what if...

it takes the boy a while to register the light footsteps growing steadily closer, absorbed as he is in the novel balanced between his paws. Las has taken great pains recently to properly furnish his new spot, gathering leftover animal pelts and feathers to construct a cosy little reading bed. directly above, resting on a handful of newly-constructed shelves, his books sit pride of place. they’ve been carefully alphabetised and meticulously dusted, with a particularly large feather dedicated to the sole task of maintaining his display’s cleanliness. sometimes Las will catch himself just staring at them dreamily, sighing in bliss as he imagines all the stories he’s yet to read, all the information he hasn’t gotten his paws on yet. in any case, it’s certainly warmed him to his father considerably. humming to himself, he flips a page and rests his chin in his paw, eyes skimming across the new paragraph with easy contentment.

a new presence draws his attention, and he lifts his gaze to find his sister, Pythia, settling nearby. an easy smile flits across his face, eyes crinkling as he snaps his book shut. of all his siblings, he appreciates Pythia’s calmer countenance - but her eccentricities intrigue him, too, making her an engaging conversationalist. “hello, Tia,” Cutlass greets, rising to shelve his book. he pauses at her question, glancing down at the cover of his latest read with a considering hum. his bookworm status might baffle some of his siblings, but he appreciates when they ask after his current subject of interest - providing the question is genuine, and not a ploy to tease. Pythia’s interest, he’s pretty sure, is.

“it’s a story,” he begins, reclining back on his haunches, “about a pair of lovers. they want to be together, but their kingdoms keep them apart. one night, they agree to meet at the halfway point between their kingdoms and run away. one of them show up. but the other one changes their mind and decides they can’t leave their kingdom behind. their duties are too important. so the first lover waits all night, and when the sun rises, the second lover finds the first dead in the snow. they’d died of a broken heart.” he breaks off, frowning a little. truthfully, he hasn’t been entirely sure what to make of the story; he finds himself wondering what Pythia might think. “it’s…sad.”

wc: 787/1500

"Cutlass Fallen"