Leftrin kept watch for the night. A couple of hours after the other two had fallen asleep, and she was already bored. She crept off to the river.
Leftrin jumped in and tried to get as much of herself underwater as she could. She could stick her head into the water, but that left her back end sticking up like a duck. An idea struck her, and she started gathering large rocks from the bank, carefully placing them on her wide back and keeping her wings up to hold them in place. She stepped in again, and the rocks pushed her all the way under! Overjoyed, she tried to swim - and found the weight of the rocks kept her from going anywhere but where the current was taking her. She frantically tried to take control until she hit an underwater root, knocking all the rocks off her back, and shot back up to the surface. Leftrin crawled back onto the bank, disappointed. She had been sure that would work. Oh well, she thought, wandering back to camp.
Shimmershale was back at the Sea of a Thousand Currents. She could see a dark blur ahead of her - her father. As he walked across the water, Shimmer tried to follow, but started to sink. As she floated downward, she realized that she could still breathe - but she was very wet and very uncomfortable. She saw lights floating at the bottom of the sea, and as she got closer she saw her home in Fire territory. She had just gotten dry when her dream ended, leaving the rest of her slumber peaceful.
Marla, on the other hand, was not sleeping peacefully. She was back in Light territory - in the clan she left. She saw her father, a dark blur, and she couldn't see an expression. She saw her mother, and her clanmates, and her leader, and they were all disappointed, or mad, or scared as they saw her. Even the Lightweaver herself looked down on her with contempt.
A single, coal-black tear.
Leftrin came back to see Marla whispering in her sleep. Leftrin moved toward her, until a rivulet of water ran down the Snapper's face. Leftrin reluctantly moved over to Shimmer, staying near the Fire dragon's warmth until her scales were almost uncomfortably dry. Then Leftrin crept back over to Marla. She laid down and curled herself up next to the shaking Mirror, reaching her small wing over Marla's back. Marla gave a small sigh and her quaking lessened. Leftrin lay there until she saw the sun begin to creep over the horizon.
Leftrin jumped in and tried to get as much of herself underwater as she could. She could stick her head into the water, but that left her back end sticking up like a duck. An idea struck her, and she started gathering large rocks from the bank, carefully placing them on her wide back and keeping her wings up to hold them in place. She stepped in again, and the rocks pushed her all the way under! Overjoyed, she tried to swim - and found the weight of the rocks kept her from going anywhere but where the current was taking her. She frantically tried to take control until she hit an underwater root, knocking all the rocks off her back, and shot back up to the surface. Leftrin crawled back onto the bank, disappointed. She had been sure that would work. Oh well, she thought, wandering back to camp.
Shimmershale was back at the Sea of a Thousand Currents. She could see a dark blur ahead of her - her father. As he walked across the water, Shimmer tried to follow, but started to sink. As she floated downward, she realized that she could still breathe - but she was very wet and very uncomfortable. She saw lights floating at the bottom of the sea, and as she got closer she saw her home in Fire territory. She had just gotten dry when her dream ended, leaving the rest of her slumber peaceful.
Marla, on the other hand, was not sleeping peacefully. She was back in Light territory - in the clan she left. She saw her father, a dark blur, and she couldn't see an expression. She saw her mother, and her clanmates, and her leader, and they were all disappointed, or mad, or scared as they saw her. Even the Lightweaver herself looked down on her with contempt.
Bright like her mother
Not Light enough
her father
Not worthy
Angel.... demon
Darkness inside
Go away
You're not wanted
She shivered in her bed, a single tear falling from her eye.Not Light enough
her father
Not worthy
Angel.... demon
Darkness inside
Go away
You're not wanted
A single, coal-black tear.
Leftrin came back to see Marla whispering in her sleep. Leftrin moved toward her, until a rivulet of water ran down the Snapper's face. Leftrin reluctantly moved over to Shimmer, staying near the Fire dragon's warmth until her scales were almost uncomfortably dry. Then Leftrin crept back over to Marla. She laid down and curled herself up next to the shaking Mirror, reaching her small wing over Marla's back. Marla gave a small sigh and her quaking lessened. Leftrin lay there until she saw the sun begin to creep over the horizon.