She’s forgotten herself (as she so often does) and the tiny filly jumps slightly as she lifts her head, unable to do so quickly even though she feels the fear pound hard in her chest. Her dark nutmeg eyes are wide and uncertain at first, until they settle on a familiar face. She settles then somewhat, a rush of air leaving her dark lips with a stuttered sigh. “Oriash,” the girl breathes sweetly, her voice quiet and soft in the warmth of the Tephran air. Despite the soft wheeze in her breath and the gentle way her ombre wings hang loosely at her sides, Olena gives the elder of her siblings a tiny and bright smile.
“Nothing’s wrong,” she assures her breathily, attempting to straighten herself and appear less tired than she feels. She knows why her mothers worry and she didn’t feel it would be fair for anyone else to have to worry about her, too. The buckskin girl, however, cannot help to think that maybe Oriash didn’t come to her out of concern, but maybe for entirely different reasons. Unfortunately, she takes a breath and finds it stuck in her throat, coughing hard enough that her little body has trouble staying upright, especially with those feathery, delicate white and blue wings that have yet to aid her in anything at all. Olena finds herself reaching for her sister for support and comfort with sad eyes - a knee-jerk response that comes with the spasms in her lungs.
When the fit subsides, her ribcage rises and falls heavily, desperate to fill those tiny lungs. Her white lashes flutter loosely over her warm eyes, looking up at Oriash with an apologetic gaze. Her little face screws up, all anger and frustration, before burying her face into the strength of her sister’s wings, comforted by their scent as hot tears quietly stain her cheeks. “Do you think I’ll be sick like this forever?” Her voice is so small and muffled, full of bitterness and defeat.
Olena doesn’t think of death - she can’t fathom it at this young age - and assumes she will never be able to outrun the tiredness, the rattling of her lungs, or the weakness in her bones.
OLENA
& all the stars go dark
i turn the light on in my soul
@[Oriash]