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I squint at the cloud, trying to picture it as an animal. "No idea, but it's not leaving, and I'm assuming you dropped your intentions. Why not try picturing it coming alive? Not as a specific animal. Just…" I suck on my teeth, trying to figure out how to put it into words. I knew what Shadow was, which I think made it considerably easier. "Okay, throw your intentions into making you a magical guide. Something that can help lead you. Shadow has ways of gaining my attention and letting me know he wants me to do specific things, so think about that. An animal guide."
"I guess it won't hurt to try," she mumbles, scrambling to her knees and facing the cloud. I adjust myself so her face is in my line of sight, watching as she closes her eyes and focuses. Minutes later, the shadows begin to morph. I have a hard time containing my shout of excitement, but I do until the animal is sitting in front of Tulip, staring up at her with shining, obsidian eyes.
"Open your eyes, Tulip."
She does, and the look on her face has me nearly falling over laughing. "Are you kidding me?" she complains. "You get a badass sep snake thing, and I've got…"
"A bunny rabbit." Now, I cannot restrain my laughter, and I lean into Tulip's shoulder to support myself.
The rabbit is larger than average and the color of a dark winterstorm cloud. Its eyes sparkle at Tulip, and its black nose twitches as it stares at her. Its ears are large and flop over. She reaches forward tentatively to rub its head, and it quickly jumps into her lap. As she wraps her arms around the familiar, the tension leaves her shoulders. "It's kind of cute," she says, dipping her face into the fur.
"It's really cute," I say, reaching forward to pet it.
The little shit tries to bite my fingers!
Now it's Tulip's turn to laugh uproariously, snatching the rabbit away. "Not sure why you'd try that. It's not like Shadow is super friendly."
"He is now!" The snake slides off my neck and slithers across the grass to where Tulip sits, lifting his head up and flicking his tongue out at the rabbit. It jumps from Tulip's arms, and the two are off, chasing each other and playing together like old friends. "What are you going to name it?"
"Hellebore," she says with all the confidence in the world.
"Like the plant?"
"Yeah, it's black, so…"
"A little on the nose, don't you think?"
Her head whips to me, incredulity making her jaw slack. "Lola, you named yours Shadow, for crying out loud!"
Together, the two of us fall into a pile of giggles as we watch our familiars run together, Hellebore pouncing and Shadow wrapping him up gently.
The door to the keep creeps open, and Plume emerges with Jaz on her heels, a cloth sack thrown over her shoulder. I hop to my feet and pull her tomy chest, wrapping my arms tightly around her waist. "You're sure?" I ask in her ear, where only she can hear. "I know firsthand how persuasive they can be."
"Viola," she says with a laugh. "It was my idea."
"And I cannot entice you to stay?" I ask, grasping for anything to keep Plume here. "I cannot imagine you not being here."
"You don't need me, for one, and for two, there are… not great memories here, Viola. I just need need something fresh."
I hold her at arm's length, admiring how the morning sun reflects on her long blonde hair, which is braided with flowers. The first boat of people from Ytopie made it to Rainworth yesterday, and the children Plume had spent training on their Spring magic were delighted to see her. They spent all day yesterday growing flowers and feeding them into her hair.
But besides the flowers, she's dressed for travel in brown leather boots, billowy cream pants, and a deep purple blouse that blows slightly in the wind. Her best accessory is the massive smile that lights her face up.
"You're always needed, Plume. You're family."
"I know. You're my family, too."
"You're not going to say goodbye to the others?" All of the fae are going to be devastated to know they missed this. Tulip joins us and wraps her arms around Plume, whispering goodbyes in her ear.
"I wasn't even going to say goodbye to you, Viola," Plume says, extracting herself from Tulip. "But you just happened to be out here instead of in the kitchen like you normally are this time of day."
"Youwere trying to sneak out!"
"Of course I was." She playfully pushes my shoulder. "This is not forever. I want to be a part of bringing humans from the Lowlands."
"And you don't want to leave me," Jaz says, walking up behind Plume and finally making themself known. "You can just say that, you know." Today, their hair is bright blue, shaved on the sides, and long and curly on top. Dressed very similarly to Plume, Jaz slings their arm around her and pulls her close. "It's time to go, Feather."
Plume's face lights up with a flush as she nods. "You're right. I'll see you soon, Viola, Tulip."
