The wee hours of the morning were the best times of sneaking out of the den. When his siblings and nanny were sleeping and his mother was headed off for her day of scouting. Large ears flicked as he listened to the even breathing of those behind him. Nimble hooves picked their places carefully through the mess of legs and tails that made up his family. Qaletaqa paused a moment looking back at his twin and sister whom were nestled up close to their nanny. He would be right there with him, but he had something else in mind. He was going to follow mom and see what it meant to be a scout. The pre-dawn had started to rise about the time he was a few trees from home. Stopping young eyes looked up to spy the sky through the overlapping branches above. The stars still blinked brightly as the clouds passed effortlessly across their edges painted in pink, orange and gold. The dun was rising and soon the forest would be alive with everything from Jack Hops and Nouls. He had to hurry to find Sihaya and stick close to her. Though his attention was all over as light started to flood where there was once shadows. Stopping where he was walking, Qal watched as fingers of light stretched between trees driving the darkness to small spaces.
"So pretty, wonder if this is how the dawn always look." He mused before glancing around. "Shoot, where did Mama go? Man, now I'm lost..."
Turning around, it was hard to tell which way he had come from. The shadows were ever receding and light was making things awaken. Flowers were already starting to open and the tell tale signs of bees hummed in the air. Stepping backwards Qal missteped and tumbled backwards down a small incline and into what was Brightheart's clearing. When the world stopped spinning Qal looked around at the clearing. Now where was he?
"What sort of place is this? Bones and other things around?" Tilting his head to one side, Qaletaqa nosed at one or two of the small bones that had been laid out before something moved behind him.
"Careful with those little one. Those are to be the next companion brought back." said a kind and gentle voice.
Qal turned around quickly to star up at the strangely winged Noul. Backing up quickly Qal looked back to the bones trying to avoid looking at the Noul. A new comapion? bringing it back? These were things he didn't quite understand. He was sure that his nanny was teaching them about these sorts of things, but he wasn't exactly paying much attention. Tilting his head, Qal did have to look back up at the stranger.
"Bring them back?" he asked.
"Well, with a very special magic. One that pulls life back to bones and create what was lost." The noul explained as they went to move the now scattered bones back into place.
Qaletaqa watched as the bones made what looked like an animal. Four legs, a skull and other bones he was not sure what were. If he hadn't had his heart set on being a scout like his mother, he would be all for this life magic. But as it was he wasn't sure how this sort of thing would work with that job line. All the same, he was curious to know what sort of critter was to come from these bones.
"What sort of creature are these bones of? Do you know?" Qal asked as he again stepped forward to sniff at the old bones. Being careful this time as to not disturb them.
"That little one, we shall find out soon enough." Said the Noul as their horn had started to glow a pale pink with magic. "You might want to stand back, sometimes those brought back are still in fight or flight."
Qal skittered back as Brightheart leaned forward to rest their horn against the bones. They had started to glow the same pink as the horn and the creature started to form. Mesmerized by the magic, Qal, for the moment forgot about following his mother. Even forgot about the trouble he was going to get him with his nanny. Also his siblings were bound to be upset too...
After a moment or two, the new critter sat before the strange winged Noul. Qal stepped forward again to nose at the strange thing, wondering just what it was. Really, he wondered if something like it would be good as a companion for scouting. But as things were, he had to find his way home before he was in even more trouble.
"I am in so much trouble..." he muttered looking around at the bushes, not knowing where home was...
Aw... Crap...
WC: 803
