clinging to the edge

Ashe the woods are lovely, dark, and deep but i have promises to keep    The return home was a blur. Percy limped behind Kysma, and Kalt held her securely in front of him upon her saddle. She was slipping into an easy numbness - a familiar one. It was murky and cold and dark and silent. Blessedly silent. Snippets of sound crept in through the cracks in her grief - the sound of hooves, unicorns huffing, the saddle creaking beneath them. Every time, Ronin's voice came with it, and she fled back into herself.    She stood almost frozen outside the house when they arrived. She stood with the unicorns, and Percy stood close to her with his head curled over her shoulder. Ashe absently stroked his neck, played with his mane, as keenly aware of his hurts as she was of her own. One of his golden horns brushed over her cheek, and she leaned her head against his with hollow exhaustion.    Kalt had left Theea with their sitter, and now the was taking the little girl out somewhere - somewhere not there, perhaps to the woman's house. Regardless... their little one didn't need to see Ashe wounded and covered in blood like this. He returned to bring the horses around the back of the home, to the small shelter and paddock that had been made for them, but Ashe didn't part from Percy, not yet. No matter any commands to rest, she couldn't. Not until Percy was taken care of. The coal-and-snow dappled unicorn had just fought an impossible battle with her, been knocked back by a blast, and still came to her to help her walk. Heedless of her burns, her cuts, what she was confident was a dislocated left arm, she checked the stallion over while Kalt tended to Kysma.    He nudged her softly with his nose and a huff as she assessed the few cuts on his legs, the burns over the right side of his chest and shoulder, the cuts on his face. He would be alright, but he would be sore for some time. Ashe leaned her forehead against his for a long moment, and she felt his anguish as surely as she felt her own. He didn't understand what wounded his rider's soul, but he nickered to her softly all the same. "Thank you," she whispered against his forelock.    She felt the swelling again in her chest, her throat constricting as her eyes welled. How were there even any tears left? Ashe stayed there with Percy's head pressed to her torso, burned hand stroking his cheek and neck. Her lip trembled, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She immediately had to open them when she was greeted with the sight of a roguish smile and shining cobalt eyes.    Ashe turned her head - still leaning against Percy's - and looked to Kalt. "He's hurt," she rasped quietly. and miles to go before i sleep.