Steady Pulse

Aliana could tell Chimera wasn't happy by the strange entities that had invaded his island home. She was perturbed by their appearance as well, but she was more concerned than angered. The chimeric wolf beside her growled a few times and plucked one of the crystals from the tree. Ali watched as he did so, noting that the tree beneath it seemed unharmed. So they were just like growths on top of the bark, not actually a part of the wood? How bizarre. Aliana reached a tentative paw towards the cluster of six crystals she'd been staring at and delicately tapped one, watching as the cluster as a whole thrummed to life in much the same way they had when Chimera touched them, then ebbed back into the heartbeat-like pulsing glow. Their light captivated the clouded fae, feeling drawn in and entranced by the crystals. Bathed in their supernatural glow, Ali reached forward to touch them again.

When her paw made contact with the crystals, they once more lit up brighter as if her touch had sparked a surge of life into them. A soft gasp escaped the petite woman's lips when she suddenly felt the pups inside her squirm about, kicking her from inside while they adjusted themselves inside her cramped womb. She flinched, fighting against the ache of pressure it caused. Had touching the crystals somehow upset them? No, that was ludicrous to think about! She looked up to Chimera, hoping he hadn't noticed her reaction, but offered him a reassuring smile in case he had. She was fine—just pregnant woman things.

Following his gaze up the tree, her eyes spotted clusters of those glowing blue fireflies dancing between the branches of the tree. "Those are the same fireflies we saw on the beach," she noted. They were also the same ones she'd seen in the gardens with Dalila before. They also hadn't seemed inherently dangerous at first, and had even been delightful to watch. But now she questioned their true motive. Their presence here with the crystals couldn't be coincidence, and she knew Chimera was likely drawing that conclusion as well.

"Aliana"