Bounty on your head

There is a hiss and a croak from her beak as they drag her to the pit. The net and bindings themselves aren’t terrible and Kiada is uncertain of what it means as soon as they reach the ledge and release her bonds. She contemplates trying to run, to take to the skies once again — but as she thinks of it, she recalls the white noise and the strange feeling of the wind and imagines she doesn't have a chance at getting far. Huffing again and clacking her beak sharply toward Delah, she scrutinizes the fae woman with her blood red eyes. Hopping closer to the edge, she peers down it, wondering if it’s full of spikes and terrible things, yet as she does she hears a barrage of voices. Amalia is down there, and Kiada flares back at Delah with her sharp eyes. “If you wanted us out of your fucking woods you could’ve said something. Likely would’ve gotten better results than bringing us here.” She thought to the woman, spreading her wings and jumping down into the pit hoping it would soften her fall a bit. As she reached the bottom, she shifted into herself, dressed in black leathers and furs, her hair tied back and the giant scar on the side of her pale neck quite visible, and her eyes scanned the darkened pit to find a man she hadn’t seen before. Immediately, her glacial gaze skipped over him toward Amalia where they softened and she rushed toward the woman. “Amalia?!” Her voice cracked slightly but she was infinitely happy to be able to see her relatively unharmed. Her arms opened in the hopes of wrapping around the woman tightly, enough to try and bury her face into the baker, leopardess, motherly shoulder. KiadA and here you come, with a shield for a heart, and a sword for a tongue.

coding

Amalia

'Cause she's just like the weather
Can't hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the r a i n and s n o w

"No. No food." But if they've been feeding him, they cannot want them dead... Right?

The commotion above grows louder, and like Adam Amalia turns her dark eyes up, heart in her throat. Jigano? The fox? But no, it is worse than that, and the girl rises to her feet as Kiada falls slowly down, shifting from harpy to woman in the process. No sooner does she touch the ground then Amalia is upon her, arms wrapped protectively around the girl. Fur rises on the leopardess' skin, though she doesn't notice it, nor the fangs in her mouth, the way her ears curve and grow, or the tail that falls down her legs. She pulls away from Kiada, but keeps her hands on Kiada's arms, surveying the girl for any damage. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you? And the others?"

Looking around, Amalia wipes the dust from her face, surprised to find her cheeks wet. She steps back from Kiada and the pit suddenly spins, her vision growing tired and faint, body trembling like a leaf. Lowering her head between her knees, the young woman takes deep, shuddering breaths, exhaustion eating at her bones.

She breathes easy as Amalia approaches, a wide grin set on her lips despite the circumstances. She lets Amalia look her over, much like a mother would to her child before giving the leopardess a small smirk. “Nothing I can’t handle.” She says simply, and it’s true. The net, being captured, all in all is something actually decent compared to some of the things she’s been through. “I’m okay, I tried to warn Caiside and Jigano but I’m uncertain if it traveled before I was caught.” She informed, smiling slightly through the relief. Her icy gaze scans over Amalia intrigued, however, continuing to let her fingers tangle within the folds of Amalia’s clothing for comfort. “Are you okay? I went back to try and find you.” She says with a small amount of concern. Then after a moment, she exhales and looks over toward Adam for a moment before disregarding him again. “Im so glad we’re together at least.” She says, honestly, pulling Amalia close once more for a hug. If for nothing else but the comfort of having the leopardess there and close, like she had been when Kiada found out about Ru’in. A form of constants in the terrible, and it makes her love Amalia even more. Even if she couldn’t go back and tell Deimos they had been captured. She hopes Jigano has gotten away and gotten help, but she is uncertain the more she dwells on it. So she tries to focus on Amalia instead; eyes calculating and soft the more it lingers on the dark eyed woman. KiadA and here you come, with a shield for a heart, and a sword for a tongue.

coding

Amalia

'Cause she's just like the weather
Can't hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the r a i n and s n o w

"If they don't turn up it means their safe." Amalia says this with a resolution she does not feel, reaching up to pull Kiada down to sit beside her. One arm stays around the girl, a protective embrace that does not falter, an anchor for them both. "I'm fine," she reassures the harpy, though her white face tells a different tale. "Just tired. It's been a long day." Her fingers playing absently with Kiada's black hair, she lets her head drop onto the other's shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment as she breathes.

Kiada's affection gives Amalia strength, more than anything else probably could. "We're going to get out of here," the leopardess reiterates, raising her head to look back at Adam. "All of us. There has to be a way." Determination ripples through her voice, her jaw, echoing in the black glow of her eyes. Clearing her throat, Amalia rises back onto her feet, her hand extended to help Kiada with no intention of letting go. "Meanwhile, let's see what all we have, and maybe get a fire going. And food."