chasing clouds - feuepine

The rain was pouring in a frenzy, roaring down upon roof tiles and rushing down gutters, rain barrels and raincatchers alike overflowing. Very few cossetlings were out and about, and those who were rushed down the streets, decked out in raincoats and carrying umbrellas, splashing through puddles that grew ever-deeper by the minute. Lightning split the sky every few minutes, and the thunder was an ever-constant rumble in the air, occasionally roiling itself up into a roar to announce the next eye-searing bolt of lightning. A few Patoy flocked together to splash around, but even they stayed beneath overhanging ledges and out of direct rainfall.

Inside a small library, situated across the street from a tailor’s shop, and a street or two away from a clock-maker’s workshop, Oros was attempting to cast a rain-lessening spell.

Key word being “attempting”.

With a grand flourish, the cossetling spoke the words to a spell, chanting methodically. His arms spread wide, his tail perfectly poised, magic was building in his body, gathering and priming itself to ease the rage of the storm.

Several feet away, sitting in a large, soft armchair, Theodore watched with anticipation, both of their cosprouts in his lap. Oros’s Patoy, Chalkos, watched her cossetling eagerly, her sprout tail wagging. Auritus, Theodore’s Fairytale Lapito, watched with clear doubt and trepidation.

The thunder rose into a furious crash, lightning cracked and illuminated the library with a cold light, and Oros shrieked, jumping in surprise. The spell broke without a sound, the magic fading. Oros sighed heavily, crossing his arms, walking over to the small table next to where Theodore and their cosprouts sat. He leaned heavily on the table, pushing his glasses up his face as he looked over the spellbook with a frown.

“I wish this spell didn’t take so long to cast… It’s so difficult to keep my concentration. What kind of thunderstorm easing spell doesn’t allow for any margin of error? Surely the creator would have jumped at thunder themselves, right?”

Theodore shrugged, running a hand along one of Auritus’s fluffy ears.

“I think most people don’t jump at thunder as much as you do. Maybe the author wasn’t scared by thunderstorms?”

Oros huffed, pouting slightly, tail flicking in agitation behind him.

“That’s not fair. Even if they don’t get spooked, surely most other people who would want a thunderstorm easing spell would be scared, right? Because who uses thunderstorm dismissal spells? People who are scared of thunderstorms! But who jumps and loses concentration during spells during thunderstorms? The people casting the spell! But to prevent being startled and losing concentration, they need to cast a spell! But the spell-“

Theodore interrupted quickly, before Oros began yelling in earnest. “Requires concentration, yes, I get it, Oros.”

Chalkos quacked in encouragement from his lap, and Oros looked over, smiling, cooing softly at her.

“Awww. Hi Kossie~! I know you like thunderstorms. I know you’d just love to be out there splashing around, huh?” Chalkos quacked again, nodding. “Well, thank you for staying to help me out anyway. Who’s my good girl, huh?” With an eager quack, Chalkos flapped onto the floor, waddling quickly over to Oros, who picked her up and hugged her, smiling widely. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a treat, which the Patoy eagerly accepted, beak brushing against his fingers. After a few minutes, he set her down, and she waddled back to Theodore, jumping and landing squarely on Auritus, who squeaked in indignation, kicking at her slightly as they both re-settled in Theodore’s lap.

“Do you want me to try and cast it? I should be alright, I don’t get startled by thunder easily.”

Oros shook his head vigorously, glasses almost flying off.

“No! I can do this, I want to do this! If I can get this down now, I can keep it in case I get stuck outside during a storm like this.”

Theodore sighed slightly, raising one of Auritus’s ears and flopping it up and down, much to the cosprout’s clear disapproval.

“Alright, if you insist…”

Oros cleared his throat, stepping back a few paces. Bringing his hands together, palm-to-palm, he began to murmur the beginning of the incantation. Theodore and Chalkos watched with bated breath. Auritus watched with clear disinterest.

The magic began to swirl, small and nearly imperceptible, like dust motes in the air. They flowed to Oros, clumping together and fading into the glow emerging from his hands.

As his voice increased in volume, he threw his arms out again, moving to the second part of the incantation. Once again, the magic built in his body, his skin glowing faintly. His tail stretched out behind him, the Watcher’s Eye upon it gleaming with power. The three watching all leaned forward in anticipation, Auritus caught up in the excitement despite his attempts at indifference.

Oros began to raise his hands upwards, beams of light shining from his Watcher’s Eye and hands. His eyes were closed tightly, and he said each word deliberately and carefully. Even as the thunder roaring again, two more bolts of lightning crashing outside, he flinched, but never stopped.

Theodore and the cosprouts didn’t make a sound, wary of interrupting Oros.

Oros’s chanting grew louder and louder, until it almost drowned out the steady rolling of thunder. With a final shout, he threw his hands upwards, releasing the magic in a surge of light and warmth. He flopped onto the floor, panting heavily, staring up at the ceiling, where the magic had passed through it. Theodore, Chalkos, and Auritus did the same, all staring as if they could see the rainy sky through the stone, wood, and tile that blocked their view.

The thunder that had been rumbling for hours… faded. No lightning strikes hit. The rainfall eased, the percussion of the drops lessening to a more relaxed rhythm.

Oros cheered, raising his hands in the air in celebration. Theodore cheered as well, jumping up from the chair and sending the two cosprouts sprawling to the ground in a heap. They didn’t stay down for long, however, similarly overjoyed at Oros’s success.

Chalkos jumped onto Oros, honking in excitement, and Auritus wagged his tail, sitting up on his hind legs and smiling over at Oros.

Theodore rushed over, hugging Oros and grinning widely at him.

“You did it! You pulled it off!”

Oros whooped again, hugging him and Chalkos back, jumping up and spinning in circles.

“I actually did it!”

As the four celebrated, the rain continued to fall on the library and on Town Brote, but far gentler now than it had been.