03-13-2018, 11:19 AM
I wake to the sound of chirruping crickets, their night songs ringing against the stone. The shadows around us are as deep as Mother’s breathing, and I slide out from the protective blanket of her wing without a sound. She will sleep until the first rays of light slide into our overhang, and by then I will be back at her side.
The quiet hours before dawn are my favorite.
Outside, the winds are brisker, and I shiver as I adjust to the change. My golden coat looks silver in the half light, the deep blue of my mane and tail as inky as the star-strewn sky overhead. Come spring, I will be a year old, which is plenty old enough to explore without my Mother. She might disagree, but she is asleep and so it does not matter.
I consider heading north, to the River. Perhaps the sea monster will be there again, and he will show me the bottom of the ocean like he promised. But no, I remind myself, he had told me he wouldn’t. He does not belong on the land, the scaled creature had said; he’d only come to meet me the once.
I sigh, and look instead to the south.
The fiery canopy of Sylva looks no different than any other in this dim light, but I suspect that I might be able to reach the border and return before Mother wakes. I’ll bring her back a golden leaf, I decide, one to wear in her hair like I wear the coral star that that sea monster had given me.
At first, the voices sound no different than the bubbling streams. It’s not until I am close enough to see them that I even realize they are there. There is a boy with wings and a girl staring into the bushes. I don’t know them, but they look to be about my age. Maybe they are exploring too!
”Hi!" I say, appearing from the brush directly behind them. ”What’cha doing?"
The quiet hours before dawn are my favorite.
Outside, the winds are brisker, and I shiver as I adjust to the change. My golden coat looks silver in the half light, the deep blue of my mane and tail as inky as the star-strewn sky overhead. Come spring, I will be a year old, which is plenty old enough to explore without my Mother. She might disagree, but she is asleep and so it does not matter.
I consider heading north, to the River. Perhaps the sea monster will be there again, and he will show me the bottom of the ocean like he promised. But no, I remind myself, he had told me he wouldn’t. He does not belong on the land, the scaled creature had said; he’d only come to meet me the once.
I sigh, and look instead to the south.
The fiery canopy of Sylva looks no different than any other in this dim light, but I suspect that I might be able to reach the border and return before Mother wakes. I’ll bring her back a golden leaf, I decide, one to wear in her hair like I wear the coral star that that sea monster had given me.
At first, the voices sound no different than the bubbling streams. It’s not until I am close enough to see them that I even realize they are there. There is a boy with wings and a girl staring into the bushes. I don’t know them, but they look to be about my age. Maybe they are exploring too!
”Hi!" I say, appearing from the brush directly behind them. ”What’cha doing?"
