Kaylin was about shake free of Nightshade's arm to run towards Hope but he raised a hand in alarm and shook his head. Tightening his grip, Nightshade pulled her to the side just as an arrow shot through the portal straight toward where they had just been standing. Pulling free from Nightshade, Kaylin started walking towards Hope as he stepped through the portal in his Aerian form, spreading his hands wide.
"Kaylin, my apologies for the delay in retrieving you. Our attempts to exit the void world have been... contentious."
Annarion emerged behind Hope, relief at seeing his brother banked sharply into anger when he saw Kaylin. He couldn't fail to notice she was dressed only in his brother's tunic. Kaylin had all but forgotten the fading bruises from Semsen's attack until Annarion's eyes turned almost black as his gaze shifted from the tunic to the bruising, taking note of them while frozen in shock and palpable rage.
"What is this, brother?" Well, his mouth still worked, even if his feet were frozen in place. He glared at his brother who was making his way over, slowly and not visibly concerned with Annarion's anger. Kaylin could feel his rising irritation, however, and she wanted to reach Annarion before they came to blows, figurative or literal.
Hope reached back through the portal, yanking Mandoran through while he yelled at whoever was on the other side.
"To hells with your sacred birds! You can shove them all up your collective-" Mandoran was cut off by the familiar smacking the back of his head with a wing. Hope closed the portal the moment he was through. Mandoran then turned and also looked at them in shock and concern.
"What the..." Mandoran started in outraged Elantran before Kaylin ran the remaining distance to them and cut him off by covering his mouth with her hand.
"Don't you even start." She grabbed the back Annarion's tunic with her other hand, stopping him from advancing on his brother. He shot her a look over his shoulder. She met and held his gaze. "And you, just think for once before you jump to conclusions. We have been dragged though hell and back on this world. I am hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and in pain. Your brother is the reason I am alive right now so you can save your righteous indignation for when we get home."
Kaylin paused and took a good look at the boys, barely containing her laughter, despite her irritation, when she noticed they were covered in brightly colored feathers and face paint that was nearly just as bright. Mandoran pulled her hand off his mouth and held it a second.
"I fail to see the humor in this situation. Do you even realize how this looks?" He paused, uncharacteristically serious for once. "We may need to sneak you into your room so you can change. Unless your goal is to start a war? Teela is not going to be happy. Gods, Kaylin, you look awful and if Nightshade didn't look worse than you he probably wouldn't even make it to the portal to get home."
"Says the Barrani wearing more makeup than a street clown..." Kaylin mumbled.
"This world has been less than hospitable." Nightshade said, ignoring Kaylin's comment. Kaylin rolled her eyes at his unhelpful explanation.
"There was madman stuck here. And he..." Kaylin paused as her throat became inexplicably tight. "He attacked me. That's why I'm all bruised."
That got Annarion's attention. He turned to Kaylin and carefully grabbed her shoulders, turning her towards him.
"Are you well? Are the bruises your only injury?" He asked, concerned, his anger towards Nightshade forgotten.
"Other than my pride?" Aware of what he was truly asking, she took a deep breath, looked at the ground and continued. "Yes, he... that's what he wanted. Me, that is. But your brother came in time."
Annarion tipped her chin up to look her in her eyes. He searched her face, looking for any sign she wasn't as okay as she claimed. He nodded once and with ineffable kindness, folded her in his arms. Looking to the side at his brother, his arms tightened around Kaylin. Kaylin could see Nightshade and absent of any jealousy or possessiveness, he met Annarion's gaze. He accepted that Annarion's care was that of a brother's. He wouldn't be happy if this was Ynpharion though, she thought.
Lord Ynpharion is not my brother or kin. Nightshade responded in the quiet between them. If there is anything I can trust, it is that my brother will act honorably towards you in all ways. He views you as family.
"He is dead, Calarnnene?" Annarion asked as if there was no other acceptable outcome.
"He is."
"Good." Mandoran added, placing a hand on Kaylin's shoulder after Annarion released her. Hope, now in his more portable form, alighted on her shoulder and nuzzled her face, warbling softly.
"So, what happened to you guys?" Kaylin asked.
Mandoran and Annarion exchanged grimaces. They may have tried avoiding answering the question had Hope not flown back to Annarion, slapped him in the face with a wing and bit him on the ear. Hope was definitely in a mood. Annarion cleared his throat, an embarrassed sound that was jarring coming from a Barrani.
"Chickens." He said in a hurried whisper.
"...Chickens." Kaylin eyeballed him, trying to gauge the veracity of his answer. "Pink and purple chickens? Is that why you guys have feathers stuck in your hair? What did they do, throw them at your heads?"
"Yes to the first two questions. No to the third..."
"Chickens." Nightshade lifted a hand to his brow momentarily in exhausted frustration. He muttered an unfamiliar Barrani word that sent Mandoran's eyebrows halfway up his forehead and turned Annarion's cheeks pink. He was not pleased. Kaylin was going to have to remember that word for later use. "Please do explain how two Barrani Lords of the High Court, who have been trained to fight dragons, could have any substantial difficulty with chickens of any color. You can face Shadow and one of our Ancestors but not a chicken?"
The boys had the grace to color while Hope bobbed his head in enthusiastic agreement at Nightshade's words although he didn't seem inclined to explain.
"Annarion, you will explain." When Annarion hesitated Nightshade all but barked at him. "Now."
Kaylin wavered where she stood while Nightshade was speaking. Her wrist throbbed and she felt exhausted after what she just went through with Nightshade. He steadied her with a firm hand, not once releasing the boys from the force of his glare. Hope let out an alarmed squawk before flying off her shoulder and transforming into his Aerian form once more.
"Lord Nightshade, the explanations will have to wait. There is a strange substance in the atmosphere of this world and I believe we should not linger." Hope didn't wait for Nightshade's response before raising his hand. A portal rippled into life, once again making Kaylin's skin ache. Hope held out a hand and Kaylin took it, letting him lead her home. Home at last.