Grief of the Father
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
After a few months of constant fear of discovery, Shade watched the hatchling tear its way through the frail eggshell and take its first breaths. It had two wings, two eyes, all of its tail fins, and the proper amount of claws on each of its paws. All in all, it was a strong hatchling; a healthy daughter.
He stood by as she opened her eyes for the first time. He gasped at the sight. Her eyes were perfect replicas of her mother's, the same blue-green of the ocean.
Shade had decided before that, should the hatchling be female, he would call her Night Wind. But, he found himself, time and time again, calling her by a mix of both her name and her mother's. So, this mix became her name: Shadow Wind.
Despite loving his daughter with his entire being, Shade couldn't help but to think about Shadow Wing. His heart felt hollow for not sharing these memories with his mate. He wished that she could have been there to see their daughter's first words, first steps, or first flight. And every time he looked into Shadow Wind's eyes, he longed again for his mate's company.
Helpless, Shade felt his mind slipping deeper and deeper into a dark pit of despair. His demeanor grew darker and darker until his heart had been hardened against even his daughter. The only thing that seemed to calm him was his nightly walks to the seaside cliffs.
One night, he left Shadow Wind much earlier than usual, upon feeling his great despair raising its ugly head. "Papa?" Shadow Wind called after him. He did not respond.
Naturally curious, as all hatchlings are, Shadow Wind followed her father. After a while of walking, the young dragon reached the seaside cliffs. She scampered towards Shade, happily giggling, "Papa! You left me behind!"
Lifting his gaze to the heavens, Shade believed he saw Shadow Wing gesturing for him to come to her. Closing his eyes, Shade murmured, "I fall that I may fly to you, my love." Without any knowledge that Shadow Wind was behind him, Shade let himself fall into the ocean.
"Papa!" Shadow Wind cried, running to the edge of the cliff. She peered down at the water and just caught a glimpse of her father sliding under the waves. Without a second thought, she dove after him. She pulled clumsily out of the dive moments before hitting the water.
Shadow Wind searched tirelessly for an hour, praying that her father might resurface. He never did. She flew back up to the top of the cliff and flopped down. Having lost the only family she had ever known, she cried for a rather long time, until the cool night wind finally dried her tears.
Feeling empty, Shadow Wind lay for a few hours near the sea, listening to the cruel waves crashing against the cliff. Finally opening her eyes, she cast her gaze towards the great multitudes of stars glistening overhead. "Where does Papa fly now?" she asked them in a small voice choked by tears. "Where do his wings glean the air? Where does he lie, that I may lie by his side again? Where can I again hear his words of love? Where? Where, stars?"
Shadow Wind dragged herself to her paws, moving slowly towards the edge of the cliff. She looked down at the water, watching the moonlight glint off of it. "Oh, that I had the courage to throw myself also into you, you cruel maw of earth!" she exclaimed after a few silent moments. "You have swallowed up my family, you rolling monster!" She blasted the sea with a fireball, which seemed to do nothing.
Sighing heavily, Shadow Wind turned from the sea. Walking inland some way, she flopped down again. Drawing her tail over her eyes, she gave herself up to sleep.
To be continued…
