Fall on me with open arms. Fall on me from where you are
The girl threw up her arms and whooped in delight as the plume of water cascaded up into the air. The shower it rained down over them was hot, but fortunately not enough to scald skin. But in the midst of glittering water and billowing fog, her eyes caught sight of something dark. Eyes going wide, she tried to follow its descent, terrified of the idea of losing track of it.
But there was no reason to fret. Even when the water went away, her mother's gift remained. Small and drenched and grumpy, the dragon she had longed for was there. Right before her. For a heartbeat, she was frozen to the spot, bewildered beyond the ability to think of what to do.
Then the geyser rumbled again, and her feet reacted before the mind had time to finish drawing up a plan. Dashing in as fast as she could without slipping on the wet rock, she reached out and grabbed the hatchling, and shot back towards her father. Just in time, before the water cascaded up again.
"Close call, tiny," she cooed. "One shower is enough for a day, wouldn't you say?" Holding the little creature up in her hands to look it over, she found eyes like molted silver staring back at her. Furiously at first, as claws and wings flapped and scratched to be free from the grip. But then... they softened. And the girl breathed in when something other touched her soul. For a dizzying moment she could see herself from the outside, towering and pale with a shock of black tangled hair and eyes that were looking back at a creature that was small but fierce, blue as midnight and the deepest part of the ocean where shadows melded together and could darken no further.
"Umbra... " she murmured absently, and turned to Ronin; her pupils were wide enough to almost swallow the irises. Then she shook her head, and eased her grip; the dragon scrabbled up onto her shoulders and peered out at the big-dark-star-man from under the cover of her hair. "His name is Umbra, father. Isn't he beautiful?"
But there was no reason to fret. Even when the water went away, her mother's gift remained. Small and drenched and grumpy, the dragon she had longed for was there. Right before her. For a heartbeat, she was frozen to the spot, bewildered beyond the ability to think of what to do.
Then the geyser rumbled again, and her feet reacted before the mind had time to finish drawing up a plan. Dashing in as fast as she could without slipping on the wet rock, she reached out and grabbed the hatchling, and shot back towards her father. Just in time, before the water cascaded up again.
"Close call, tiny," she cooed. "One shower is enough for a day, wouldn't you say?" Holding the little creature up in her hands to look it over, she found eyes like molted silver staring back at her. Furiously at first, as claws and wings flapped and scratched to be free from the grip. But then... they softened. And the girl breathed in when something other touched her soul. For a dizzying moment she could see herself from the outside, towering and pale with a shock of black tangled hair and eyes that were looking back at a creature that was small but fierce, blue as midnight and the deepest part of the ocean where shadows melded together and could darken no further.
"Umbra... " she murmured absently, and turned to Ronin; her pupils were wide enough to almost swallow the irises. Then she shook her head, and eased her grip; the dragon scrabbled up onto her shoulders and peered out at the big-dark-star-man from under the cover of her hair. "His name is Umbra, father. Isn't he beautiful?"
Seren
