Blossom Of Snow, May You Bloom And Grow

Unagi wasn’t sure what to expect when she presented the flowers to Delphi and, while she had thought that there might be anger, when it flickers across her sister’s features, the girl realizes just how much it hurts her heart. Guilt weighs her down, tugging at her features until they sag; reflecting exactly what she has been feeling on the inside. Ears droop, head ducks, and regret ripples like waves across a still pond over her. Tears suddenly sting the back of her eyes and she cannot help but think, yet again, that maybe, if she hadn’t been with her mother in Ashen, the black and white girl could have prevented this entire tragedy from ever occurring.

The flowers had been a weak attempt at an apology and, in her heart of hearts, the girl had known that but hope always lightens the heaviness that fear brings and she had carefully set about picking the edelweiss in the hopes of offering something that her words have been unable to express. Tail tucks as the anger builds in her smaller sibling and Unagi weakly says, “I’m sorry, Delphi.” She does not go on to explain or offer any sort of excuse for her not being by her sister’s side when she was hurt because, everything that Delphi feels toward her, is completely warranted.

Unagi does not try to deflect or defuse it any way because she knows that she deserves every single ounce of anger. Suddenly, her sister takes a deep breath, erasing the irritated look from her face in favor of replacing it with a hesitant smile. Collecting the flowers, Delphi places them in the satchel that is strapped over her shoulder, offering kind words that she knows she doesn’t deserve. Dipping her head in acknowledgement, the girl offers a weak smile but nothing else. Delphi is quick to change the subject and Unagi does her best to gather herself, offering a shrug of her shoulders at the prospect of having done anything fun lately.

However, her smaller sister quickly turns the subject to the fact that should probably be heading inside before she can she can even reply and turns in the direction that the caverns lay. Blinking, the black and white girl can’t help but feel like she is getting emotional whiplash from all the feelings that rapidly cycle through her. Uttering a soft, “Okay”, she moves to Delphi’s side and attempts to shield her from the worst of the wind that whips around them. While Delphi may not hold a grudge against her or be upset, Unagi decides she will do that for her and will continue to beat herself up over the fact for… well, forever.

Tilting her head down so she can look at her sibling, the fatter girl softly says, “I don’t know about fun but mom and I have been traveling between Ashen and here. We were staying there when we got the news about…” her words falter and fall away, the shame she has felt about the entire situation raising to the surface once more. Maybe she should have demanded that they return sooner or just struck out on her own to be beside her injured sibling. Head lifts, no longer able to meet Delphi’s gaze and she instead, looks out over the area and says, “What about you?”

A wince immediately pulls at her features at the poor choice of subject ad her tail tucks up against her belly as she readies for a verbal assault that she knows she deserves.


"Hattori-Klein Unagi"