Sun Mote Copse caught in a river of rockers and dreams

waiting, so much waiting – his anticipation might’ve swallowed him whole, if not for the sudden, quiet snap of auburn offshoot.

obsidian, vermillion; a flit of bone white. cinder sucked a breath through his teeth. the sovereign, upon emergence, seemed to hover thoughtfully at a distance. snapped like a photo; time-freeze. he wanted to dive closer, to abut his nose to her own – towhee!! it was towhee!! – but her wariness bid him to still. he felt at first his lips warp into a small ‘o’ shape, before it broke free into a wide, unfettered grin as she spoke his name.

“towhee!” he chirped at last, as finally she conjured a smile. he’d thought of so many questions to ask, things to say, but when it came to the moment his tongue was left entirely empty. he shuffled on his toes, coltish, before she inclined her head-

“where have you been all this time?”

a sudden lump formed in his throat like a hard bubble, and the blackthorn paused. “i… um, i went looking. for tywyll,” he sighed honestly, brows furrowing and fighting the urge to drop his gaze to the earth; heart seeming to well with a momentary sadness. “i didn’t find him." but then he met her eyes once more, attempting to reclaim a fraction of his blithesome disposition. “i didn’t mean to be gone for so long, i swear. i was sure i could find him. and then, well, i got a bit lost, so… i just kept looking.” it had been an arduous journey, bedecked in disappointment. a wave of repose swathed him now, embracing the sudden respite from his travels.

“how are you? how is everyone?”