even monsters are made of stardust
Night is the kindest to her.
It is fitting, perhaps, that a creature so saturated with shadows exists best in the darkness, but it is true nonetheless. She wears her grief like those same shadows, dense and deep at first, a cloak not easily shed. Because even though the night is kindest, it is still hard. As the sun slips down behind the sharp slope of the mountains and the stars begin to spin overhead, she is reminded of Her.
Somewhere, sometime, in another place, her lady waits.
Not for Zosma, though, not anymore.
She moves on as best she can. This sanctuary becomes a balm to her soul. And even if her sadness sticks stubbornly to her, it becomes more bearable each day. Her cloak becomes lighter. She thinks that maybe one day, she will leave it behind her forever. Not today. Not tomorrow. One day, maybe.
The stars are put away now as she moves towards the lake. The night is easier, so she forces herself to habituate to the light once more. Every step is its own therapy. Every breath of morning air its own sort of healing. She is on a path that she cannot turn back on now. Still, this is the most she’s shown her face since she’s been here – the most she’s exposed herself to the others since coming to Hyaline almost a year ago. Zosma isn’t sure this is where her journey will end; she’s not certain that the granite mountains will weigh her down enough to stay.
But she’ll never know until she tries.
So this is her trying. The demoness eyes her own reflection in the glassy mirror of water. She doesn’t linger in the sight of the monster she’s become, but lets her opal eyes track upwards to the far shore. There is a lone figure over there, a stranger from this distance. There is only one way to remedy the situation. Without hesitation, Zosma propels herself into the air with her leathery wings. She skims the surface of the lake, even letting on hoof dangle lazily in the cool water underneath her racing form. It is a quick but exhilarating flight. She touches down all too quickly on the far side, eyeing her would-be companion immediately.
“Hello,” she starts, moving closer with a hungry gleam in her eyes.
zosma