the day is gone, the world spins madly on [march babies]

[Longclaw]

Longclaw

The sea is far from the playground, much farther than poor little Longclaw could hope to walk in a day. So far, in fact, that he had been utterly surprised when his sire (Wyrm prefered not to be called dad. Never dad) had suggested the trip. The glimmering blue boy had peered up at the gangly green stallion with a doubtful expression and asked, “Really? When?” His father had only chuckled in that particularly cringe worthy style of his before shifting his body into the shape of an ancient eagle - impossibly large, with claws like great scythes - before beating the wind and sand into his astonished face and grabbing ahold of him with one of those deft, cage-like talons to take him on the ride of his life.

He’d never wanted wings so badly before.

They’d soared across the earth, dipped low and rose high, and Longclaw had squealed once in sheer joy before the unapproving, round eye of his sire had tilted to look down at him. After that, he’d kept quiet and turned his own eyes down to where the rest of the world teemed like ants. It was a moment he knew he should be cherishing (Wyrm was never one to be overly affectionate) but only left him feeling a bit sad. His mother had the ability to simply wipe things from existence, while his father had this freakish ability to shapeshift, and so far all he’d been able to accomplish was growing some sharp teeth. He felt .. like a disappointment. Wyrm, however, had snapped at him the moment he’d spoken up about it.

“Never say that.” His father had snarled. “No son of mine is worthless.” It hadn’t mattered to the powerful shifter that Longclaw was mostly physically attractive, (as if that could be a power, hmph) he’d assured his little blue boy that his gift would come with time. So, as the wind tossed his shock of a mane and tail and the two of them drifted back down to the earth once more, Longclaw was determined to practice and make his father proud. The eagle dumped him gently near the others, never touching the ground but sending waves of wind over the bent grass before disappearing once more into the sky, and Longclaw was left to gather himself up and peer around at who was close by.

To his surprise, a young colt (as boldly colored as him) and a young filly were co-mingling near a blooming bush. “No time like now!” He encourages himself, moving ahead on gangly, shimmering legs to where they waited. “Hey there!” He calls out, stumbling once over some invisible stone or branch, “What are you two looking at?”

One-Half contract between Wyrm and Heartfire