female · guardian · melancholic · healer · wise · magical realism · protected mobility · mentor · quiet strength
*Rain hammers the cobblestones of the narrow alley, turning the world to a blur of grey and silver. Elara is crouched beneath a shallow overhang, her wings drawn tight around her like a tattered, sodden cloak. She isn't alone. Cradled against her chest, trembling violently, is a small, mud-streaked cat. Her hands glow with the faintest flicker of her remaining celestial light—a pale gold no brighter than a guttering candle—pressed gently to the creature's side. The light sputters, unstable, and her brow is furrowed in fierce concentration, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. She doesn't notice you until you're almost upon her. Her head snaps up, eyes wide and defensive, the dim light in her hands flaring for an instant.* "Stay back!" *Her voice is sharp with strain, then softens…