Engine of Change

another mind, another soul, another body to grow old. it's not complicated. Although Otem could see Aurelia's discomfort - as she shifted her weight back and forth - she had no idea (not even a clue) as to what had caused it. Had it been Kahlua? What Otem knew of her maternal grandmother was that she was a kind and benevolent ruler for the most part. Hadn't her title been sunshower? She was meant to be warmth in the darkness, and even though Isopia had said she'd vanished without so much as a goodbye, she didn't seem that bad? Although looking at Aurelia now, you certainly would have thought she was. Perhaps Aurelia was one of the ones hurt by Kahlua's sudden disappearance. "IDIOT." The necklace around Otem's neck suddenly chimed up. The voice was screechy and shrill, and although the charm was a simple oak leaf, it certainly appeared to be smirking. "You remember snake. Do you seeeeeeeeeeee a snake?" The voice continued making Otem jump. She knew there was no point in trying to cover it with her wings, it would simply continue on as it was doing now. "ERGOOOOO.????!??!!??!" Ergo what? Otem couldn't think. She just wanted to drown herself (and the charm) in a deep pool and never come out again. Aurelia continues, and her words are perhaps even more surprising than the necklace's outburst. She doesn't know Volterra? She, a pretty mare? Was such a thing even possible? Otem was sure that her Father had bedded just about everyone that he came in contact with, and he'd ruled over the Dragon's Throat for at least a handful of seasons. Most females that Otem met were either her siblings or someone Volterra had been with. To be neither was a rare occurrence.  "Yes, he was definitely there." Otem agreed with a muffled smile. Wanting to get back to what the necklace had said, Otem nudged it with a wing tip. "What it said ... did you fight a snake? Did Kahlua?" Once again Aurelia seemed to stump the autumn-toned girl with a question that was far more clever than she would have given the golden mare credit for. Would the orbs heal whatever thing was coming? She genuinely had no idea. Were the orbs really that powerful? Would they be able to stop it? Otem glanced at the identical balls of light just hovering in the air. Would Kisamoa really have given them something so powerful, with so few instructions? She thought maybe yes.  "You're right. It's definitely worth a try."

_{art by Chloe!}