Beach Episode

The morning sun started to kiss the sky with soft pinks and yellows. The birds began singing their song, begging worms to crawl from the velvety dew earth. Folk emerged from their hovels to do the day's work. It was not Midra's favorite time of day, he would rather stay nestled into his blankets. He would rather wait until the dawn's condensation melted, allowing the heat to rise comfortably.

His mother, however, preferred the company of the moon. Her dark coat complimented the deep hues of the starry zenith, scales glistening under luminescence. She would explore the world when it was dark and hollow of any people. Often she would bask under the moonlight with her love, enveloped in warm tenderness. It was their time alone, to harmonize and share their hearts.

This morrow brought forth loneliness, as the jeweled mantibab returned to her home unattended by her partner. She would gently press the door closed, standing there in the silence of their home. What more could she do than to gently tread to her son's room and lay with him for a while? The small koal was still sound asleep, allowing Mytha to quietly settle next to him. She would allow herself to slumber for some time until he stirred.

"Oh, hi momma," he mumbled, rubbing away the sleepiness from his eyes.

"Good morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep? Well?" Mytha asked, nuzzling her boy gently. He nodded in response, yawning. "Good."

"Where's dad?" he questioned, though Midra's chest felt heavy with disappointment as he knew the answer. Mother being here with him like this meant his father was not home.

"He has gone for a while, but he will be back tomorrow. Don't fret, my child." Mytha gave him a gentle kiss before standing up to stretch. "Why don't we head to the beach today, and find some shells for him."

Midra perked up a bit at the suggestion, giving a nod before following her out. They would both grab some breakfast, having light conversations about the small things. Midra about what he wanted to do all summer and Mytha about her previous night. Once they finished their meal, they would head out to the white beaches close to Windan. This time of year, the shores were swarming with visitors from faraway lands. The weather was nice along the Eladrian seas, no one could blame them.

Mytha knew a nice little secluded spot, however, away from the crowds. This would give Midra more of a chance to spot shells washed ashore without competition. She could also relax under the palms, keeping cool against the enthusiastic sun. The walk was long but worth the trek. Before Midra started his search, he would rest his lanky legs beside his mother, watching the waves ebb and flow. Peace like this was a rarity.

As he sat there, attentive to the crashing of the waves, his mind swirling like the foam that licked the sands. He wondered what his father was doing. Where did he go? Why wasn't he here? So many questions he wanted answered, but kept to himself. Perhaps he would find out later when he returned from wherever he was. Midra wished he could spend some time with his father, yet understood that even his parents needed their own time; for adventure or work.

Today was his day!

Once his mind was clear of worry, Midra would stand and run off to find some shells that his father could use in jewelry. Many of the expensive alternatives were deep under the swells, he was too small yet to dive for them. So, he sifted through the sand for small cone shells and sand dollars, collecting them in an organized pile. Mytha watched from a distance all the while, smiling as her son scoured the beach for any small treasures to take back home.

Once the sun shifted down into the seat of the horizon, the jeweled mantibab would stand and approach her son who seemed weary from all his searching. "Are you ready to return home?" she asked, examining the pile of shells Midra managed to find.

"Yeah, I'm hungry," he admitted, carefully shoveling all of his shells into a bag.

Mytha smiled. "Let's return then, your father should be home soon." The two started their journey back to their hovel, satisfied with their day out at the beach.