Veiled Viper

Is That an Angel? Oh...

Rin wakes up quickly, jolting out of their slumber by the suffocatingly warm air of the bubble. The sun, just high enough to peek through the branches of Rin’s tree, abuses their senses as they try to open their eyes. A beam of light shines directly into them, and they flinch away with a groan.

Releasing the bubble, they take a deep breath of the cool morning air, crisp and carrying the scent of pine and earth. They stretch languidly, limbs reaching out over the edge of their cloud as they enjoy the satisfying pull of muscles.
The tree they chose to settle in offers a sturdy perch high off the ground, giving them a breathtakingly beautiful view of the sunrise. Rin scans their surroundings, marveling at the forest glittering with morning dew and stretching out in all directions. Sights like these are rare where they live, so they do their best to drink it all in, burning the sight into their memory.

Below, the forest floor is blanketed in a carpet of moss and sparkling wet grass, most glowing as the morning sun hits it just right. The trees sway with the light breeze, little birds quietly chattering as they chase each other in and out of the branches.

Rin closes their eyes again, breathing deeply as they focus on the sounds of the forest. Laying on their back, with their arms and wings spread out on either side, they doze off again, letting the song of nature take their mind away for a while.
What feels like minutes later ends up being hours as they wake again, the sun high and shining down on their sprawled-out form. Their wings buzz with warmth as their feathers soak up the sunlight, glimmering a purplish-black under the bright rays.

Rin hums contentedly as they stretch their body out again, flipping over to wring a series of pops out of their back with a sigh of relief.
They dissipate the cloud, allowing themselves to fall face-first from the tall height of the tree, closing their eyes as they mentally track the distance to the ground.

With a flare of their wings before it's too late, they pull up, soaring effortlessly back into the open expanse of the sky.

They tilt their wings, catching the wind just so, and execute a perfect loop-the-loop, laughing softly as they relish the sensation of weightlessness.

With a carefree spirit and a joyous chirp, they begin to play. Their movements are unhurried, each maneuver executed with a sense of leisurely enjoyment.

They loop and swirl through the air with effortless grace, each movement a dance of freedom and joy.

Diving down in a graceful arc, Rin feels the rush of air against their feathers, the world blurring into a kaleidoscope of colors as they descend. The scene is one of tranquility and serenity—a domestic sanctuary amidst the vastness of the natural world. Birds chirp cheerfully in the distance, their songs blending harmoniously with the sound of Rin's laughter and gleeful trills.

As Rin continues to play in the air, looping and diving with abandon, a sense of peace settles over them like a warm blanket. At this moment, they are free—free to soar among the clouds, free to lose themselves in the simple joy of flight.

‘Can we join you?’

The voice- no wait, the chirp of a bird startles Rin, causing them to falter halfway through the loop they were doing. Cursing as they right themselves, they look around for the source, raising an eyebrow when they can't find it.

‘Down here.’

Looking down, they are met with a sight they can’t help chuckling at.

Below them is a small tree that rocks heavily with the breeze, every branch covered in sparrows.

‘The poor tree’s branches are sagging like 70-year-old tits.’ Rin thinks, biting their lip to keep the thought inside.

‘Sure! Come play!’ they trill, smiling as the birds begin chirping excitedly.

All at once, the sparrows erupted into motion, with hundreds of wings beating in unison and rustling in the wind.