The pond lay hidden behind the temple, shielded by thick clusters of bamboo and reeds that whispered in the morning breeze. Mist rose in silvery tendrils, curling and dancing above the water like living spirits, catching the faint light that filtered through the overhanging trees. Lira stepped carefully onto the damp stones, feeling the cold touch of moss beneath her bare feet, and paused to inhale. The air was thick with the scent of earth and water, yet there was an almost sweet undercurrent, the trace of something older, wiser.
Serelyth walked beside her in her human form, her white hair falling over her shoulders like a flowing waterfall, and her porcelain skin glimmering faintly in the diffused light. Her red eyes reflected the pond like twin rubies, patient, observant, and infinitely calm. Lira felt a rush of warmth at the dragon-lady's presence, a tether to reality that made the lingering tension in her muscles ebb slightly.
