Hotaru
The girl's laughter is like sunshine dappling through leaves, and Hotaru is helpless but to join her, impossibly endeared. It is a unique quality of children, to so innocently wrap the Valkyrie around their little fingers. Somehow it is the only time when she can reflect on her own children and not hurt with the loss of them; instead seeing only the jubilant innocence of their early years that she had been honored to witness.
"Oh yes, it certainly can! But if it does, I promise I'll braid it in all sorts of pretty patterns." Her smile crinkles her eyes at the edges, wondering if the child's parents have attempted such things with the golden hair she already has. If not, Hotaru would be happy to do so and help enrich the girl's life - as she already is, if Kamaria's sudden excitement is any indication.
Laughing brightly, Hotaru straightens from where she had been kneeling and offers her hand to Kamaria. "Of course!" Atlas drops his head when the girl whirls on him, and as her polite and endearing attentiveness that translates from Hotaru across the bond the massive unicorn bobs his head in approximation of a nod. "He says yes," Hotaru translates just in case. "He'll even do a trick for you." Atlas obligingly shuffles to his knees in slow, methodical movements to make it easier for both child and bonded to mount him. Moving up behind Kamaria Hotaru gently picks the girl up the rest of the way, settling her on Atlas' broad back before swinging her leg over to sit behind her. Gentle hands guide Kamaria's to the dark locks of Atlas' mane. "Hold on tight, okay? It won't hurt him."
Atlas awaits her mental command, and with an arm securely around the girl's waist, Hotaru gives it. Moments later Atlas heaves himself to his feet in a small spray of sand, and with nary a care for the other shoppers ventures forth at a long-legged stride, careful not to escalate into a trot lest he displace the precious cargo on top.
"Oh yes, it certainly can! But if it does, I promise I'll braid it in all sorts of pretty patterns." Her smile crinkles her eyes at the edges, wondering if the child's parents have attempted such things with the golden hair she already has. If not, Hotaru would be happy to do so and help enrich the girl's life - as she already is, if Kamaria's sudden excitement is any indication.
Laughing brightly, Hotaru straightens from where she had been kneeling and offers her hand to Kamaria. "Of course!" Atlas drops his head when the girl whirls on him, and as her polite and endearing attentiveness that translates from Hotaru across the bond the massive unicorn bobs his head in approximation of a nod. "He says yes," Hotaru translates just in case. "He'll even do a trick for you." Atlas obligingly shuffles to his knees in slow, methodical movements to make it easier for both child and bonded to mount him. Moving up behind Kamaria Hotaru gently picks the girl up the rest of the way, settling her on Atlas' broad back before swinging her leg over to sit behind her. Gentle hands guide Kamaria's to the dark locks of Atlas' mane. "Hold on tight, okay? It won't hurt him."
Atlas awaits her mental command, and with an arm securely around the girl's waist, Hotaru gives it. Moments later Atlas heaves himself to his feet in a small spray of sand, and with nary a care for the other shoppers ventures forth at a long-legged stride, careful not to escalate into a trot lest he displace the precious cargo on top.
come what may
she would be wild, untrammeled, free
she would be wild, untrammeled, free
