Firey Constellations

Chapter 1.3

Naylias POV:

My feet hit the hard ground, "Stay here. Only come if I call." I looked at Thorn, she bowed and flew to on top of the bolder that we passed when landing. The air was thin and sharp, it was like breathing icicles. 

I wrapped Adhara in my cloak to help keep her warm, as she stated to whine. "I know sweetie, but you're not safe anymore," I could feel my gaze lower as I grazed her cheek with my cold index finger, "and neither am I."

Third Person Point of View:

Naylia began the journey down the muddled forest path, mud clinging to her leather boots as she ventured deeper into the forest. The faint glow of the mushrooms provided just enough light to avoid wandering off the path and into the wailing woods spirits use to draw lost travelers to.

Hours passed, and the sun was going to peak over the mountains soon, but Naylia couldn't find a spot hidden well enough that would protect Adhara from the elements and creatures. "I'm sorry baby," Naylia said as tears brimmed her eyes, "this isn't how it's supposed to be." She pulled Adhara into a long hug never wanting it to end, and it probably won't have if the eerie sounds of stars twinkling echoed close by.

Curious and desperate, Naylia walked further into the woods. The sound of stars grew stronger, and the sound of running water did as well. Pushing her way through the rest of the brush, there, Naylias got caught in her breath and the surrounding area began turning purple, she was afraid.

Across the large body of water by the waterfall, a memorizing blue dragon with hooks at the top of its wings, feathers that gently swooped down its neck, and cloudy eyes, lifelessly stared off into the night sky. "I can smell you human." The dragon said, "Leave at once, or suffer the consequences." It's body shifted to face Naylia, "Please, I need help." Naylia spoke. 

"You humans are all the same," the dragon stood up making its way into the water and to Naylia, "you always ask but never give." They were face to face. "Do you even know who I am?" asked the dragon. Naylia was silent for a moment, "...I'm afraid I don't." Her head dropped ashamed. "I am Araceli," the dragon spoke, "The Sky Altering Dragon." Naylia's head perked, "I do know you!" She exclaimed, "you were the one to help our kingdom win its war." Naylia got onto her knees. Araceli watched, "Please Araceli, you have to help me," Naylia began, 'not even me, my daughter." Naylia raised Adhara for Araceli to see.

Araceli looked down upon the child, "I do not involve myself with humans," Araceli paused, "not after what you humans did to me." She revealed the slashes caused by swords, axes, and arrows under her feathers. Naylia stared for a moment, "Araceli, I am so sorry, you did not deserve this." There was silence. "Thank you," Araceli said, "but this doesn't change my mind. Go home."

"Wait!"Naylia screamed, "I'm not like those humans that did that to you," she paused, "and neither is my daughter, She's just a week old." A tear escaped Naylia's eye. "Please let me explain why I need your help." She wiped her tears. "Fine, but this isn't me agreeing to help you," Araceli said, "me just being curious."

*** Time skip and Araceli's POV

"This is why I need your help now that I have found you," the human spoke, "I want my daughter to live a life, not kept hidden away, used for experiments." What was this feeling building up inside me? Is it sympathy? No,I hate humans, even the ones who haven't opened their eyes to look at the world yet. "My answer is still no. I'm sorry." I began to depart into the water when a surge of magic stopped me in my tracks.

I turned to see the small human's eyes open, her mother on the ground. Was that from the small human? I sat and inspected it, its tiny fingers grabbed the tip of my beak. If that magic surge was from this small human, then maybe she's the one the oracle talked about all those years ago.

"I will take good care of your small human you call Adhara." I said to the human laying on the ground as I scooped up the small child in my mouth. "I will keep her safe." And with that, the small human and I were off to the deepest part of the Forbidden Forest, far away from the Court of Magic.