Running Up That Hill

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2021
"Speech!"
His brother's hesitation was understandable, none of this made any sense at all. The silence that followed Balthier's uncertain response was ended when the dark boy glanced over and asked in a quiet voice, "Do you think dad is up there?" in a tone that fought not to betray anxiety. The pale yearling frowned at his paws for a moment, and then shrugged heavily. Balthier clarified almost right away, saying "Or I mean, do you think the moon is for us like... I don't know, we've had so much happen to us." To this, Solo still had no concrete answer. He lifted his gaze back up to the bright face of the full moon, its light reflecting on his dark mask and turning the ebony fur silvery-grey. His gaze tracked over the strange streaks of light that seemed to take up the rest of the vast black expanse overhead. Were those the stars? He hadn't even noticed, the moon stole any attention that might have been paid to the rest of the dark midnight skies. "Look at the stars, Balt. There's something wrong with them too," he murmured, jostling the other boy lightly with his shoulder to prompt him to lift his gaze. "I don't think we have the power to make the entire sky like this, so I think it's something else." he reassured his brother with a soft laugh, a weak attempt to lighten his dour disposition.

"Maybe it's got something to do with last winter, and the mammoths that showed up with that ice bridge? Perhaps this year we're seeing something else like that, but it's all in the sky." he mused aloud, snorting again as one of the ghostly fireflies floated towards him. Silver eyes turned towards his brother, and he lightly lowered his heavy skull to bump it gently into Balthier's neck. "Though I don't think that explains the hares and ptarmigans that have changed colour- have you noticed them too?" he questioned. Part of him wanted to make sure he wasn't losing his mind, while the rest of him just wanted to get his brother talking, maybe even laughing with him.