Tefnut of the Bay

And the gasoline of my soul will come alive.

Word after word. Barb after Barb. Everything slammed into Tefnut no matter how strongly she held herself. Her ears that had been trying to stay perked ticked down with everything snap Rethe aimed at her. The warmth she had been feeling officially snuffed out the moment Rethe claimed Tefnut lied. The dun mare felt her knees lock as her head reared back, feeling everything as if Rethe truly hit her instead of just used poison tipped arrows via her words.

“IT ISN'T A LIE!” Tefnut finally said, her voice coming out as a loud yell instead of the calm and collected way she tried to hold herself. She was supposed to be better than either of her fathers. Shaking her head and taking a step back, Tefnut forced herself to take a deep breath. “I don't lie. I didn't know this was your home land. It's my fault that I never asked. However, I wasn't about to ask when Caine was right there listening to everything. I wanted to ask in private, to get to learn what I could from you when no one else could use that against you or I later.”

More words came from Rethe. It was hard for Tefnut to keep up. She tried, but the more she had to absorb, the more she wanted to suddenly cry. Forcing the tears down and swallowing, Tefnut just looked Rethe dead in the eyes. “Do you want to be sub-lead? Do you want to be co-lead at my side?” Her voice grew entirely serious then. Her tail lashed as she forced herself to return to collected. It hurt, but she did it anyways as she watched the woman before her.

“I claimed you that day. I didn't run off with Caine. I gave you options and I got to the Dunes before my father could have interfered. I was protecting both of you from my sire. I could have let Caine deal with Lucifer. I could have let the black beast enter the conversation without me showing up. I could have let so many things happen, but instead I ran to protect YOU!” Again her voice changed pitch. The last word was a yell once more, but it was fact. Lucifer would have done far worse to Caine, yes. But the demon had pregnant mares and had been dealing with Nyimara. Rethe wasn't anymore safe than Caine had been that day.

Finally, Tefnut shook her head. “And you're right Rethe. This land doesn't mean except for the fact I stand on it just as your hooves do. Will it mean anything to me like it does you? No. But the body standing before me gives me reason to have some form meaning grow in this land.” With her body twitching slightly, Tefnut looked away with a deep sigh. “As I said. I'll change anything for you. I claimed this land to no longer have to follow my fathers rules. I claimed here hoping you would follow. I'll go back to wherever it is you want me, if it's what you desire.” Lifting her gaze back to Rethe one last time, the dun puffs out a faint breath.

“I choose you no matter how much you think or say it's a lie. It's you Rethe, or it's nothing.”

Mare ─ 16.1 hands ─ Red Dun ─ Regent of the Bay