Borealis

Borealis hums, forked tongue flicking in and out of his mouth. His body is covered in charcoal and chalk dust, the canvas in front of him just as messy. Reaching up, he pushes his hood back with a messy elbow, and squints closer at his artwork. Without taking his eyes off the paper, he fumbles for his toolbox, and closes his claw around a piece of chalk colored a vivid pink. And a few strokes later, the soft smile and fluffy mane of his familiar begin to take shape. He smiles now, a bright and happy thing. Hours quickly pass as his claws fly over the canvas, his art becoming more and more detailed, the curled shape of his goblin sprawling across the page.

At last, he puts his chalk down, arms aching from the hours of work. But his eyes are shining, and a smile is still dancing across his face. Then, in one smooth motion, he grabs his canvas and spreads his wings, soaring into the blue sky above. Far below him, the ocean flickers by, and Borealis can just see the scales of some enormous creature gliding beneath the waves.

He lands in the entrance of the lair, a puff of chalk dust rolling out from where his talons touch down. Artwork tucked under one arm, he trots to his room, a cheerful bounce in his step. With a quick push on the faded door, he steps inside.

The walls are hung with his art, each one clearly the result of hours, or even days, of work. Some are tiny, barely the size of a claw, but others are massive. One wall is taken up entirely by a mural of all the dragons in the clan. Borealis wastes no time, hanging his most recent work on a wall crowded with depictions of other familiars. Circling back down to the ground, he settles in the center of his room and smiles proudly. With this new addition, the entire room is completely covered in artworks.

"See?" He says, talking to someone who isn't here anymore. He smiles again, softer and sadder. "I told you I could do it."

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Thanks to Salamanderpie for the dragon!
Petals added on 5/08/16