[private] the earth is moving but i can't feel the ground

[Viszla]

Her mother’s praise is as warm within her chest as the fire, and the blue-eyed child smiles proudly as the flames of her creation spread ever higher up the pine. She looks back at them before Mazikeen’s smile can falter, and watches with a slightly tilted head as her mother moves closer to the tree.

Then she grows, larger than any dragon Myrna has seen, and she watches in fascination as the white creature topples the burning tree.

“Woah.” She breathes the word, barely audible over the crackling flames and the rustle of settling snow and leaves. The uproooting of the tree has filled the mountain air with the rich smell of earth and composting pine needles as well as the cloying scent of smoke, and the combination delights the young dragon.

She is shifting excitedly from foot to clawed foot long before her mother beckons her forward. When she does, Myrna leaps forward, her blue-leathered wings spreading wide for balance as she makes her quick way across the snow drifts that separate her and her now normal-sized-again mother. The fire had gotten distant from her, but she feels the warmth of it as she rounds her mother’s pale shoulder and peers curiously at the fallen lodegepole.

There, licking up toward the clear blue sky, are the flames. The snow has not yet melted away, and crunches beneath her feet as she moves closer. About two feet away, she pause to grin with delight. She can feel the warmth, and watches the way the flames leap from branch to branch, still climbing the tree, though now moving horizontally toward where the top of the tree lies further down the slope.

Delighted and satisfied by the burning tree, Myrna looks back at her mother with a content smile.

“Thanks Mama,” she says, stepping close to bump her scaled head affectionately against Mazikeen’s leg. “We should do this more often!”

@Mazikeen

[Mazikeen]

Mazikeen

It is an odd thing to think about how she probably would have enjoyed this without reservations before the eclipse. Before Gale, before the alliance, before she started doubting herself. Back when she was wild and determined to stay that way, back when she hadn’t realized just how thoroughly friendships rooted themselves in her heart.

Young Mazikeen would not have minded terribly if the fire had caught and taken the whole pine stand and maybe some of the surrounding area just for good measure - though she would’ve felt guilty afterwards and taken that guilt out on someone who didn’t deserve it.

Now she watches the flames and thinks of all the ways it could get out of hand. Which is, at least, better than thinking about the time she had lost when it felt like there was nothing but destructive fire living inside of her.

Despite the turmoil in her own mind (and the seasickness that often accompanies it), she is glad Myrna doesn’t seem to mind at all. And it is easier for Mazikeen to enjoy herself when in the company of her daughter’s obvious delight as she bounds forward to come stand closer to the now-fallen tree. The warmth from the flames is comforting against the brisk chill of the Hyaline winter - but still pales in comparison to the happiness that radiates through her when Myrna smiles and comes to bump her scaled head against her.

Mazikeen’s scaled snout dips down to press a soft kiss against Myrna’s forehead.

“We can! We just need to follow the rules.” She hopes they're reasonable enough that Myrna won't try to get around them. But Mazikeen opts not to ruin this nice moment with further thoughts down that road and instead watches the fire and thinks aloud. “Maybe next time we can try one of the other elements. I know there’s water and plant and ice dragons out there, but I’ve only ever tried fire before.”