by Screemnigcheesepuff » Mon Sep 16, 2024 1:54 am
Username + id: screemnigcheesepuff + 684994
Marumi name: Morkas
Prompt: It is a common misconception that a butterfly with broken wings is unable to fly, that one should try and repair event the smallest of rips in order to save the butterfly. Even those who do not fully believe this are still saddened to see the once vibrant colours fade and begin to wither away. However, the dilapidated beauty of a worn wing is not strictly a cause for sorrow.
The scales of a butterfly’s wings are very delicate and even the most gentle of accidental brushes against a surface can remove hundreds of scales. So delicate in fact that particularly beats of its own wings can cause scales to flake off. Unlike many species butterflies have no way to repair these damaged areas, no feathers to regrow, nor bones to repair.
But butterflies can still fly on broken wings, in fact most wings will be damaged on elder butterflies. These marks of deterioration are indicators of a long life, of many flights taken, and possible dangers dodged. The uneven edges, and the small holes are just beginning to make themselves known in Morkas’s wings. Now as he travels he must take care not to over exert his wings, to help minimise further damage, but he will never go as far as completely stopping his journeys.
The constant concerned looks from strangers and well meaning, but ignorant, subtle comments about making sure to rest, irritate Morkas. What right do these people have to dictate the risks he chooses to take? Morkas takes great pride in his tattered wings, as he believes they are evidence of the full life he has lived. He finds it insulting when others care about the state of his wings without caring that he does not wish for his wings to return to pristine condition.
(299 words)