Blue
Lily milled through the water, hoping the repeated movements would help her forget.
It was too awful, too loud, for even swimming to even make a difference.
This was war, and now she understood.
Really understood.
Not a battle, nor a skirmish between a band of Sykans and an otter tribe.
This was an entire continent with entire populations that could be wiped out with the sounding of a trumpet.
Massive beasts of power clashed in the skies while Elf, Man, and Animal folk struggled on the ground.
Overwhelmed by the dire thoughts, the otter girl dove beneath the lake, feeling the pressure slowly gain on her head and chest until it drove all activity in her mind save for the desire for air.
She pushed her supply while rooting around in the cloudy silt at the bottom, wondering idly if she could find some more of those little clams.
Something hard met her touch, but as she wiped away the silt to reveal the glistening blue, Lily knew it wasn't a clam.
As the massive tail began to writhe the otter thrashed in the water, trying to remember which way was up as currents of displaced water began to swirl madly.
Lungs just short of exploding she found the surface and began gasping, trying to reestablish a normal breathing pattern.
After sputtering and choking her way back to normal, Lily realized it had gone dark.
Swallowing down the last bit of water back down, she slowly tipped her head up and immediately sank a little lower in the water.
The graceful head of the Great Blue Dragon cast the deep shadow over the otter, but there was no sign of annoyance in the large eyes, just a tad of weariness.
Her lips curled back in a cavernous yawn, revealing a fierce row of long white teeth.
After blasting Lily with a seaweed scented breath, the dragon sank back in the water a little lower.
"Are you lost, Animalian?"
The soft rumbling voice scent ripples through the water, causing Lily to bob up and down while she shook her head.
The dragoness's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the otter girl.
"Pardon me, as I know little about Animalians, but aren't you a bit young to be a warrior?"
A slightly guilty smile tugged at the edges of Lily's face "We-ell, I'm not really a warrior, I help with the food and stuff."
The dragoness let out a loud whiff of air "The scars on your face say otherwise."
Without half thinking about it, Lily ran a finger along her cheek, "Well, there is a war."
"One you have seen more than you should've?"
The otter girl cocked her head to one side "What's it to you?"
The dragoness laughed through her teeth "You're way too brave for someone so small."
"Your laugh is way too nice for someone so big."
For a few seconds, the huge creature seemed confused at the spitfire reply, then she laughed again.
"I suppose that was a compliment."
"It was the first thing that sprang to mind."
"You have a quick mind."
"I suppose that was a compliment."
The dragonesss shook her head in slow wonderment "If you fight as fast as you talk, you must be a fearsome warrior indeed."
"I thought you dragons had good memory. I said I'm not a warrior. I don't even have a sword."
"You should have one."
Lily shook her head with a snort of derision "My brother can hardly handle me having an itty bitty dagger, he wouldn't like me having a sword."
The dragoness let a soft clicking run through her throat "Pity."
Words: 607
Lily, Irael