Regal Crown, Swift of Foot

Topaz awoke from her exhausted sleep from her arrival in this offensive world. A curious sight awaited her, a creature a mirror image to her own. Though this one was covered in a downy green fluff, an off-white belly, and dark green striping adorning their withers and limbs. This one would become known as ‘Fern’. The creature seemed to react the same, eyeing her suspiciously. What it instead saw was a plain dark tan body and a lighter cream snout and limbs. Then it made a sound like the creaking wooden giants around them both, an decidedly unspoken question: “Who are you? What am I?.” Topaz made the same sound, the same questions. The two then looked around, their suspicion of each other waning enough to let their guard down.

Fern looked in trepidation at the strange long structures around them, their leafed fingers reaching towards the sky. Topaz notes his observation and lets out a rolling chirp, something of a laugh at this reaction. Fern let out a squawk of indignation, shooting her a sour look as he realizes that these giants, trees, are nothing to worry about. The ground beneath them was soft and wonderfully plush. This material, known as moss, delighted them both as they shifted around in their curious inspections. Behind them both were the discarded remains of their previous homes, its surface the color of cream and lightly pitted.

Topaz was the first in testing her limbs, pushing against the ground to get closer to Fern. His now dried downy fluff was irresistible, the heat detected by her despite the short distance. Eventually, she reached him after some effort. Fern returned his attention to Topaz too late, her body colliding with his as she lost her balance. He let out a small series of shrieks that is universally known to all cryolophosaurus, “Danger! Danger!” Topaz pushed herself against the ground again, the alarm call scaring her too, as she flops away from Fern. She let out the same call, “Danger!”

The two looked at each other for a moment, the adrenaline quickly shimmering away. But it quickly returns as the shadows begin to move around them, the soft crunch of green foliage becoming louder. Topaz and Fern instinctively lay down, flattening themselves against the moss beneath them. Another creature, larger and unknown, was about to come upon them. Their alarm calls had called death upon them, they quiver beneath the dappled sunlight of a world they had yet to experience.

A head the size of their new home comes into view, the color of the dark green leaves of the trees above them. The head turns, the yellow-green eye of the creature studying them closely. It suddenly trills a beautiful song, “Oh! Children anew! Blood of mine and one not: welcome to the world!” It lowers its head closer, the nostrils of the creature flaring. A lower growl comes from its throat, “A call heard, what hurts you so? I will protect you.” It shifts, sitting down as it guards the new home of Topaz and Fern.

The two hatchlings lift their heads, curiosity alighting in both. Fern chirps out the same unanswered questions as before, “Who are you? What am I?” The creature blinks as it formulates its answer, “I am you, as you are I. Regal beings, crowns sprouting from our foreheads and swift of foot.” It huffs, shifting again. Reflective marks shimmer on its scaled withers as it moves, “I am called Firefly And you…” Firefly moves her head forward, closely inspecting Topaz, “are called Topaz and…” She twists her head slightly as she eyes Fern, “you are called Fern.”

The two hatchlings glance at each other as they take in their names, their origin, and what they will become. Firefly cranes her head back, watching Topaz and Fern for a moment. Then she trills again, “But first- walk! Like this!” She rises, her hind legs easily bearing her weight as she begins to trot around her nest. The two hatchlings track her, their heads twisting this way and that to keep up with her. Topaz is the first to try, already having a taste of movement across the ground. She attempts to do the same, copying Firefly as her stick-like legs tremble and waver. One shaky step. Then another.

–

Fern and Topaz trailed along Firefly’s path, chirping as they went. Long grasses bordered the narrow path, their tips tickling the canopied sky above. Fern didn’t know why he needed to chirp but it felt right. Felt natural. His sister, Topaz, trots ahead of him. Her tail waving in front of his snout. He couldn't help it, his head shoots forward as he nips at her tail.

She shrieks, whirling around and stumbling from the attempt. She rights herself quickly, standing taller as she puffs herself larger. She lets out a rolling hiss, “Sharp teeth! Hurts!” Fern steps back with his head low, startled by her sudden larger size and aggressive sound. Topaz stays in her posture for a moment before lowering herself with a huff, eyeing Fern in case he decides to nip again. She turns to follow Firefly once more, pausing as she listens for her footsteps.

Silence. They had fallen behind in their small spat. Topaz chirps as she suddenly sprints along the grass lined path, her tone more urgent. Fern bounds after her, trying to catch up to his sister. The path blurs with green, tiny legs working as fast as they can. Soon Fern catches up with Topaz, letting out a low mournful hum at her.

“Sorry. I’m sorry,” the sound conveyed.

She acknowledges him with a head tilt and a high pitched chirp, “Find mother! It will be okay.” She returns her attention back towards the trodden path, her snout to the air as well. Fern feels his downy fluff relax as he runs, it seems like she has forgiven his mistake. A shape looms ahead, blending into the green path. Before they know it, they bounce off the hindleg of Firefly. The two hadn’t seen her, their frantic sprint blurring their mother’s color and shape into the foliage.

Fern and Topaz both let out a squeak as the air is driven from their lungs, their bodies tumbling to the ground in a tangle of gangly limbs. Firefly lifts the leg away from them both, a low hum emitting from her as she twists her head to the side to look at them.

“Careful. Keep up. Eyes to the sky above. No kin of mine will be taken by the fiends that make it their home.” Firefly huffs, almost a sigh of relief as she continues on at a slower pace. Topaz and Fern quickly right themselves, chirping along once more in the shadow of their mother. 

She is leading Topaz and Fern to something curious, something that wafts upon the wind. Sharp and utterly irresistible, Fern begins to almost skip at the smell. The lifewater of another, one that had fallen at the teeth and claw of Firefly. Before they both began this trek it was explained to them: to grow your crown and become more, you must take in the lives of others. Their lifewater and their body is precious, one cannot discard any of the gifts bestowed upon us by their sacrifice.

With their snouts to the air, Fern and Topaz shoot each other a gleaming look. Topaz lets out a trilling chirp, “Grow my crown!” Fern follows quickly with his rolling squawk, “Become swift of foot!” 

The two quicken their pace, eager to experience more together.