How can you remain, Staring at the rain, Maddened by the stars?
When in the wilderness at night, the unexpected rustling of grass almost always signals danger. A cruelty to one as exhausted as Azure was, on the cusp of slipping into the gentle embrace of sleep. Maybe this time it was a harmless bunny?
She jerked up, eyes springing open. Bunnies don't swear. (Not in front of her, anyway.) Her vision still blurry, at first she spotted only the outline of a dark figure toppling towards her. The fingers that were clumsily searching her vest for the knife stashed inside hesitated, ever so slightly. In that moment it did look like something helpless was in the grass. Helpless and desperate.
Her eyes narrowed, searching the darkness for a hidden threat, something this man was running from, as her fingers found their grip around the knife's hilt. Then came the warning. Or the threat. Strange and vague, but chilling enough to chase the hesitation from her limbs as they lifted her off the ground. "What happened to you?", she managed to ask him as the feeling of danger rapidly overtook the space between them. Letting her knife fall to the ground she began to shift, trusting her wings to take her from the peril that approached in the dark.
Azure
