He nearly sighs in relief when he realizes the movement is not a great scaled beast, but a small creature with a bird’s head and long, tufted tail. Though he is not certain whether the creature is friend or foe, it is at least small enough that he doesn’t believe it could carry him off to a lair where no one could hear his screams.
Eyeing the creature warily, he straightens and shifts to step slowly away when the grass nearby erupts with movement.
Nearly leaping from his skin, Vital scrambles backwards as his wide gaze falls on a colt with shimmering black feathers. Heart beating loudly inside his chest, he notices the other boy appears to be older than him. He is definitely bigger. Without even realizing he has done it, Vital’s coat shifts abruptly, red and orange and black changing to the greens and purples and muted browns of his surroundings.
When the boy steps forward, asking if he’s a snack (the creature behind him even appearing to chatter it’s approval), Vital scrambles even farther backwards. He’s moving so swiftly his legs nearly tangle together until his rump smacks right into the trunk of a tree. “No!” he quickly shouts, flames licking over his skin as the change threatens.
Then the boy grows excited and claims him as a friend. Vital nearly sags in relief at that. Only self-preservation keeps him upright. Maze had never told them anything other than that they would be safe here. He has no clue whether that meant he was supposed to be this colt’s friend, but it sounds infinitely better than being a snack.
So he forces himself to smile, though it is stiff and trembling.
“Yes,” he agrees, nodding vehemently. “Yes, that’s it.” He clears his throat and straightens again, coat fading into the familiar hue of embers. “I’m your new friend. I’m Vital.”
@
Malik