06-20-2017, 10:20 PM
Must be, because they reek of acid and sulphur too.
Spear & Spark
Tephra makes certain her children can recognize one another.
Even if she had not smelled like them; they’d still have come over to her because she is all alone with just the tree to keep her company. Both of them know that trees can be delightful companions that provide shade and relief from itches on their skins, but trees are quiet friends that doesn’t answer back besides the occasional shake of their branches and leaves. Unless a squirrel breaks into the conversation…
The chestnut is quiet for a long time, like the tree next to her and for a moment, each of them begins to wonder if she is mute or cross at their interruption. She looks at the two of them like they’ve got two heads and poison leaking out of their pores, though neither is true - far from it, despite the fire that simmers just beneath Spark’s skin. They’ve noticed the scar, but neither asks about it.
“Oh,” Spark murmurs, a little crestfallen as the chestnut mentions that she wasn’t looking for company.
“But why?” Spear persists, always more insistent than his sister especially when intrigued and something about the red’s quiet but hesitant manner made him want to tuck her close like he used to do with Spark or rather, like Spark used to let him down but rarely did nowadays.
He touches his nose to Spark’s cheek, cautioning her to wait for she almost turned to go --
“We’ll keep you company as long as you like, I’m Spear and this is my sister Spark.”
Like usual, he takes the lead and Spark just smiles from somewhere near his shoulder which is the most common place to find her, sort of but not quite behind him, just beside - always beside him.