Morning Dew

Nothing was ever easy in the beginning. It wasn't until Sif came into their life did it turned for the better. Having a companion made things easier to cope with, especially with loneliness. Memories flickered through their mind like the pages of a scrapbook, smiling at all the good times and sighing through the bad. Life was a mystery. It had so many twists, turns, and thorns, much like a river.

A warm beam of sunlight popped through the sliver of the curtain, laying gently on Shira's face. The warmth of the morning was comforting, letting the swirl of memories fade away as they opened their eyes. Slowly, they would rise, stretching out the stiffness of the night. The hovel lay silent, which meant Sif hadn't woken up yet. It was easier to cook breakfast when he was sleeping, so Shira set off down to the kitchen.

"Come on, Sif, breakfast is ready!" Shira announced, opening his door. Sif grumbled, sitting up with his eyes lazily closed. "The faster you eat, the faster we can get to town."

Shira closed his door again, returning to the kitchen to plate everything. Eggs laid over grated potato as bacon rested on the side. The toast was on their own plate, buttered and still warm by the time Sif dragged himself from his room. He sat down just as Shira poured him some water. "Why are we going there again?" he inquired, taking a sip from his cup.

"Just general shopping. I want some trinkets for my room," Shira replied, biting into a piece of toast.

Both ate and got ready for the day. It was still quite cold in the mornings, despite the seasonal changes. Shira wrapped their neck up in a scarf, calling for Sif. "Coming!" he called, running out to greet his companion at the door. He would be the first one out, running down the path a little before pausing to wait for Shira.

The walk was chilly for a while as large trees shaded them along their route. It wasn't until they cleared the fields did Shira noticed the fog still stuck around. Small clouds dangled above the crops, creating such an alluring atmosphere. Sif perked up at the sight, curious about the mist. Shira was about to explain what ground fog was, but before they could get a sound from their mouth, Sif charged straight into the cops.

"Hey! Sif!" they called out, a bit surprised by his energy. "You're gonna get muddy."

"He seems energetic this morning," a voice observed. Shira turned to find a tall blue mantibab sauntering their way.

"Ah, Blaidd.. Good morning," Shira offered, bowing their head in respect to him. "Yes, I'm not quite sure what got into him this morning." Blaidd chuckled at her remark, watching the babling bumble through the grasses. Sif almost looked like a rabbit as he bounced around, giggling in delight.

"He's growing. Besides, I'm sure getting that energy out now will help later," he said, continuing his gate past the red mantibab. Shira sighed and sat down.

"Yes, you're right. I hope you have a nice day," they smiled. Blaidd nodded and went his way down the path, toward where the two had come from moments earlier. Shira sat for a while, waiting for Sif to finally get bored and snake his way back to them on the bank.

"You done?" they asked, standing. Sif nodded, looking down at his wet legs and muddied paws. "Come, the sun will dry you as we walk."

It was finally time to get to town.