Rosna flew through the tunnels that she had lived in for as long as she could remember, body stretched out to achieve maximum speed. The Fae was alone in her flight, her siblings choosing not to come with her. They had said it was because they hadn't felt like exploring that day. Rosna knew it was because she was the fastest of them all. Rosna loved going fast, and the empty tunnels were the perfect size for her to speed through them. She did have to take care to not get lost, something that had happened a few times in her travels.
The first time she'd gotten lost, she hadn't been hatched long at all. She had wailed, and wailed, desperate for someone to hear her, whether it be Teacher or one of her many siblings. Thankfully, Teacher had been wandering nearby and had come to her rescue, letting the tiny Fae cling to her mane and sob about how scared she'd been. Since then, Rosna took care to keep track of where she'd been exploring so that it didn't happen again.
Slowly, Rosna drew to a halt, hovering in the air as she came to a fork in the tunnels. Light shone faintly from the tunnel on the right, the darkness continuing on the left. The urge to take the right tunnel swelled within her. It was her biggest wish to leave the tunnels and see the Above. Teacher had told them of the Above in one of her and her siblings' first lessons.
"Can we visit the Above?" Rosna had asked.
Teacher had turned to stare at her, a sad expression on her face as she shook her head. "No. Maybe once you are older, but for now, no."
Now that Rosna was older, she wanted to go to the Above and explore it. Staring at the sky through the openings in the tunnel ceilings just wasn't enough to sate her curiosity anymore. But whenever she brought it up with Teacher, Teacher always refused. Something about it not being safe. One day, I'll see what lies outside these tunnels. My siblings may be content to stay here, but I know that the world has so much more to offer!
"Rosna!" Rosna turned to see Defka clumsily lumbering towards her, the massive Guardian having not quite grown into her massive feet just yet.
"What is it?" Rosna hadn't been gone long, or at least she thought she hadn't been gone long. Time had a way of sneaking away from her whenever she went on one of her adventures.
"Teacher sent me to find you. She was worried about you." Defka glanced at the light tunnel. "And it seems she was right to worry."
"Oh please Defka, not you as well." Rosna huffed. "I don't understand why Teacher fears the outside so much. It can't be that bad."
"Don't you remember the story of how we-"
"-how we ended up here? Yes, I remember very clearly. Dragons fighting in the sky, and us as little eggs, falling down here."
"Exactly! How could you possibly think that going outside is a good idea?"
Rosna rolled her eyes. She loved her brother, really, she did, but there were times like these where she wished he just wouldn't speak. Defka wasn't like Rosna. He didn't share the same sense for adventure that she did. He would rather stay under the earth and care for his siblings. It was sweet. Usually.
"Defka, it's been a long time since Teacher went outside. She even admitted it to us that she doesn't know what lies outside these tunnels anymore! And neither will we unless we actually go outside."
Defka shook his massive head, nearly whacking Rosna with it. "N-No… we're safe in the tunnels!"
Rosna sighed. This wasn't an argument that would be won today. Instead, she flew up to perch on one of Defka's horns, wrapping her tail around the appendage to keep her balance.
"Come on brother, let's go home."
Defka let out a content grumble, lurching along as he began the trek back to their home. Rosna turned to look back at the tunnel with light. She fought back the urge to go and explore.
One day she would know what lay in the Above.
One day.