AMALIA
THE SHIELD OF SAFRIN
I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL HOW A STAR'S LIGHT
Amalia is, of course, on guard.travels the universe long after it dies
Even with the blighted healing, even with the sacrifice, she has taken to standing guard over the Spire and the roses blooming in its shadow on the nights she cannot sleep. Her fears have been somewhat assuaged, but there is no release or relief for long, and lately her nights have been short and unpleasant, with haunting dreams and frequent waking.
Slipping out of Deimos' bed on paws meant to explore the snow, she finds herself wandering into the darkness, white on white with feline grace. The air is cold but her hide protects her, the luxurious fur of the leopardess made for withstanding such frigid weather. As she prowls the perimeter the Shield is relieved to find only the expected: roses blooming in the silent snow, the soft calls of owls, the low moan of the fragile Spire, the man without a shirt-
-wait now.
The leopardess draws suddenly short as the man comes into view. This is not expected: an foreign figure, clad inappropriately for the weather and apparently wholly unperturbed. Ascended, then? Outlander? Both? The leopardess' ears fall back on her head, her expression uncertain as she stares through the snow. At least he doesn't seem interested in the roses. That much is a relief.
Making no attempt to hide her presence, the leopardess steps out of shadow, walking steadily toward the man. If he is from here, he will know her as Attuned. If not, well. New outlanders can be unpredictable, and she would rather face a potential threat in this skin.
that's what I want to be in this world —
SOMEONE WHOSE LIGHT LINGERS AFTER I'M GONE
