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Maion watched closely as the three girls played and talked together just out of earshot, though they were too busy trying to cheer Auva up to actually notice much else. Regret and dread lingered within him... was this a sign of worst things to come? He hoped not. He prayed not. But perhaps this was the reason he had been granted his elderhood? To stand a chance against the War that was about to be dropped onto his doorstep? He knew his son was worried to, Drashi's emotions swirled around him like an Aura. Maion knew that Drashi was struggling, but he could only guess the reason.... his lady had vanished.

Drashi walked next to Chandra, part of him was worried about what Sonnet may say to her, part of him understood exactly what Sonnet was feeling but he knew his kind and gentle sister had meant no harm.... he turned to look at Auva, she would forget with time, long after everyone else continued to remember. Turning to Chan he offered her a smile, though all he really wanted to do was leap into action and go hunt a kalona so he could rip out its throat. "Cheer up." He kept his voice low, words shared between the siblings alone, "Talk with him. I will look after your children with Dad, no one will harm them. You trust me right?" He nudged her softly, he hated seeing her like this.. a shell of her normal self. Of everyone she was usually the one to smile and light up any space she entered, but right now she was walkinga round like a stormy raincloud. He looked to Sonnet, knowing all too well that this was something only they could figure out together, but he couldn't push down the memories of his own fated conversation with Arrianna... before she left him. Yeah.... if he hurt his sister that much, even by accident, Drashi wouldn't be held resonsible for his actions. Still, he had grown to love Sonnet as a brother, even if he hadn't expressed that well... ok, more like at all.

Chandra couldn't take her eyes off her children, guilt and regret churned within her as an ugly beast. Nothing anyone said or did could punish her more than what she was doing to herself. And she also hated that she was to blame.... many had always clamed she was too trusting, he own Father had tried to teach her to fight, to defend herself as a foal but she had always refused, determined to walk the harder path on the side of peace... but maybe she had been wrong? She had always strived to aid bringing life into the world, never taking it... yet someone had tried to take Auva from her! A tear rolled down her cheek as she imagined looking down at her beautiful daughter's limp body...... NO! STOP! She screamed the words in her head and closed her eyes forcing herself to look away. The funeral was behind them, the attack was before them, and even as time passed things seemed to be getting worst.... but maybe that was simply how it felt due to the distance she could feel as palible as if a mountain stood between her and Sonnet.

Drashi's kind words floated towards her throught the mist of her thoughts. Of course she trusted him... she trusted all of them... except herself. Turning to look at him she smiled softly and closed her eyes to his gentle affection before speaking; "Of course I trust you." Drashi had always been good with kids... well at least before the kidnapping, since then he had been a little more distant, as if he feared he was a bad omen. It made her heart sob that he thought so about himself. Drashi had a sweet and kind heart, it was simply coated in tough stuff that made it difficult for those who didn't know him to see him as nothing but cold and heartless.... but she knew why he guarded his heart so fiercely, heartache and pain where ever his companions, and although he had seemed to be getting better the cloud was once again returning to him. It was then she turned to look at Sonnet, her eyes speaking of the saddness of her heart. She knew she needed to talk with him... though she dreaded what would happen.

Courage, she reminded herself, he was worth fighting for.

Maion turned to look at Sonnet, noticing the sadness there. Part of him wanted to say, 'It can get better.' He still remembered the desperate longing he had after upsetting Sengdroma enough that she would leave him to fulfil her dream... he didn't trust himself to train her and so took her to the only stallion on the planet that he woud have trusted with such precious cargo; Sofiel. But he knew all too well that this was something that only Chandra and Sonnet could resolve.... though a secret smile licked upon his lips as he remembered Chandra and her two siblings charging him because they believed he was trying to harm their mother. It was strange what you often remembered.

"Come Drashi," he said with a smile of hope, "Let us go play with the girls before they discover our little surprise on their own." Ever since the attack Maion had been keeping a close eye on his grandchildren, even if he was not as direct at times, he didn't want to get into Sonnets way.... understood completely how you felt inadaquet at not being the one to do what a 'father' should.... however for Maion he could never take back not being with Sengdroma at the birth of their three children. He turned and headed towards Heze, Auva and Zaniah.

