She wore black as befit a grieving woman. It was her first time out in months, yet she was beginning to regret it. Shouts filled the air as he hurried onwards.
“We found the shapestealer pup!”
She stopped and turned. Pushing her way through the crowd she found what the men had hunted: a small green dragon hissing, spreading its puny wings.
“Get away, it’s just a child!” She lifted the small thing into her arms and ran through the parting crowd.
She risked a glance down; the dragon had changed into a fair haired boy.
“My child, now.”
That was a lovely thing to do. And she got rewarded for it! I hope things turn out OK for them.
ReplyDeleteIt's very easy to fall into the worlds you create - it's almost as though you're so at ease and completely in them, it makes it easy to take a walk through them. They seem very real to me! I love this story - her grief finds a focus through an act of kindness.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely. Great way to find a new loved one and one of those stories that wants to make you know more.
ReplyDelete@Charitygirl: Thankyou, that's one of the nicest things anyones said to me :)
ReplyDeleteI'll write a follow up on what happened to the child and mother. They will have hardships ahead because some humans fear and hate shapeshifters. Still I'm a sucker for happy endings.
I love this story!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the follow up.
Good to know you're a sucker for happy endings, because I am too--and want to spend as much time in your world as possible.
ReplyDeleteYour creatures are absolutely fascinating, and I like how the young shapeshifter latched onto its rescuer by taking a similar form to her.
I also love the term "shape-stealer". I don't know how shapeshifters work in your world, but I imagine that's a great derogatory term for them that stirs up fear of losing one's own shape to them--which presumably is inaccurate.