another mind, another soul, another body to grow old. it's not complicated.
Although Otem could be sure that it certainly wasn't Amaris' intention to say anything emotionally off-putting, her words nevertheless caused a golf-ball sized lump of sadness to form in the back of the girl's throat.
Home is where the heart is. All sorts of mellow dramatic thoughts flowed into Otem's mind, fueled by youthful angst. I don't think I have a heart anymore, the mental thread started. I am black inside. I don't feel anything anymore. Maybe I never did. But of course she couldn't say this. Unlike Isopia, Otem was very in tune with what society expected of her and she always tried to act accordingly. It would be something like blasphemy to ever reveal that while she looked like a normal girl on the outside-and acted like one too-that inside she felt very very different from everyone else.
Still, Otem kept her face almost blank, looking only slightly expectant and perhaps a bit curious at Amaris' words. She even allowed a smile to part her lips as the dragon mare's strange wing brushed against the side of her neck, despite the fact that Otem hated physical touches just as her mother had.
"I met someone - Erthe I think her name was - who said this place would never be our home. But I think you're right. This could be home now, for those who want it to be."
A genuine smile did spread across Otem's tawny face as Amaris' extended an invitation to travel with her. Already the girl had been trying to parse out what she should do next - Politely say goodbye? Make up some sort of excuse so that Amaris wouldn't feel bad or obligated to take her back to Volterra? That the older mare had offered before things became awkward reassured the sunlight and soil dappled child that her presence was wanted. Otem hated feeling like a burden.
"Sure!" Otem chirped, moving forward to match whatever pace the older mare wanted to set. "Who are they? Since there are no herds, its been a bit tricky to find anyone. There doesn't really seem to be anywhere in particular that everyone is going." Not unlike Amaris, Otem felt a swell of emotion inside herself directed towards the other. She had known her Mother. She had even liked. So many had just known of Isopia, or thought that she was simply odd or difficult or both (which she often was). To find someone who wasn't her Father who liked The Mountain was rare indeed. And even if they didn't say another word about Isopia, knowing that those thoughts and memories existed within Amaris made her like a shining light in Otem's blackened heart.
The Portal
