Life Beyond the Big Top

Little Engine Lost pt. 1

A young girl softly hummed a tune before opening her eyes, revealing deep pools of sapphire, clear as crystal and glinting with mystery and intelligence. Her hair flowed down her back and hugged her hips, like a veil of molten gold, rippling gently in the breeze. Amidst her beautiful locks, two large triangular cat ears twitched, and her long cat tail with a sapphire tip wrapped around her leg.

Blinking, the girl slowly looked around in confusion, noticing how she was standing in the middle of the ocean. Looking to her left, she can see the beach outside Arlesdale, and to her right, the sun slowly rising. The soft, warm glow of a new dawn cast a dazzling shine across the water, the surface looking like a cloak made of rubies and amber sprinkled with stars.

Hearing soft humming that echoed her own, the girl looked around, her ears pricked in confusion.

Slowly walking across the water was an older woman, wearing nothing but a long white cloak that billowed behind her. The fabric made her look as though she was wearing a ghost around her shoulders, as the material was transparent... and the younger female was able to see through it.

The older woman had beautiful blonde hair that barely touched the water's calm surface. Her figure was similarly shaped to that of the younger, only she had stretch marks on her belly, which Aurora could see as the woman got closer.

But what shocked the younger woman the most were the cat ears and tail the other woman had. Unlike hers, the older woman didn't have a blue-colored tip at the end of her tail, but they resembled her own in every other way. As the woman came to a stop, Aurora saw her eyes were closed before coming to a stop.

The younger woman watched curiously as the older female slowly sat on her knees, the water rippling gently around her. Her cloak fanned as she gently cupped some water into her hands. Bringing the water up to her bare chest, the older woman slowly opened her eyes, revealing two orbs of burning sapphire, blazing intelligence, and... something else Aurora couldn't place.

The older woman remained in her position, staring up at the morning sun, with those blue eyes. The younger woman wanted to call out to her, but her body seemed to be frozen, her eyes glued on the strange woman in front of her.

Gazing at her, Aurora finally realized that look in her eyes, the one she couldn't place earlier.

She was haunted...

THUMP

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A soft groan emitted from her lips, as Aurora's blue eyes fluttered open. As she rolled onto her side, ballast crunched beneath her, not unlike hailstones hitting a windowpane.

Slowly pushing herself up, she held her head, giving it a light shake to clear away thoughts of the dream- but it was futile.

Her golden hair was mussed up, and her sleepwear was dusty. She gave a small yawn, her ears flattening against her head as she did so. She then stretched, and listened to the noises of her joints.

In the distance, she could hear a soft cricket chorus (her hearing was phenomenal, being part-cat.) Her eyes adjusted, and she peered out.

She could see a faint fringe of pink-orange in the east, but the sky was otherwise still dark and beautiful, with the stars twinkling.

'That was a weird dream.' Aurora thought as she gingerly stood up, stretching once more. 'Who was that woman and why did she look like me?' She thought before looking to the side.