[Gift] The 11th Hour | Ornaments

Feet pounded down narrow streets, a soft cackle echoing off steep alley walls washed with distant neon signs. The sound of cloth flapping in the wind followed chased the eager dragon until she jumped, unleashing her artificial wings, golden in comparison to the other dark and drab colors of her, carrying her up and away from the city, precious cargo clutched close to her chest.

Daphnis landed well past the city limits, orange, slitted eyes mirthfully curved as she examined her ill-gotten gains and tucked her bright wings away.

In her hands were several small, colorful baubles. They were more delicate than eggs; made of fine glass, with thin, delicate wiring running in circuits so thin that the glass was still clear. Each bauble had a button, and when she pressed it, there was the most minute hum of electricity, and nodes on those circuits lit up, casting a glow from inside the glass.

Daphnis jumped in place, the cloth that fell around her twisting and flapping with as much excitement as she felt, giggles turned to outright cackling.

The ornaments felt warm in her hands. She felt the desire to crush them rush through her without acting on it, instead finding the dainty little hooks on the opposite end from each button, and, slowly, deliberately, she reached up, and hooked the ornaments in the dried grass crowning her head, on the crest on which it rested.

She dropped three in the process; the hooks were hard to finagle without seeing. But only one cracked after it landed on the ground, a soft crunching noise that she growled at. The other two were quickly scooped up and reattached.

Once satisfied, ornamented—and glowing!—Daphnis took off bounding across the countryside, laughter pealing like bells.