Eve

The lost Sister

Eve gently curled her claws around her old deserted shell, the old greenery casement long set to wither with its purpose served. However, she couldn’t bring herself to toss away the last shard of her very own egg. Even as a hatchling, its shrewd wrongness stood out to her, a pinprick of green uncanny in the warm light that seemed to emanate from her mind but not her soul. Encased in volleys of bushels and vines, a jungle to be dreaded surrounding a delicate temple of light. For that was her mind, the soil her body, and the jungle her soul.

She never could quite understand the separation her being seemed to do upon herself. Why her mind seemed so inclined to the element of light while only her soul and body pulled to nature. Her eggshell was a constant reminder to try and grasp some kind of familiarity, her shell was nature, she’s nature.

Her musings were cut short by her own realization, it was growing late. She needed to appear at the mess hall before they would close for the day. Setting her memoir aside and bearing a crown of bones, she swept her tail aside with a flourish to sweep aside her earlier misgivings, metaphorically at least. Before making her way towards a late evening meal, the sun setting casted stunning shades of pastel lightness. Illuminating the cracks into her chosen mask of bone to bore with gradients from soft violet buds to flourishing lemon stars. Strange lines bore into the sunlight’s glow, to be unnoticed and therefore uncared about by the barer herself.

The twist and turns down into the clan's core was a path she knew very well, giving soft, solem greetings to those she both already knew and those she didn't. The ever current flow of travelers making a temporary home inside their walls had no reason to catch her attention nor admiration. So names were often lost on her, though she was not without her manners. A polite withheld nod or a curt hello was all.

Well, until she tripped over her own tattered accommodations and fell onto a stranger of blue.

“Oh goodness!”

Came an exclamation from the dragon below her. Eve, becoming quickly embarrassed, was fast to rise off the other dragon. Being a small fae, she never expects to barrel into, let alone knock over, anyone. But the fae in front of her was slightly smaller than even her.

“Apologies, I did not see you there.”

She said in her usual muted tone, stoney as her scales with only a small crack of her flustered posture.

The dragon before her had soft scales of white with a light blue belly and stormy wings, eyes so deep as to be mistaken for the earthen element. However the bright yellow twinkling of amusement in their eyes rectified her mistake.

“Oh! It’s fine, it’s fine! My name is Dewdrop, who are you? I don’t think I’ve seen you before? Though you seem familiar!” The bubbly personality of the armored fae briefly took Eve aback, her fins slightly perking in surprise before flattening in curiosity. A look copied within the other fae, albeit with a flair of excitement, a faes fins being the key to their expressions, so even the stoic Eve couldn’t hide her curiosity at the newcomer.

“I am Eve, I don’t leave my hollow much so perhaps that’s the reason you have yet to see me?”

“Maybe! Hey hey- where are you headed?”

“Just to the mess hall before they close up, it would be a shame to be late.”

“Oh! We should go together, come on!”

Eve didn’t quite know how to respond, was she curious of this strange but warm feeling fae? Of course, however she didn’t expect to be taken along like this. With little room to argue she walked alongside the easily joyful youth. Not that she was much older, it didn’t seem so at least, sizes could vary quite a bit even within their own species.

“What business do you have in the mess hall?”

Eve questioned with a slow tone, deciding the best course of action would be for some small talk to distract from the strange looks others gave. It was to be expected, Eve was never seen with anyone if she could help it. Let alone someone so upbeat.

“Oh, nothing at all! Hmmm, maybe I’ll grab a snack.”

“Then why ask to accompany me?

Dewdrop seemed to ponder it a bit, her fin pulling back in thought.

“Well… you remind me of my siblings?”

“Your siblings?”

Dewdrop nodded happily, a prance in her step.

“Mhm! You’re nice like em!”

They didn’t seem to care to explain any further, however that didn’t stop Eves' fins flicking in flush amusement.

"Just nice huh? Goodness, I must look worse than usual today."

Eve lightly teased, though her deadpan voice gave Dewdrop quite the fright.

"No no! Not like that! You're nice and pretty and cool and familiar!"

Dewdrop quickly rambled off, fins straightened out in her fumble.

"Hmm? That's the second time you've called me familiar now. Are you sure we haven't met before?"

Dewdrop huffed a bit, basically prancing beside Eve.

"I don't think so? But like- I feel like I really should know you. Like a really old friend!"

"Is this your way of making friends? Bumping into someone then following them?"

Eve withheld a chortle at Dewdrops immediate retort, though it must have shown on her face as the blue fae let out a long huff.

"You're so mean! What's wrong with making friends??"
"Nothing at all, your methods are simply… undoubtedly strange."

Dewdrop let out a 'hmmpf' and went silent for a bit. Letting Eve have some time for her thoughts. By this point she would have long made an excuse to leave, food be damned. But she didn't want to, it was strange and a little concerning. However she chalked it up to Dewdrops outgoing attitude and easygoing nature being refreshing. It having nothing to do with the fact just being around the fae settled her mind. Made her feel less trapped in her own skin.

"Hey!"

Eve blinked out of her thoughts, thoroughly back in the moment looking at the blue fae before her.

"Yes..?"

Dewdrop grinned then dug under her armor chitin, revealing a small shard of something yellow, glowing a gentle luring pale dandelion light.

"Here! Now be my friend!"

Eve was a bit taken back, but even in her dull mind she found she didn't quite want to refuse. Reaching out she took the shard, much more gently then she thought she would. Examining the strange almost crystallized rhombus shape.

"Hmm…"

Eve hummed, feigning great reluctance before she responded to the clearly nervous fae.

"I suppose I can be your… friend."

Eve barely had time to respond before Dewdrop had clamored around her in a snake-like hug.

"Yes yes!! Haha I knew you would say yes! Come on, let's hurry up and get to the mess hall!"

Dewdrop chortled out happily, a grin leaning on ecstatic on her face as she rushed ahead. Hand intertwined with Eves own, the dark boney dragon couldn't find it in herself to mind.

The two sisters venture onward, unknown of their own connection. Yet as fate shall have it, what is once lost

Shall always be found.


Art by Caliico