a collection of tales [[ chronocompass writing ]]


Authors
Sunlitsecrets
Published
5 years, 3 months ago
Updated
3 years, 3 months ago
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Chapter 20
Published 4 years, 2 months ago
639

So I'm in this group that has me write quite a bit about some of my characters, and I figured I could put that stuff as a series on here! These short stories probably won't connect much, if at all.

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Author's Notes

This chapter by https://www.deviantart.com/the7eventhrider !

sun and shadow [ fajra and syntyche ]


Syntyche moved as stealthily as she could through the meadow; it was a frustratingly exposed vista, and she knew that they were not alone in the valley. She had seen tracks in the soft dirt that were larger than her own by far. The sun was high overhead and dusk still several hours off. At her side paced a surprisingly sedate fox, though its ears swiveled wildly and belied the quiet air of confidence. Overhead, Fajra banked on a thermal and dropped down to skim the tops of the pine trees at the edge of the meadow. She thought about dipping even lower and scraping her talons through the wildflowers, but a sudden sound from below made her falter. She banked hard and screeched a warning to Syntyche. 

The tsotska archer dropped to one knee. She could feel the vibrations of a growl beginning in her fox’s throat, and she laid a steadying hand between its ears. Wait, she wanted to call out to Fajra. Patience-

But Fajra had caught sight of something moving through the trees, heading straight for the meadow. She screeched again in fury. Just as the beast looked up, she unleashed a torrent of flame at its face. The beast snarled in fury and batted away the flames, surprised to find that they did not burn. “Consider that your only warning,” Fajra said, dropping onto a branch and flaring her wings. All around her hovered the promise of power; fire and light and fury incarnate.

Fairfax blinked and continued rubbing a paw across his nose. His drawl was remarkably unphased. “I wasn’t aware I needed a warning.”

Synthyche had begun to run the instant she saw the flames; she had half expected to find the forest aflame when she arrived at the edge of the meadow, but instead she found a massive kirin standing at the edge of the wildflowers. Fajra--despite her relative youth--had impressive control over her pyrotechnics. 

Fairfax blinked at the tsotska. “If anyone needs a warning,” he murmured, his voice still low and easy. “It’s you. Trespassers are not well tolerated at this estate.”

Syntyche, who was known more for her compassion than her temper, straightened her spine and stared at the massive light dragon. “No one can own the forest,” she said. “Or the fields.”

Fairfax flicked a whisker--a draconic equivalent to raising an eyebrow. “Nevertheless,” he said. “There are far more dangerous beasts than me in these woods. A hunting party is passing nearby.”

And sure enough, in the near distance there was the sound of leather and bridles, the faintest scent of gunpowder rolling through. Fajra bristled, her fiery visage brightening at the anticipation of a fight. Fairfax seemed amused. Slowly Synthyche became aware of the light shifting, bending in the meadow. Fajra seemed increasingly distracted by the kirin, and her gaze kept flicking from him to the horizon and the hunting party beyond.

“No one will see you here,” Fairfax rumbled, sinking down into the flowers and weaving an even thicker illusion, threading it through with a gilded charm. 

Syntyche shook her head to clear it. When Fajra began to croon a sweet, siren-like song, the tsotska flushed a little at the ears. “I’ll wait for you,” she said, gesturing faintly back the way they had come. Her only answer was a slight dip in the song, and the impression of the illusion growing even brighter, shielding both dragons from her view.  The fox was apparently torn between accompanying Fajra or sticking to Syntyche, but it fell into step beside her. When she walked back across the field, she realized her own footsteps left no tread, cloaked by the illusion.

At least the other dragon was not a liar, she thought to herself, though she didn’t find it easy to trust him, either...