stamping flowers in the garden

a giggle bubbles up from Dulla’s throat and bursts forward, almost unbidden, from between satin lips. but she simply cannot help it; the stranger is charming and playful, and it stirs within her a mirroring sense of joy. her family, through their betrayal, denied her the brevity and carelessness of teenagehood, and often she feels a bone-deep weariness unbefitting of a girl her age. it is nice to be reminded that life can be fun, too. mimicking Medusa, she drops into an identical playbow, tail waving through the air like a flag.

after a moment, she shoots Medusa a conspiratorial grin and straightens, allowing Kas time to lift from her shoulder into the air. then, extending a tawny paw, Dulla wades out from the bank in slow, cautious strides, gaining confidence with each stride. the water is a blessed relief, splashing across her pelt and drawing from her a sigh of gratitude. “you were right,” she calls out to Medusa, that grin tugging at the corner of her mouth, “it has helped. immensely.” she lingers in place - and, should Medusa have entered as well, lifts a paw to lightly splash the woman with a teasing wink.