Amalia
she was afraid of heights
And then there are insects.
Amalia howls her pain and displeasure as small creatures begin to swarm around her, biting without mercy at delicate paws and stinging beneath her fur. Behind her she can hear discussions, plans being made and action taken, but she is wholly preoccupied for the moment, caught in her own struggles against the unexpected onslaught. Snarling, the leopard half-shifts back in an attempt to get them out of her luxurious coat, hair retracting into her arms as she aggressively shakes and swipes at the creatures, before re-taking her feline form. By the time she regains a little composure other measures have been taken, nets and fire and thrashing snakes and a giant spider all making an attempt to halt the swarm.
Feline eyes turn to Delah, wonder and apology written within. At the warchief's silent instruction she does not hesitate, dipping in beneath the dome as it rises about them, intent on continuing to dig. Guilt stabs deep at a part of her as she thinks about those left without, worried as ever for the safety of others. But the baker has faith in Deimos, and Vai, and besides, perhaps any future attacks will be better contained, less likely to harm her friends and loved ones if they dig them up beneath a roof of earth.
So she tells herself as she sets back to digging, snapping out with snarling teeth every now and then to crush another insect. She cannot cast magic to assist with the swarm, cannot heal or help or hurt in any way. She can only do this: try to make the task end sooner, unearth the thing that they have come to rescue and accomplish some small feat on this day.
Amalia half-shifts back to human to try and get the bugs off, then returns to leopard form and joins Delah's warriors in digging beneath the earth dome.
Amalia howls her pain and displeasure as small creatures begin to swarm around her, biting without mercy at delicate paws and stinging beneath her fur. Behind her she can hear discussions, plans being made and action taken, but she is wholly preoccupied for the moment, caught in her own struggles against the unexpected onslaught. Snarling, the leopard half-shifts back in an attempt to get them out of her luxurious coat, hair retracting into her arms as she aggressively shakes and swipes at the creatures, before re-taking her feline form. By the time she regains a little composure other measures have been taken, nets and fire and thrashing snakes and a giant spider all making an attempt to halt the swarm.
Feline eyes turn to Delah, wonder and apology written within. At the warchief's silent instruction she does not hesitate, dipping in beneath the dome as it rises about them, intent on continuing to dig. Guilt stabs deep at a part of her as she thinks about those left without, worried as ever for the safety of others. But the baker has faith in Deimos, and Vai, and besides, perhaps any future attacks will be better contained, less likely to harm her friends and loved ones if they dig them up beneath a roof of earth.
So she tells herself as she sets back to digging, snapping out with snarling teeth every now and then to crush another insect. She cannot cast magic to assist with the swarm, cannot heal or help or hurt in any way. She can only do this: try to make the task end sooner, unearth the thing that they have come to rescue and accomplish some small feat on this day.
Amalia half-shifts back to human to try and get the bugs off, then returns to leopard form and joins Delah's warriors in digging beneath the earth dome.
but she was much more afraid
of never flying
