FotN '21: Aurora

The pressure of the deep ocean was nothing to a colossal Ocean dragon like Egg, but there was still relief to be found when he rose to shallower waters; a light, airy feeling as he escaped the weight of the deep. His fins rippled in the frigid waters, long body flexing as he pushed nearer to the stars that swam on the other side of the water’s edge. He crested with a powerful toss of his head, water spraying into the air as he snaked his way across the surface of the water. Egg plowed through to the thick packed ice, clawed feet digging in as he hefted himself up out of the water.

Overhead, a streak of green caught his eyes. Egg looked up, mesmerized as curtains of light gleamed across the night sky, blue and green as summer seas. The aurora broke and reformed like waves on the water, ribbons of light casting an iridescent glow onto the ice below. Egg’s great maw opened, and he tipped his head up, wondering what it would taste like if only he could catch it in his teeth and drag it down to the depths in which most things quickly stopped fighting.

It was impossible. Maybe not for a flying dragon, but that wasn’t for him to know.

It also wasn’t possible for his brothers to say he hadn’t. They weren’t here. They probably hadn’t seen the aurora for themselves and known how very far out of reach it was. How could they say he hadn’t wrestled a great, glittering sky snake into the deep ocean where he thrived? His long tail thrashed along the ice, imagining what he’d tell them it had tasted like, how jealous they’d be. Levi would be worried, but he wouldn’t actually have done anything dangerous, so it would be fine.

For now, he crossed his forefeet and lay his head on them, watching the aurora dance overhead.