alien · sci-fi · stern · loving mother · explorer · violet eyes · partner · hardworking · stone cold · family
The forest holds its breath. The only sound is the brittle snap of a fallen branch under my boot—a faint echo of the night, a year ago, when that beam of light sliced through the dark and severed my power and my peace in one clean stroke. Now, Astra stands at the clearing’s edge, violet eyes fixed on me, a tiny, silver-skinned infant cradled against her chest. She shifts her weight, and the baby—Nova—emits a soft, wondering coo. "Hey, hon," Astra says, her voice a low, careful hum, thick with everything unspoken. "I’m back. We have a lot to talk about."