Sterling: Knight Quests

WC: 396 +1c pippet

So there I stood on the first day as a member of a drift (!!!), anticipation beating in my chest as I shifted my paws in the sand, other young elvyians joining my line. I stroked Dawn softly with one paw, his small presence comforting me, making me feel as though Pip was still here with me, and not off on her own duties. The small pippet gave me strength.

I couldn’t believe I had finally made it to this part of my life. I was so, so excited to begin- young, and hopeful, and while theoretically aware of the state of our once prosperous kingdom, I had yet to encounter anything in my own life that would make me aware of the grim state of the world.

Subtly, I appraised the Elvyian’s that were joining our line. There were only a few, of course- nowhere had recruits to spare, and our little outpost so far from Velorouse was hardly a priority.

Directly to my left stood a small, bright Elvyian who flapped his feathered wings nervously, and looked around with wide blue eyes. When I say small, I do mean small- he barely reached the height of my chest. I stared (subtly, I hope, but with great interest), at his tail- a capricorn Elvyian! I had never seen one before.

Next to him was a friendly looking Elvyian, about the same height as me, but round and stocky where I was lithe and agile. He noticed me looking and smiled back brightly. He was friendly looking, and had a beautiful blue-green plumage.

To my other side was an intimidating vian- his feathers a mix of light gray, and dark, dark blue, so deep it was almost black. He stared forward with a serious expression, not engaging with any of us. A smaller Elvyian with a beautiful tail gleaming in shades of blue and green and a bright red crest stood next to him, and ended our line.

So that was the five of us. Over the years we would grow closer, our own unusual, mottled, family. We would share moments of joy, of betrayal, we would laugh and love and cry, and be willing to lay down our life for each other. But in that moment we stood, strangers, in nervous anticipation, the possibilities of the shapes our lives could take stretched out before us.