At times, I sigh silently within my mind when I see how reluctant my father is to loosen up and embrace a simple day of relaxation. How old I feel; with how much I've been sighing and staring silently into space, I'll surely drive myself into an early grave. The desert that I once considered my perfect home no longer brought joy, and I feared that I was losing any chance at friendship I could have had. The ticking of a clock had taken up residence in my head, counting down to an event I knew neared, but had no clue as to what it would be. I felt as if my life was wasting away in endless hours of sun and sky, doing nothing of value, floating along until something disrupted my path for me. Was I worth anything, truly? I had no job other than apprenticing beneath the kind Sohalia, and I rarely saw my own family. Why was it that, at last, I had been given everything I had ever wished for, and yet they were held so distant from me? I longed for Hototo's sweet awkwardness, his support and understanding. Ranjiri's adorable antics, her loyal love for myself and my princely brother. Even Father was distant now, consumed by a world I could not enter, stuck in a place I could not reach him. How long until I could no longer deny that I was sheltering a deep bitter resentment towards the life I lived? For so long I'd ignored it, willing it into the dark recesses of my mind, refusing to feel so negative when I had been taken in and loved so wholly.

By the time I shake away the sorrowful stare I can feel dripping down my features, Father has joined me free from the earth. So many places to choose from, and yet the compass of my heart pointed towards the two most important beings in my life. Already I was instinctively pointing north, yearning to be with them once more. It was agonizing, but I swallowed down a lump of longing and focused instead on my father's words. Smiling in return, only to have it drop in shock as his wing brushed against mine, pointing me back down toward our Lord's domain. Panic did not set in. I was a child of the heavens, and instinct took hold long before any fear could. For why should I be afraid, when this was the one place I was safest? Going with the motion I let my left wing tip down until the longest of my feathers were pointing like daggers towards the sand below. I dropped in altitude sharply, curling myself inward so that I dropped speedily beneath my father's hooves, unharmed with how quickly I had dropped. Unfurling my appendages once more I swung out to his left, rocking so that my wings took separate turns deciding which would be higher. Once I had settled horizontally once more, I grinned mischievously up at my father, more than willing to play along with this.

Heavy wingbeats pushed me higher, catching the wind he sailed upon and rising back to his level. Playfully I called out to him, nicker lost on the wind as I reached out with my right wing, hoping to catch my father's hindquarters and the end of his wing where it met his body. Ilaria was extremely unhappy with this new game, having to cling tight enough to pierce my skin with her nails whenever I caught myself in a roll. Laughing out loud, I climbed higher and higher, as if daring my father to chase me to the break where the clouds were beneath us even on stormy days. Sunlight bounced joyfully off the paling color of my feathers, turning lighter with every fortnight. It was as if every molecule of my being was celebrating this beautiful day and the rare opportunity to be with my dad that came along with it.

Overhead I swirled in small circles and dropped a few feet, only to climb higher once more. Arching up and plunging towards earth headfirst like a swimmer jumping up and diving into a pool. Whether father followed us or not, I was able to occupy and enjoy myself quite thoroughly knowing he was simply there. My eyes search for Fina on instinct and habit, wanting my avian sister to join me in my play. Our play, I reminded myself, still not used to my father's presence no matter how happy it made me. Ilaria was hissing unhappily through our bond, but her frustration and fear was dulled by her relief that I was happy and having fun. I embraced the azure ceiling joyfully, perhaps with more than usual now that my father could share the skies with me instead of only Fina and my thoughts.

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OOC: gah this is so so so terrible, but I wanted to get this up for you ;___; let me send you a thousand apologies now