Time seemed to slow down around Longtail as he heard Zaine's confession. Several emotions played across his face ranging from stunned to angry to happy, and finally his face set into a neutral shade, showing no emotion what-so-ever. He first looked up to Zaine and could see the pain in his eyes at admitting this, he then turned to his uncle Cyrix who despite the situation had a smug grin on his face, and then finally over to Sweetie who he could see landed on Zaines back.
He didn't realize it until he blinked, but he was shaking the only problem was he didn't know if it was from anger or surprise. He then finally found his voice as he asked both Zaine and Sweetie at the same time, "Is...that true, you both have feelings for each other?"
Sweetie couldn't deny it, and nodded her head slowly but refused to speak, knowing she might say something she would regret and waited to see Longtail's reaction.
Cyrix stepped backwards not sure if Longtail would lash out at anyone, but choosing to play it safe.
Longtail then sighed and replied, "I...I'm sorry, but you two.......can't be together. It just isn't normal."
Diamond was surprised that Petrie and Kit had such extended family, and more than that, at least two of them survived. He flapped over but could feel the tension within the herd as he said to Dinah, Pip and Ptyra, "Hi, my name is Diamond, nice to meet you all."
Dil actually stepped back upon seeing what looked like a confrontation between the herd leaders. "Greg, Icky stay behind me." she said cautiously.
Pearl flapped down to Longtail's side and asked him a question.
"Well we can all see that you aren't normal either, but we accept you for who you are, not what you are, and if Zaine and Sweetie are in love....then...who are we to stop them?"
Longtail looked at Pearl for a moment and simply said, "No." He then looked Zaine and Sweetie in the eyes as he spoke once more. "One of you will have to give up your herd positions as my second in command. I'm sorry."