Flash Flood!

As the coughing subsides and Andy remarks about Aresenn being here, the boy casually mentions how he was in the neighborhood. His one-sided grin is meet with a gentle shake of her skull and a raspy laugh that devolves into another, painful bout of coughing. As soon as it passes, the girl suddenly remembers the pups that she had seen playing in the puddles and all thoughts of her own well-being are thrown out the window. On wobbly limbs, she attempts to stand, ignoring how heavy every square inch of her feels nevermind the fact that she cannot even lift her head more than a couple inches.

Aresenn’s words are met with a pleading glance toward him as she silently begs him to understand her unvoiced reasoning behind the need to protect them. They are family, small and mostly helpless which means that she must save them. Even though his words are mostly gentle, the undercurrent of frustration can still be heard. Her ears pin back as she continues to try and stand, to be strong and dive back into the flood waters to save the lives of others. However, the appearance of her father changes everything as he informs her that the pups are safe.

With a heavy sigh, she allows her fatigued body to collapses back down, tears pricking her eyes, not from coughing this time but sheer relief.  As her father asks for Aresenn’s help to get her to where Isa is, Andy suddenly hates how much of a burden she feels to the boy and her father. Looking up to Sirius, she tries her best to wave a dismissive paw toward him (which ends up being more of a single, weak flick) as she says, “I’m fine dad. Just need a few minutes. Go help the others.” She hopes that he ignores her weak, gravelly, breathy words and actually listens because she knows that are still those who need help, who need to be saved out there.

Andy thinks that a little break is all she needs and then she will be able to walk under her own power. Thankfully, Marshal shrieks an alarm and her father instructs Aresenn on where to take her before departing once more and leaving the pair alone. A shiver races along her spine and Andy attempts to curl into a ball but finds her limbs are not cooperating. Rain still pounds the Armada and its residents as the purple hued girl looks up to the fire-kissed boy, a shy smile tugging at her lips as blinks away the drops and says, “Just give me a second to rest.”

It is a request born from the fact that, if he tries to push her to get up right now, the girl will simply stumble around like a newborn foal and, more than likely, end up back in the water. Pale blue eyes lock with his golden gaze as she softly adds, “Thank you. For saving my life.” Her voice is rough from all the coughing she has been doing but her heartfelt gratitude can still be heard. Breaking eye contact, the girl lays her head on her forelegs as exhaustion settles over her like a heavy blanket. With Aresenn beside her, the girl knows that she will be fine.


"Andromeda Fatalis"