Emberwood fairytale revisionist

The sky transitioned in color, becoming a rich plum with embers of warmth threading behind the black shapes of the trees; she watched this without focus, too distracted by the pounding in her head and stiffness of the rest of her enfeebled body. The warmth of the little den was a comfort. She wanted to draw her little legs in close but the slightest movement felt like a huge strain, so she didn't manage to move at all - just watch, silent and sleepy, until a dark figure materialized. The slanting glow of twilight caught upon Kukulkan's face and silhouetted him with a near-angelic glow; Ibis blinked, and it felt like her lids were made of sandpaper. He was closer with every heart beat, calling out to her in an earth-shattering voice that made her wince; her little ears flipped back, her eyes shut temporarily. There wasn't much relief to be found in that moment.

She wasn't afraid of him, though. He could have been anyone — or anything. A monster from her nightmares keeping her hostage; her darling brother returned from an adventure; someone new to save her. It didn't take much for Ibis to recognize his voice though, although it was more exasperated and excited than she'd ever heard from Kukulkan before. His bulk eclipsed the den's narrow mouth and she was briefly shadowed in darkness, but when he pulled back a ways and the light could linger, she saw him. The pale markings of his face; his unruly dark fluff. A tiny smile creased her face.

I... she sighed, the sound croaking out of her dry mouth. Thirsty. H..hungry. A hard swallow. She wants to stand up and seek him out in the growing dark, nest against the warmth of him; touch-starved and confused. Before long Ibis was frowning and staring at him, but the expression melted from her face as she dropped her chin to her crossed forelimbs, looking like she was about to fall asleep again.