubis’s gaze as he looked her over. Despite herself, the painted mare met his eyes with smoldering passion, her own wintergreen gaze carving canyons in the finely dished face of her self-proclaimed protector. She felt anger and lust toward him in equal measures, though she was unsure of what provoked either emotion. Part of her wanted to snap her teeth so close to his eyes that he would screw them shut, and relieve her of his white-hot gaze. Another part of her wanted to press against his side, nipping his ivory throat to bait him into the kind of play-fight that was indistinguishable from a struggle for dominance, but would inevitably end with another fruitful foaling season. As Rougaru’s presence bled away from them, however, the intensity of her fantasies also abated. Vihar heaved a sigh, suddenly exhausted beyond measure, and turned to the colt at her side.

You look terrible, Annubis teased, and tugged at a strand of her tangled mane. The casual banter was actually somewhat comforting, and Vihar aimed a bite at his cheek that was little more than an empty threat. “I still look better than you,” she quipped. She might have teased further, but the young stallion’s attention was suddenly drawn to the colt between them, and she could practically feel the nerves hitting him in the gut. “His name is Hyperion,” she told him decisively. “And if he doesn’t get out of hand, I’d be worried something is wrong. You might even have to chase after him as much as you chase after me,” she said with a smirk. Her face was gaunt with exhaustion, and the hallows above her eyes were dark with shadows, but her eyes were still fire-bright. “Together we might actually tire you out,” she said, giving his forelock a tug.

What would she do if Rougaru decided to stop giving her the benefit of the doubt? Would she have to leave Paradise? Hyperion was too small to make the trip off the island, but she didn’t know if she could find safety anywhere else on Atlantis. Would Annubis accompany her if she left? She suspected he might, after his outburst toward Rougaru. His words repeated in her mind, cutting through the anger she had barely contained toward the silver bay stallion. She’s mine! It made her skin prickle, but the feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

“Guess I can’t go running off too much anymore now,” she said in a resigned tone, looking down at Hyperion. No, she couldn’t lead Annubis on a new wild goose chase every day while she had a newborn, but she also did not want to repeat the events of today. If she was going to interact with Rougaru again, she did not want to be alone to do so. She kept that reason to herself, however. She did not want Annubis to know that she was afraid. Looking back to the buckskin stallion, Vihar doned a mask of teasing indifference to cover the vein of fear that pulsed steadily in her heart. “Better get used to me bothering you all day,” she said, her voice enticing and playful. ”I’m not gonna let you rest.”