She’s been waiting for this, anticipating it with a hunger so fervid she can practically feel it coiling through her veins. As her siblings breach the barrier, Jamie squirms from Ignita’s embrace, eager to follow. “Mama,” the girl protests, rolling her eyes in exasperation, “let me goooo.” She leans in to brush her cheek against Ig’s, a small concession, and then quickly breaks away.
Tottering a little on oversized feet, Jamie spills from the den and clambers into the open air, relishing the breeze as it hits her face. That dual-coloured gaze lifts to the sky, squinting as a barrage of sensations hit her: the breadth of the sky, the rough scrape of rocks underfoot, the floral scent of springtime. She soaks it all in with wide eyes, a princess acquainting herself with her kingdom. And then, inevitably, a cough works it’s up her throat, scratching against the roof of her mouth until she can no longer hold it in. Scowling, the girl dissolves into a small coughing fit, lifting a paw to cover her mouth as she though she can shove it all back down. Still, it’s not enough to dampen her spirits; not on such a momentous day.
