She stood frozen in place, wide-eyed in shock. Brown. Daddy's eyes were brown, not milky-white. Such a steady oak-brown that saw every bit of her from head to toe to tail. Oh, she breathed, watching him take her in, finally seeing his orphan daughter for the first time. Then her heart fluttered anxiously.
What if she looked awful? What if she looked funny and that's why she had been abandoned? Her little brows pulled up in worry, but she couldn't look away. And her fears were quickly dashed away at the pride and affection filling his warm eyes. She smiled bashfully, blushing in pleasure that her appearance seemed to be acceptable; her green eyes in a dark brown face, the soft gray of her roaned middle, her back feet dipped in white to match the star on her forehead.
A star that had been revealed as the horn weighing her head clunked to the ground just then. She looked down and stared at it a moment, then beamed up at him happily, delighted that the unwieldy thing was finally gone.
Daddy explained why he had his eyesight back, that they lived here now and he would see so long as he remained and kept the land safe. Her own eyes reflected the pride that had shone in his, enthused that he was so very important to the people of their new home, and that it seemed to please him also. He must have been a protector before, must have yearned for it again, and now he had it. He was in his element here.
"...And, well, I've got one more surprise for you, if you want to see it."
Her eyes lit up and she nodded emphatically, excited to see what else he might have to show her. She was quickly taking a step back though as his body transformed before her, turning thick and sable and coated in fur. His tongue lolled out, completely at ease in this shape. She could already sense that he preferred it, that it was most comfortable to him, but a natural instinct of fear still shivered down her spine.
Her wings shimmered to life as she tried to flare them reflexively, defensively opening up tall and stretching to make her look larger. She didn't have to turn to see them, she could finally, finally feel them again and her eyes closed, her chin tilting up as though she could feel a breeze across her face. There, yes. Now they were home. Daddy was a bear, and she knew he wouldn't hurt her. She had come to trust him completely as he'd raised her in the wild woods. And she had her wings back. She was whole again. He was whole again.
They were finally home together.
Her wings folded back in and she walked to him, effortlessly burrowing into the thick fur of his chest. Tremors still attacked her little heart, but she ignored them, putting her faith in the only person she knew for more than a few minutes. Where will we den at? Have you found somewhere for just us yet? Are the people here nice, will they like me? So many questions and worries, but of course he would have the answers. Daddy knew everything. She was so glad home was another forest, the perfect place for them.
What if she looked awful? What if she looked funny and that's why she had been abandoned? Her little brows pulled up in worry, but she couldn't look away. And her fears were quickly dashed away at the pride and affection filling his warm eyes. She smiled bashfully, blushing in pleasure that her appearance seemed to be acceptable; her green eyes in a dark brown face, the soft gray of her roaned middle, her back feet dipped in white to match the star on her forehead.
A star that had been revealed as the horn weighing her head clunked to the ground just then. She looked down and stared at it a moment, then beamed up at him happily, delighted that the unwieldy thing was finally gone.
Daddy explained why he had his eyesight back, that they lived here now and he would see so long as he remained and kept the land safe. Her own eyes reflected the pride that had shone in his, enthused that he was so very important to the people of their new home, and that it seemed to please him also. He must have been a protector before, must have yearned for it again, and now he had it. He was in his element here.
"...And, well, I've got one more surprise for you, if you want to see it."
Her eyes lit up and she nodded emphatically, excited to see what else he might have to show her. She was quickly taking a step back though as his body transformed before her, turning thick and sable and coated in fur. His tongue lolled out, completely at ease in this shape. She could already sense that he preferred it, that it was most comfortable to him, but a natural instinct of fear still shivered down her spine.
Her wings shimmered to life as she tried to flare them reflexively, defensively opening up tall and stretching to make her look larger. She didn't have to turn to see them, she could finally, finally feel them again and her eyes closed, her chin tilting up as though she could feel a breeze across her face. There, yes. Now they were home. Daddy was a bear, and she knew he wouldn't hurt her. She had come to trust him completely as he'd raised her in the wild woods. And she had her wings back. She was whole again. He was whole again.
They were finally home together.
Her wings folded back in and she walked to him, effortlessly burrowing into the thick fur of his chest. Tremors still attacked her little heart, but she ignored them, putting her faith in the only person she knew for more than a few minutes. Where will we den at? Have you found somewhere for just us yet? Are the people here nice, will they like me? So many questions and worries, but of course he would have the answers. Daddy knew everything. She was so glad home was another forest, the perfect place for them.