lonesome I came

'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned
Everything you lose is a step you take

The salt flats lie dormant in the warm night air, the glare from the sun long since erased by the stars. Rain has fallen all day, leaving a thin sheen of water atop the white minerals; now that the clouds have scattered, the flats are lit by the night sky. The plains stretch on and on, the stars reflected in the water, and it's almost impossible to tell where the earth ends and the heavens begin.

Lyra sits on the edge of the flats, cross-legged atop a quilt she's spread out on the ground. Her little spot is slightly raised (and therefore slightly drier) than the surrounding land. She takes advantage of what she can out here, so far removed from civilization and, therefore, from anything resembling a warm, dry inn. Still, it's not the first time she's roughed it in the wilderness, and it certainly won't be the last. She's come prepared, a pack full of supplies sitting at the edge of her blanket; a meager meal of dried jerky sits in a bag beside her, a canteen of fresh water just as close on her other side.

Now that night is well and truly underway, Lyra can fully admire just how beautiful it is out here, far beyond the confines of any city. Where Haulani and the other cities across Caido make it difficult to see the stars, in Hak Etme, entire galaxies stretch across the sky overhead.

It's breathtaking.

And, coincidentally, it's the perfect place for Lyra to let her ring soak up the light of the full moon. Slipping the simple band from her finger, Lyra places it reverently on the edge of the blanket, admiring the way the moon and stars reflect from the metal.

It's quiet. A gentle breeze periodically stirs, caressing Lyra's cheeks and tousling her dark waves. She turns her face into the wind, closing her eyes and sighing softly. She's perfectly content, and it shows in the gentle smile that crosses her face as she tips her head back, bathing in the starlight like one might in the sun.

So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it
You've got no reason to be afraid

Lyra

Table inspired by the lovely Brit