[open] felt the wind underneath my wings

[lilliana]

On a still autumn night, the wind barely stirs. The branches above her rattle gingerly, touch each other tentatively now that they have been stripped of the last of their leaves. It is like they know the trepidation that comes in each step, that there is something in her that shivers the further into this forest she goes. Lilliana has avoided it until now.  Dusk creeps slowly and the shadows cast long.  In the frigid bite of the cool air, the chestnut mare is careful to observe everything about her. For every break of a twig, for every sound that comes from behind a tree, for every rustle of the brisk breeze, she is attentive to each noise that is carried her way. The red woman pauses, feeling the breeze brush past her and her ears flick forward and back, stop and swivel to catch any further sounds.  Silence.  There is only the rapid pumping of her heart and Lilliana wants to turn back, to go back to Taiga or Nerine but she stands. She stays, her blue eyes narrowing into the shadows, daring whatever lurks to come out. It’s only a flutter in her stomach that widens her gaze and the Ambassador turns her head to glance at her sides, a mixture of terror and awe that distracts her from whatever is hidden behind the trees and shrubs around her. The whole world vanishes for a moment and Lilliana is only aware of the life that makes itself known within her; a reminder that she shouldn’t be here. Another sound and swiftly, the chestnut tears her blue eyes away from her stomach. The flutter in her stomach moves to her heart and she struggles to keep her voice steady as she asks into the coming night: "Hello?” LILLIANA and its harder than you think telling dreams from one another

art by the day of shadow