August 12, 2023, 02:28 PM
Night had fallen upon the Keep; the red babe snuggled close to the warmth of her family as she closed her eyes and embraced a familiar darkness.
She awoke to the sounds of seabirds calling to one another from somewhere way above. One ear flicked, the other too, as she blinked once - twice - and unfurled her limbs into a stretch before rising to her paws. She wanted to yawn, but none came; it was as if all her tiredness had vanished in a puff of smoke. And she felt bigger somehow - stronger - as if her chubby legs had grown to the size of tree trunks.
Emerging from the den, Leifa was met with a sight more beautiful than anything she had ever seen before. Turquoise waves glittered beyond the horizon, peppered only with salt-white flecks of seagulls as they dove and swooped all around her. A loud squawk from behind, she craned her neck just as one flew directly overhead. With a gleeful shout, she gave chase!
Baldr and Nazair materialised beside her, merging into one being as they matched her pace. Fast as the wind, the girl raced along the cliff edge following the bird's movements until it veered off the land and out into the open air above the ocean. There was a brief moment of hesitation before she followed suit, leaping off with a shower of rocks and giggles. For an even briefer moment, she felt as light as a feather as she joined the gull in winged unison.
And then she fell.
Down towards the water's dark embrace,
down.
d o w n.
Her stomach sank, and for a split second, she was aware of nothing but her own primal terror.
For any onlookers, they might've seen the briefest twitch, heard the quietest of grunts, but remained none the wiser of Leifa's grand adventures behind closed eyes.
She awoke to the sounds of seabirds calling to one another from somewhere way above. One ear flicked, the other too, as she blinked once - twice - and unfurled her limbs into a stretch before rising to her paws. She wanted to yawn, but none came; it was as if all her tiredness had vanished in a puff of smoke. And she felt bigger somehow - stronger - as if her chubby legs had grown to the size of tree trunks.
Emerging from the den, Leifa was met with a sight more beautiful than anything she had ever seen before. Turquoise waves glittered beyond the horizon, peppered only with salt-white flecks of seagulls as they dove and swooped all around her. A loud squawk from behind, she craned her neck just as one flew directly overhead. With a gleeful shout, she gave chase!
Baldr and Nazair materialised beside her, merging into one being as they matched her pace. Fast as the wind, the girl raced along the cliff edge following the bird's movements until it veered off the land and out into the open air above the ocean. There was a brief moment of hesitation before she followed suit, leaping off with a shower of rocks and giggles. For an even briefer moment, she felt as light as a feather as she joined the gull in winged unison.
And then she fell.
Down towards the water's dark embrace,
down.
d o w n.
Her stomach sank, and for a split second, she was aware of nothing but her own primal terror.
For any onlookers, they might've seen the briefest twitch, heard the quietest of grunts, but remained none the wiser of Leifa's grand adventures behind closed eyes.