Hold fast till the brink of daylight
Stepping out onto the water as a longma served Noah better in the long run. He didn’t have to take the time to strip off his clothes, submerge, gather the water, dry, dress, and then haul everything home. While he would still need to carry the water, he could easily manage that with several of his other shifts. But in this form—this water-walking dragon-horse—he didn’t have to risk frostbite from wet hair or lose precious time drying before bringing the water back to the lodge.
Flicking his gaze to the clearest patches of reflected sky—a bright cluster near the far edge, a steady arc in the center—the hunter moved toward it. Lowering his muzzle, the Sentinel dipped the bucket carefully into the spring. The metal clanged softly as it touched the surface, sending rings of silver and gold rippling outward, distorting the mirrored constellations and making the stars dance across the water. He could feel the bucket gain weight as water filled it, and he watched as flickers and reflections of stars almost swam in to be collected.
Flicking his gaze to the clearest patches of reflected sky—a bright cluster near the far edge, a steady arc in the center—the hunter moved toward it. Lowering his muzzle, the Sentinel dipped the bucket carefully into the spring. The metal clanged softly as it touched the surface, sending rings of silver and gold rippling outward, distorting the mirrored constellations and making the stars dance across the water. He could feel the bucket gain weight as water filled it, and he watched as flickers and reflections of stars almost swam in to be collected.
Where the shadow proves the sunshine
