Tales from Verona

Tales from Verona: Skyrunner

This spring wasn't like the others that came to pass. The birds were not singing and the breezes were absent. Frost put down a brush, she was holding, next to a family photo she kept in her little hideout. It was a decent home for having renovated a hollow oak that was still alive and growing outside.

The tortoise-shell cat picked up the photo frame and saw the glint of her green eyes before seeing the full photo. Her dad and brother were in the war against Nightwalker fighting as elementalists and her mom was a medical officer. Then there was little Frost-stuck here away from home. She didn't mind knowing that they did it to keep her safe. Even so, she'd still look to the distant horizon and hope they were still alive and fighting.

In front of her was an open canvas that she was painting a picture from a story she read. The book didn't have any pictures in it but she wanted to see what she could create. So far, she had the full setting and scenery with a rough draft for the character's positions.

The painting was going to be of a boy meeting a girl while she was traveling. He was out running an errand and bumped into her on the road. With each brush stroke that was added, it increased the depth of the painting and brought the characters to life.

Frost put the picture frame down and picked up the brush. Along with a couple others, she put them in a water basin to clean them. It was almost time for lunch at the townhouse and she wanted to grab something before coming back to continue painting.

****

Erin watched the ground below him as the wind raced around him and played with his scarf. He loved the wind like it was an old friend.

"How're you doing, Fredric?" Erin called over his shoulder.

The knapsack's opening widened and a Veronian Water Squirrel poked its brownish-gray head out with tufted ears and sea-foam green eyes. He chirped quickly and returned to the calm depths of the pack.

"Ha ha! Don't worry buddy: we'll be landing soon for land dwellers." Erin chortled as he out stretched his arms and continued to soar through the skies.

****

The dining hall was a fairly decent size with a brass chandelier hanging down from the middle of the ceiling and windows along the wood walls. There were six hickory wood tables that stretched horizontally across it with matching benches. Frost usually avoided the other kids because they'd just ridicule her over her reclusive behavior and frosted hair. It was just better to get food and sleep here.

The only real friend she had was an otter named Rowan. Unlike others, his fur was a darker brown, near black, and almost ice colored eyes that had starburst, gold rings around his pupils. His hair was a warm, chestnut brown. Rowan ran up to Frost and met her at the door.

"Hey, Frosty! How's the project?" He asked smiling.

Rowan: a year older than Frost, who was nine, and acted five in humor.

"Rowan, why do you call me Frosty?" She said placing a hand on her hip causing the simple, lavender dress to ruffle against her hand.

He gave his prize winning, cheesy smile and said, "Only so you know that you're my friend."

"Well, Mr. Silvertongue, I appreciate it but just call me Frost." She continued past him to get her serving of lunch before they packed up.

****

Erin flew down to the ground and landed with a light breeze running across the ground. He looked up to the star in the sky and saw it had started sinking from its zenith.

The white cat started talking to the squirrel in his pack. "Fredric, you can come run around a bit if you'd like."

The water squirrel lunged out of the bag to tumble through the grass and leap in to the air. Erin laughed and started walking to a house in the distant field.