Cassandra didn’t know what she expected to come barrelling through the woods but a toddler was not it. The Seeker looked around as the girl appeared and froze in front of her, expecting an adult to appear not long after, when one didn’t she knelt down to make sure she was made a less impressive figure. Myta took off from her shoulders and circled lazily around them, her black scales shimmering in the light filtering through the canopy of the Arlathan forest. The little redhead's eyes darted up to watch the dragonling put on a show for her. Cass’s eyes followed the girl’s to just watch for a moment before she spoke, hoping the little thing understood common at least.
The little girl nodded and pointed up at the dragon as she made another circle, ”Can I pet it?”
Cass sighed a bit in relief, standing, she then whistled for the dragon to come. Myta landed on her forearm like a large heavy falcon and Cassandra moved back down to kneeling,
The toddler ran up to her and reached out to pat the dragon on the head. Cass smiled, stroking Myta behind her wings as the animal let the little girl run her hand over her head.
”What’s her name?”
”Aelara!”
As the girl said her name Cassandra became aware of someone else appearing in the clearing. She stood and looked over at the adult, freezing when she saw who stood there. Looking like she’d seen a ghost.
She had to take some slow deep breaths. Myta tensed as well, feeling that her mother was instantly on defense, and moved into a spot on her shoulder, bristling there. It couldn’t be her. She had to be hallucinating.
The girl seemed to take a moment to realize that her name was being called, but when she did she turned her red hair fanning out behind her, she shouted ”Kumiko! Look! A dragon!”
It was her. Fuck, it was her. She was here. Standing in front of her. She wasn’t dead. All the courage she’d plucked up to seek out Vela was crumbling as she stood there. There was a heavy layer of shame and guilt that had prevented her from seeking out her old friend, from even letting the woman know she was alive. She rested her hand on the hilt of her blade and waited, watching her for a moment. Cassandra found herself suddenly back inhabiting the space she’d inhabited right after the Veil had fallen where she was so lost in the darkness that she didn’t quite know what to do. It had been a blessing when Purpose had taken residence within her because it helped her keep from going to much further into it.
Cassandra took another deep breath and raised her chin,
Where did you come from?she asked tilting her head again. She still didn’t see anyone coming,
I hope you’re not alone. Is there someone out here with you?
The little girl nodded and pointed up at the dragon as she made another circle, ”Can I pet it?”
Cass sighed a bit in relief, standing, she then whistled for the dragon to come. Myta landed on her forearm like a large heavy falcon and Cassandra moved back down to kneeling,
She won’t bite if you’re gentle.
The toddler ran up to her and reached out to pat the dragon on the head. Cass smiled, stroking Myta behind her wings as the animal let the little girl run her hand over her head.
”What’s her name?”
I call her Myta. She seems to like it well enough. My name is Cassandra. What’s yours?
”Aelara!”
As the girl said her name Cassandra became aware of someone else appearing in the clearing. She stood and looked over at the adult, freezing when she saw who stood there. Looking like she’d seen a ghost.
She had to take some slow deep breaths. Myta tensed as well, feeling that her mother was instantly on defense, and moved into a spot on her shoulder, bristling there. It couldn’t be her. She had to be hallucinating.
The girl seemed to take a moment to realize that her name was being called, but when she did she turned her red hair fanning out behind her, she shouted ”Kumiko! Look! A dragon!”
It was her. Fuck, it was her. She was here. Standing in front of her. She wasn’t dead. All the courage she’d plucked up to seek out Vela was crumbling as she stood there. There was a heavy layer of shame and guilt that had prevented her from seeking out her old friend, from even letting the woman know she was alive. She rested her hand on the hilt of her blade and waited, watching her for a moment. Cassandra found herself suddenly back inhabiting the space she’d inhabited right after the Veil had fallen where she was so lost in the darkness that she didn’t quite know what to do. It had been a blessing when Purpose had taken residence within her because it helped her keep from going to much further into it.
Cassandra took another deep breath and raised her chin,
Didn’t expect to see you here, Kumiko.
05-13-2023, 04:30 PM
