11-18-2024, 12:29 PM
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I internally groan and roll my eyes at Salomea’s threat. I know she’s only trying to protect me, always trying to return the favor, but we wouldn’t even be in this situation if she weren’t so impetuous. I shuffle closer. My limp isn’t as obvious these days, even more so when I concentrate on disguising it. Not too close. I warily eye the many differences between the plain, golden bay of my lanky form and the other boy’s striking features, clutching my magic with an iron grip. I’m still learning to control the mimicry, the way every cell in my body strains to shift and copy, to stretch and to mold into something that isn’t me. The physical traits - the wings, the coat colors, horns and scales - those are the easiest to ward off. A fact I’m grateful for because those are the changes that hurt the most, second only to the fire in my veins when I wielded their power, power too big for my body. I swallow convulsively and stop again, careful to keep a reasonable distance. Before I can reply to his apparent indignance, Salomea’s small voice chimes out from the underbrush once again. She attempts the gruff, gravelly sound she’d originally threatened with, chokes and splutters, clears her throat, and tries again. This time it’s “undisguised”, her naturally warbling voice charming and bubbly.
“Says you!” Her reply is exactly what would be expected from a child her age, even despite her first experiences in this life. I imagine she’s stuck her tongue out, too. If I had one word to describe her, it would be resilient, seemingly largely unaffected by the horrors of her early childhood. Clucking in admonishment, I glance back toward the stranger we’d been stalking. My ears flick forward and I shrug.
“She might, though,” I tip my head in Salomea’s general direction. A shriek precipitates her bursting from the bushes like some dark little shadow creature, blunt teeth gnashing in an outraged grimace. I am only just a little bit faster than her, having accurately predicted the likelihood of a wholly over the top response to his perceived insult. I step out of her way and she trips, going down in a tangle, spitting and snarling. I glance toward the stranger, wondering briefly if he has anything useful I can borrow to subdue the little devil. I abandon the thought just as quickly, spinning out of reach when she charges again, careful to expend only as much energy as it takes to stay out of her path.
“Says you!” Her reply is exactly what would be expected from a child her age, even despite her first experiences in this life. I imagine she’s stuck her tongue out, too. If I had one word to describe her, it would be resilient, seemingly largely unaffected by the horrors of her early childhood. Clucking in admonishment, I glance back toward the stranger we’d been stalking. My ears flick forward and I shrug.
“She might, though,” I tip my head in Salomea’s general direction. A shriek precipitates her bursting from the bushes like some dark little shadow creature, blunt teeth gnashing in an outraged grimace. I am only just a little bit faster than her, having accurately predicted the likelihood of a wholly over the top response to his perceived insult. I step out of her way and she trips, going down in a tangle, spitting and snarling. I glance toward the stranger, wondering briefly if he has anything useful I can borrow to subdue the little devil. I abandon the thought just as quickly, spinning out of reach when she charges again, careful to expend only as much energy as it takes to stay out of her path.
