The crack of his voice startles her more than the cold.
Her head lifts sharply, the water lilies blooming from her chest shifting with the motion, their green-lit petals stirring like they breathe with her. Tiny plumes of fox fire drift in slow circles around her body, brushing her sides with warm flickers. Her elongated ears twitch toward the sound. The neon butterfly wings at the base of her tail open in a trembling sweep, glowing faintly against the snow. She blinks through the falling flakes, her breath ghosting the air. She had not expected anyone else to wander the winter meadow. She barely expected herself.
When she finds him, only his outline is clear at first. Dark, tall, and gangly, moving with almost a loose-jointed awkwardness that reminds her of something still growing into shape. Dapples scatter across his body like river stones, and grey-black feathers soften his forelegs. There's something missing to him, and she can't quite place it until the dark stallion nears closer; it is then that she realizes he doesn't have ears.
She freezes, eyes widening despite herself. She should be used to this by now. Beqanna is full of strange and beautiful bodies. She has seen creatures glowing, shifting, storm-touched, plant-grown, water-breathing. She should be unfazed. And yet the smooth curve where ears should be makes her blink twice, startled in a way she cannot hide. “Oh.” The word leaves her softly, almost swallowed by the hush of snow. “I… thought I was alone.” she expels as a warm ripple stirs inside her chest, making the lilies pulse faintly with green light. Something in her encourages her forward, a gentle push she does not understand but trusts anyway.
She steps closer, her hooves crunching into the snow. Her antenna quiver, catching the strangeness of the moment. Her fox fire sways behind her in lazy arcs of green flame. As she nears, the rest of his features settle into focus—dark scales down his cheeks and spine, the thin flutter of gills at his neck, dapples shimmering where the cold light touches them.
And then she notices the expression on his face. A sheepish, lopsided grin tugs at his mouth, as if he didn’t mean to speak at all. The sight softens something in her, a surprising warmth blooming beneath her ribs. He looks unusual, yes. But she cannot help thinking she does too.
“You feel changed?” she asks quietly, breath curling between them. Her wings flicker with her heartbeat, trembling softly. Her neon mane gleams faintly. “How so?” she adds, curiosity lacing her words as a small, shy smile begins to spread across her alabaster lips. "I'm Tipsy", she says gently.
@eddie
got a lil too excited about this post hehe
Her head lifts sharply, the water lilies blooming from her chest shifting with the motion, their green-lit petals stirring like they breathe with her. Tiny plumes of fox fire drift in slow circles around her body, brushing her sides with warm flickers. Her elongated ears twitch toward the sound. The neon butterfly wings at the base of her tail open in a trembling sweep, glowing faintly against the snow. She blinks through the falling flakes, her breath ghosting the air. She had not expected anyone else to wander the winter meadow. She barely expected herself.
When she finds him, only his outline is clear at first. Dark, tall, and gangly, moving with almost a loose-jointed awkwardness that reminds her of something still growing into shape. Dapples scatter across his body like river stones, and grey-black feathers soften his forelegs. There's something missing to him, and she can't quite place it until the dark stallion nears closer; it is then that she realizes he doesn't have ears.
She freezes, eyes widening despite herself. She should be used to this by now. Beqanna is full of strange and beautiful bodies. She has seen creatures glowing, shifting, storm-touched, plant-grown, water-breathing. She should be unfazed. And yet the smooth curve where ears should be makes her blink twice, startled in a way she cannot hide. “Oh.” The word leaves her softly, almost swallowed by the hush of snow. “I… thought I was alone.” she expels as a warm ripple stirs inside her chest, making the lilies pulse faintly with green light. Something in her encourages her forward, a gentle push she does not understand but trusts anyway.
She steps closer, her hooves crunching into the snow. Her antenna quiver, catching the strangeness of the moment. Her fox fire sways behind her in lazy arcs of green flame. As she nears, the rest of his features settle into focus—dark scales down his cheeks and spine, the thin flutter of gills at his neck, dapples shimmering where the cold light touches them.
And then she notices the expression on his face. A sheepish, lopsided grin tugs at his mouth, as if he didn’t mean to speak at all. The sight softens something in her, a surprising warmth blooming beneath her ribs. He looks unusual, yes. But she cannot help thinking she does too.
“You feel changed?” she asks quietly, breath curling between them. Her wings flicker with her heartbeat, trembling softly. Her neon mane gleams faintly. “How so?” she adds, curiosity lacing her words as a small, shy smile begins to spread across her alabaster lips. "I'm Tipsy", she says gently.
@eddie
got a lil too excited about this post hehe