Amalia
she was afraid of heights
"Safrin?"
Amalia does not see the struggle. She sees the spire begin to crumble, black stone falling way to light. She sees the sky begin to break down through the rock, and her black eyes reflect the brilliance of it, an awed and joyful smile on her face.
And when the goddess falls the smile remains, for how could it not; how could she doubt, or think Safrin fallible, or think this anything but a miracle, a gift from her favored god?
But then there is ash, and a crater, and silence, and the girl's glee begins to fade, replaced by a tightening, terrible fear, a sudden question of cost. "Safrin?" she whispers into the silence, waiting for something, anything, a sign. And then she is an owl, and she is taking wing, and she flies toward the crater without a second thought, Jyoti behind her, breathless and afraid. No no no no...
Safrin! her mental voice cries out as she lands beside the goddess and Tulmhainar, shifting into leopard form and lowering her head to the goddess' hand, denial rampant in her mind. Safrin, you did it... you were wonderful... please get up...
From behind her a Jyoti sings a mournful cry, nuzzling into the goddess' cheek, starlight leaving her body and landing softly on the being's blackened skin.
Amalia does not see the struggle. She sees the spire begin to crumble, black stone falling way to light. She sees the sky begin to break down through the rock, and her black eyes reflect the brilliance of it, an awed and joyful smile on her face.
And when the goddess falls the smile remains, for how could it not; how could she doubt, or think Safrin fallible, or think this anything but a miracle, a gift from her favored god?
But then there is ash, and a crater, and silence, and the girl's glee begins to fade, replaced by a tightening, terrible fear, a sudden question of cost. "Safrin?" she whispers into the silence, waiting for something, anything, a sign. And then she is an owl, and she is taking wing, and she flies toward the crater without a second thought, Jyoti behind her, breathless and afraid. No no no no...
Safrin! her mental voice cries out as she lands beside the goddess and Tulmhainar, shifting into leopard form and lowering her head to the goddess' hand, denial rampant in her mind. Safrin, you did it... you were wonderful... please get up...
From behind her a Jyoti sings a mournful cry, nuzzling into the goddess' cheek, starlight leaving her body and landing softly on the being's blackened skin.
but she was much more afraid
of never flying
