Sun Mote Copse but every word seemed to date her

arcturus whole-heartedly agreed. as full of disdain as wraen's voice was, there was a truth to it: they were now dangerously in the mountain's pocket.

arcturus had lived his whole life under that shadow -- it was not a noose he wished to feel once more.

he was silent as wraen recounted her conversation with the now-sovereign, moving on to discuss how she did not quite fit into the picturesque scene of the firebirds. arcturus did not know the expression, but it was much like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. he had also often felt he was on the fringes looking in -- someone who lived among them, but was an eternal outsider.

more than anything arcturus wanted to contest wraen's absurd (in his mind) conviction she could not have kids; she had never had a mate, how would she know? his heart sank, but again those nerves came crawling to the surface -- if only his tongue could speak what his mind willed!

he too, would also rather leave -- if only because wraen was going. to arcturus there was not a question at all about where his place was; it was besides wraen always. he hardly thought a battlefield as wraen put it, was a good place for friends or firebirds -- but wasn't that how it always worked? his worst enemies hadn't lived outside, they had lived within. "then we go. when?"