we built this city on broken glass

Nadya's hand reaching out to rest against his arm was more....needed then he had truly anticipated, that anger spiking sharply within him in the wake of Ebony's words about her son. Their son. That firm pressure of Nadya's hand wholly grounding. Those words upon his lips readily catching themselves as he swallowed them back. Nadya was right. That soft insistence to simply let her go prompting the stallion to hesitate once more as Ebony all but stormed out. Frost merely inclined to simply watch her go, one hand running through his hair as he did. Little good would come from arguing with her. After all, it was just as he had told Nadya. Some would not leave. Some enjoyed their lives here, else they knew nothing else and by that notion held no idea of what they were missing. Was he truly destined to lose his eldest son to this place? Maybe.....maybe later Alexander could be persuaded to intervene on his behalf even if he and the Hunter had hardly ended on positive terms in the wake of the death of Xerxes. Maybe it hardly mattered now. Frost content to push aside any emotion that dared to attempt to touch at his thoughts in the fashion he had done since his earliest days. Ignoring that emotion was easier then feeling it, after all. Those veritable walls closing down around him once more even as that apology found his lips all the same. Nadya, after all, did not deserve to be spoken to by a deluded woman whom seemed to think that she, somehow, had some claim over him in turn. They had been friends once and yet- that was a long time ago. They had changed. The both of them.

He had hardly anticipated the woman to sit beside him, much less for her fingers to run through his hair in a manner so....affectionate. Frost simply unused to those simple touches and yet he hardly moved to shrug her away as he so surely would have done any other being. That press of her lips to his own softly returned. That stallion almost inclined to consider he liked her presence beside him as one thought after another rolled through his mind. His violet gaze shifted, peering at Nadya through that forelock of white as she suggested Ebony might yet change her mind. It was possible, he supposed, in those few hours they had before dawn broke and yet unlikely all at once. That query on whether or not Ebony might jeopardize that entire plan one he had considered in turn.

"I don't know. I do not truly believe so- and her thoughts were not inclined to think that way. I can never be sure but in this I fear we might have to simply hope for the best."

He could eliminate that chance entierly, it would hardly be difficult and yet murdering Ebony seemed a little distasteful- especially with his own son still at her side and doubtless another child or two as well. The return of his Mother and Gaeska inclined his own head upward as Nadya asked after a place to sleep. Frost not unwilling to admit that tiredness that tugged at him in turn. Gaeska readily insisting the house behind her own was empty as Frost rose to his feet to offer the woman his thanks and exchange that brief, fleeting hug with his own Mother. The stallion still learning, slowly, to accept that affection once more. Frost easily led the way outside then and between those huts until they reached the very one Gaeska had insisted was empty, Frost knocking at that door all the same before pushing it open. That house identical to Gaeska's own- something he was near thankful for with that lack of electricity and light. That familiar layout at least allowing them to find their way to the bed. How long had it been since he had lay upon anything such as this? Those thoughts were pushed away once more as Frost all ut collapsed back onto that bed with Nadya beside him. That affinity for warm readily activated then to chase the cold from that bed.

"There is no heating. I will stay awake for awhile and warm the bed as best I can. You should try to sleep, Naja. It's going to snow tonight, I can smell it."

He shifted but slightly to pull that singular blanket over them both and coax that warmth toward Nadya in turn. His own mind far to filled to find sleep so quickly even despite how....tired he was. It was well over an hour and well past midnight before Frost finally fell asleep. That rest fitful all the same. The sun well risen by the time it finally stirred the man back into wakefulness and that near obnoxious bell was rung again to summon them all to breakfast- of the very same meal that had been served last night. Nadya, he was sure, might never let him forget this. It was only once that breakfast had been finished and they had returned to their own hut that Frost was content to begin the first stages of that plan for today.

"As soon as your ready you and I will ride out like we did yesterday with the same disguise. You'll tell the Hunters at the gate around the compound here about the party at the bar tonight, hopefully most of them will desire to attend leaving only one on the gate here tonight. We'll keep riding back into the main part of town and to the main gates, we'll tell them and everyone else we meet on the way about the party, it will spread soon enough. When we get to the main gates you will tell them that your riding out at nine tonight on a critical mission and to have the gates open for you to ride straight through. It only gives us a ten minute window to move the herd from the compound, through town and out of those gates but its the best we can do. The gates are set to close automatically after ten minutes and i have no way to override that. They won't leave that main gate unguarded and as soon as they see us coming they are going to try to close it. I will go ahead of the herd, if I can, and try to stop them closing the gate. Most other Hunters should be at the bar but its almost impossible to believe we won't be seen and once they see us we are going to have a war on our hands. We won't be able to get to those in the stables or some of the other fields but if we create enough chaos some of them may be able to free themselves"

Frost paused then, affording Nadya every chance to understand or ask those question before he continued onward. This, he was assured, the part of the plan Nadya was unlikely to find favour with.

"When we get out of here they are very likely going to be chasing us, if not shooting at us and I am already assured I am going to be their target. I'm also larger than any other horse here and by that notion- easier to shoot at. I think it best if we find another horse for you to ride for this final part, that boy I called out from the crowd yesterday. Once we are out of those gates I plan to send Mother in one direction, they are unlikely to chase one lone mare, to have Gaeska take a portion of the herd one way, another Mare to lead another portion of the herd another way and you and Hemlock to lead a final portion in yet another direction. I will go alone as well. Either the Hunters will all break up trying to follow us all and weaken their own numbers or they will pick only one group to follow. You and I together are a significant target and I think it is....to much of a risk to have us together when we first break through those gates. All going well I will met you and the boy somewhere on the plains a few hours later, he can go and you and I can continue on together from there and head to Europe."

He paused once more, this time waiting for that inevitable argument he was near assured he might receive, Frost not unopposed to allowing Nadya to speak her on piece here and now. After all, they had come this far together, her opinion upon that plan....mattered to him.

FrosT