Drashi hesitated, noticing how sad Chandra looked.... he spared Sonnet a look, a plea in his eyes; Please don't break her heart. And with that he turned to join his father and his nieces. He remembered exactly where he had hidden a little surprise for them, berries and fruits that he had had to fly to far warmer regions to collect.

Chandra was nervous. She nodded to her father and brother with appreciation. "Thank you." She mouthed to Drashi as he turned to play with her daughters. She knew what he feared... and in truth she feared it herself.

Now alone with Sonnet she turned to look at him, she really did love him, but he hadn't spoken a word to her about the incident, especially since she WAS to blame... if only she hadn't taken Auva to she her grandmother! If only she hadn't had to leave for an emergency delivery....! If only! But If's and's and but's did nothing to change the past, if anything they only made the present far worst to bare. Why couldn't she have been more careful.

Unsure what to say she remained silent for a moment. Simply looking at her beautiful mate. Would this destroy them? It was that fear that kept her silent.

She watched as the children left, a sadness swelling in her heart.... but at least she KNEW they would be ok, of course she would have thought that with so many herdmates with her grandmother she would have been alright there two... but four were dead. So could you ever really know? Could they ever truely be safe?

As Sonnet's question she nodded before speaking, "Yeah.... that would be... nice." Still she didn't know what to do or say, though she suspected that nothing she did do or say would actually make a difference now. Sorry seemed lacking... a word that simply didn't express how she felt.

The silence was growing unbarable... and then Sonnet did something that stole her breath away. He hugged her! And not just a weak attempt at being affectiate, no, a full proper hug! Tears started to run tracks down her face, and after a small pause caused by her surprise she held him fiercely back. She didn't want to lose him. He was as much a part of her as her children. That wouldn't change... even if he decided he couldn't 'be with' her anymore.

She gulped, fighting back the tears as she listened to him and tried to speak in return. "I'm sorry.... so very sorry... I... " She didn't know how to express the awful ache in her heart, the desperate longing to have put herself in danger instead of her children... anything but this! "...I... don't expect you to forgive me...." I can not forgive myself. Where the words that went unsaid, she did not deserve sympathy or pity... it was her mistake and she would take full punishment for it.

She calmed herself a little, but the tears still flowed steadily from her eyes even as she made no sounds of weeping. Silent tears. Straight from her heart. "What.... do you want to do?" She was lost, she couldn't figure out which way was up and what was down. She couldn't think or see through the prison of her mind that she had created.

The only glimmer of hope she had... was Sonnet.

To be honest she thought she had, perhaps she had simply mentioned it.... something that at one time at seemed so unimportant? So insignificant? Yet now it was everything.... she didn't make excuses, didn't try to claim she knew what had happened and why. She would not belittle Sonnet by lying to him. "I... I don't remember... I thought I had told you... but... it had seemed so normal.... Vara asked to see Auva, saying she reminded her of her daughter.... I couldn't deny her. I was with her... I swear...." She whimpered. "Then Io's bat came for me, telling me there was an emergency.... I...." The tears continued to flow, as the pain her heart made her want to faint, to run away, to escape the terrible thing she had done. "...I didn't know about their trip... I swear... I thought she would be safe... they have..." She gulped, "...protectors... and they are kin.... had I known... had I realised... I would never have... how could I have... I... I...." Something inside her broke.

Chandra couldn't say anything... after all... what could she say? The fact was it was HER who had made the mistake, and although it would have been so easy for anyone else to be resonsible in the end it was HER! Though the way he said it made her feel like he was trying to tell her that only she would be the one to mess up like this... was it not the same when he allowed his family to look after them without their parents? Was it not the same risk? Of course his father hadn't gone on a trip, only to be attacked and then killed... no.... she knew she messed up! Nothing he could say could change that.

She pulled back. Unable to accept the mixture of feelings churning within her. How at it ended like this? How? She supposed she should be thankful that Auva was only injuried and not killed. Chandra didn't say anything.