James took a moment to breathe, to think over what he had said to Pride, trying to see if he'd left anything out before he continued. Regret flashed in his chest and he suddenly wished that he hadn't said anything at all, but then again, Comet was just behind them, oblivious to their conversation. Even though she couldn't hear, being a good role model when it came to anything, even if it was venting your emotions rather than bottling them up and facing your problems rather than running.

The weight at his side and the head on his shoulder made his chest heave suddenly, letting the tears run unbidden, he turned his head and buried it in Pride's neck, his legs shaking like leaves. He brought a wing up to drape over Pride's back, both afraid of falling and wanting to embrace the deer closer.

"I-I can't stand this- I feel so weak and helpless, and I-I need to leave and breathe!! I'm suffocating l-like this!", he gasped, blinking away tears, "A-Ari wants to move to Eridanus, b-but I want to wander a-and help people elsewhere- I don't want to settle down!"

He sounded like a child, but what little selfishness he had said he probably deserved it.

"I want to take Comet a-and just leave," he said, "I-I know Sun will be happy with Ari, b-but I can't stand being some sort of... housewife. After what h-happened, with me going missing, I doubt that Ari will even want me to go anywhere, b-but I have to. I can't stand still any longer."

There. It was out.

Though with all the crying he was doing, he didn't feel very fulfilled at the moment.

@Pride

Well, Pride didn't know what the hell a 'housewife' was, but the rest had him frowning deeply.

"James," he said abruptly, his voice perhaps a little sterner than it could have been--but in truth, it was alarm; "If this 'Ari' is trying to keep you in one place, and asking you not to travel, that is a problem. It is no one's business to control your actions, to make your choices for you. There was a stag, once, who collected children in the caves," he went on, and he was pulling away, then, turning. He attempted to call up images--imagined, mostly, by the stories he'd been told. After a moment an image of a red stag appeared--like Astraea, but without the fungus; thick-maned and fierce. Pride hadn't ever seen him, so the gemstone and eyes were the same as Astraea's--red, and the stone in the forehead--but before him sat arrayed a group of very young gembound, including a small white lion cub. "I never met him, myself, but once he claimed this throne as his own. And perhaps his reasoning was good; it was something to do with preventing carnivores from killing those who do not eat meat. But he gathered them, controlled them, abused them. He saw them as possessions, eventually as slaves. Perhaps Ari is not that far along--or perhaps he will become so--but your story resonates with this memory. It rings every warning bell in my mind. I would advise you to leave, and not to mourn the consequences; take the children with you, if you can. You are always welcome here, I am happy to help to raise them, and Ari can find his own way." This last was a little more harshly said, but the rest was almost... urgent.

Someone wanting James to stay in one place-? Why? Mercurius came back to mind, a contrast to this. They had both wandered, taken turns exploring or guiding and teaching and guarding their children. "I want you to meet Mercurius," Pride added, abruptly. Let James see how Gembound should be: accepting, easygoing, understanding and kind. The more Pride heard of Aristotle, the less he liked him at all.

Of course, there was always the chance that these were only James' interpretations; that this other lion might actually be fine with his departure. But, somehow, Pride did not think that James would be reduced to tears were it speculation alone--the foal had always been a little worried at the opinions of others, but not to that extent.

@James

James' ears pinned and he immediately felt scared. He looked up at Pride's images, muscles tensing. Pride's words hit something deep within him, a protectiveness of his first and only best friend.

"... Could it be?", he asked softly, in disbelief, "Ari couldn't be a... a monster. He's too kind. Or at least, he's pretended he is."

He looked down and struggled to breathe for a moment, tears rolling down his face. He couldn't believe it. It was so difficult to picture Ari parading his children around like- no. It wasn't. For he was. Comet and Sun followed him like doting lambs.

"... I-I need to talk to him. I need to talk to Ari," he said, "Oh goodness... I should have talked to him sooner. I shouldn't have let this go on."

The pegasus inhaled sharply as his vision spotted, forcing himself to breathe before he made himself pass out. He looked towards Comet and swallowed, ears pinning. He couldn't let her be hurt or enslaved.

