Chapter Text
Suddenly, there was light, or the lack of it. Everything was gray, blurry, as if the world were covered by a thick mist. There were no shapes, no outlines. Just a dimness that moved slowly, without hurry.
But there was warmth.
A warmth that came from below, from all sides, enveloping my body like a hug. I didn't know what it was, but I felt that it was good, as if the very ground wanted to protect me. And there was a soft hand, firm and delicate. It rested upon my head and began to stroke it. The touch was gentle, rhythmic, like a song without words. And I felt my eyes grow heavy again.
— Hello, little one. You can sleep a little longer, don't worry.
The voice was kind and careful, and as if magic words had been spoken, I fell asleep.
When I woke up again, the mist was gone. The place was beautiful, cozy, colorful, and other words I didn't know how to describe. I was lying on something incredibly soft. A fluffy surface, full of curves and contours that adjusted to my body, making it perfect even if I moved. I raised a hand and touched what was around me. They were fabrics, many fabrics, piled on top of each other. Some were smooth, others furry, others had their own textures, all with a wide variety of beautiful and calm colors. I didn't know their names, but I would find out later: pillows, blankets, cushions. The Nest, as she later called that place.
The ground beneath the nest was strangely warm despite being stone. Not an uncomfortable heat, but a constant temperature. Around me, some colored crystals were flying, softly illuminating the environment, and they continued throughout the rest of the place. The cave extended into a corridor; its walls were uneven stone. The red crystals reminded me of her eyes... whose eyes?
I walked through the corridors with some difficulty, leaning on the walls. My body was strange—everything felt heavy and light at the same time. But as I forced myself to walk through the place, I had the feeling that it was starting to get a little easier. It seemed like if I kept walking around, I would eventually be able to do it without any difficulty or stumbling, so I kept going.
And it was as I turned the cave corridor that I saw her.
She was sitting not far away, on a stone that seemed to have been carved into a shape for that very purpose. Her hair was like fire, a red almost as vivid as the color that resided in the crystals. It was long and made many curves, as if dancing, falling over her shoulders like rivers of ember. Her skin was fair, with a warm glow, as if there were light inside her. And her eyes... the ones I had remembered.
They were like living embers. They didn't have a specific color, they were exactly like small sparks moving within her eyes. Eyes that looked at me with an intensity that wasn't threatening, but deep. As if she were trying to read my thoughts.
She smiled.
It was a small smile, but genuine. Her lips curved slowly, and her fiery eyes narrowed with tenderness.
— Good morning, little one — she said, waving at me.
The same melodic, gentle voice. The same hand that had caressed me. Now I was seeing her completely, without that strange mist.
— Are you alright? — she asked, tilting her head. — Can you understand me?
— Y-yes — my voice came out a bit shaky, so different from the clarity of hers. How could I make it as clear as hers?
She laughed, a sweet laugh, as if my attempt had charmed her.
— That's okay — she said, standing up and coming toward me. — It gets easier with time.
She crouched down beside me, at my height, and reached out her hand. She touched my face lightly with her fingers, like someone touching something precious. I felt the warmth of her skin against mine, and something inside me calmed down. I didn't know why I had been scared, but in that moment, it had disappeared.
— You don't need to rush — she continued. — You have all the time you need.
I stood there, still, looking at her. The light from the crystals danced in her red hair, making it shine like living fire.
This place is good. This person is good.
She stood up and walked back to the same stone and gestured with her hand to another stone beside her. I walked over and sat down, looking at her.
— You're doing well, much better than I was when I started — she said with a mischievous smile. Much better than she had started? I thought, not understanding. — You seem curious, don't you? That's good.
She leaned toward me.
— Do you want to know something, little one? — she whispered. — I was also raised by someone. And I've been through this—it's normal, okay? Me, for example, back then I could barely stand, and you're already managing to walk. But either way, the secret is to keep trying — she said, looking at me with the same playful smile.
I don't exactly know what I am, what she is, or what this place is, but I like all of it, whatever it is.