"... Could you come with me? At least... at least to just be outside should anything go wrong," he swallowed, "Should voices raise or worse."

He didn't want to bring Comet into this, but unfortunately he might not have a choice. Ari was her father before he ever was, and she was so young. Sun, too. He could resist and pull away instead, and remain with Ari. It still didn't stop Ari from collecting more stones.

"He collects stones," he said, "Using a spell. He can detect them in the ground and dig them up, I think he has... four. Three he refused to give up to the Collector in exchange for a living sled, and one he found in a cave. It was massive. It could have come from something quite massive."

@Pride

Pride grimaced, briefly. "The Collector is never good news. Those who deal with him often find themselves... challenged. I will come with you, James, but I'd like you to meet Mercurius first. We can bring Comet, if you like, or she can rest here; but I'd like you to meet someone who I know is kind, is gentle, stable. He was... one of that stag's victims, in fact, and I think meeting him will give you a baseline of what normalcy ought to be." This was firmly said--not in demand, but in belief; Pride had faith in Mercurius. The white lion was ever kind, ever understanding, to a level he often himself could not comprehend.

He was slow to anger, unlike Pride; and he'd never, so far as the white stag knew, been moved to violence.

"Perhaps this issue with Ari is nothing, but I want you to know what you're looking for. Is that all right?" he asked, head tilting a fraction.

@James

James nodded quickly, "Yes, of course. I want Comet to stay here, where it's safe. One moment..."

He cantered over to where Comet lay and knelt down, laying on his belly to poke his head inside the small cranny, "Comet? I have to go talk to some people, okay? I need you to stay here, there's some grown-up stuff we need to discuss. I need you to stay here, okay? It's very important you don't leave, and that you especially don't go home. If you need somewhere bigger..."

He looked around and pointed to a building with his nose, "Hide in there, and take my feathers and sprinkle them inside so that I know you're there."

He plucked a few feathers from his wings (old ones about to come out anyway) and set them down, nuzzling Comet softly, sweetly, "I'll be back soon, okay? If you get hungry you can go catch a rabbit, but don't be gone long, okay? Please?"

James stood up and left a kiss on her forehead, his breath warm on her face.

"I love you, stay safe, sweetling," he mumbled, and turned to trot back to Pride.

"I am ready to leave," James said, ears slightly pinned.

He looked back at Comet, eyes softening. It would be okay.

@Comet

Comet had been watching their conversation, but had not gleaned much from it, as their backs were turned to her. All she knew was that James was worried.

She was about to fall asleep when the horse finished his conversation and trotted over. Grown-up stuff? Her curiosity was starting to kill her. But the part that she was really wondering about was why she had to stay here. And not go home? Was there something wrong at home? Danger? But she did not ask, as she could tell from his tone of voice that he was very worried.

"Don't worry renny, I'll stay right here." Comet curled tighter into a ball and rested her head on the feathers that was given to her. There was something really wrong, she could feel it. "I love you too, renny." Her tongue gave him a kiss on the nose, and then he was gone. The pup's ocean blue eyes stayed wide open, she would be keeping watch.

"Exit to stay"

@Pride

Pride glanced back, and called out as James left Comet: "Goodbye, for now; I hope that we can speak again soon. Ah, and do not kill the small, white hare, please; she is my familiar. My friend, though she cannot speak." Had he already warned her-? He couldn't remember, not with the press of far more important things on his mind--not that Mischief was by any means unimportant, but 'my familiar is the rabbit, don't eat her' was quite everyday as far as Pride's problems went.

This situation with James-? Anything but.

"Let's go, then," he answered quietly to James.

The white stag turned, moving off quietly, composed--no part of him betraying the concern he felt for what this might all mean.

exit Pride; @James

James was definitely not as composed, his tail swishing and his feathers rustling. He trotted nervously beside Pride, unable to focus on one thing as he remained beside the stag.

"Thank you," he mumbled, eyes downcast.

Shaking his head, he looked ahead, brows furrowed in worry. Everything would be fine. Mercurius would help, Pride would help, and he and Comet would remain safe and sound...

Regretfully, he realized that Sun didn't linger in that train of thought like his daughter did. He shook that off and focused on what was to come.

Exit