#bonedancer

After the Hall of Bones, she wasn't about to touch the complete skeletons. On the other hand, surely there was nothing wrong with touching a collection of bones embedded in rock, particularly if parts of the entire skeleton were missing. Gingerly, she touched a thin claw with her finger. The flash burned into her eyes. Blinking to clear her vision, Daine heard the last thing she wanted to hear in the world: the sound of crumbling rock. First to come free was die skull, followed by the heronlike neck. Next came the overlong arm bones, spine, and bits of ribcage. Pieces moved as if connected, even when they weren't. Outlying chunks of bone jumped from the rock and gathered around the main skeleton as the hipbones separated from their tomb. Look! said Zek, squeaking in excitement. If there's any missing, the bones leave room for it! "Wonderful," she whispered. She didn't share his enthusiasm: it made her queasy to look at those absent—or invisible—chunks. The legs yanked themselves free. The skeleton tried to stand and was brought up short, its tail still embedded in limestone. It looked back over its rump to see what the holdup was. The beak opened in a soundless cry that revealed small teeth. It switched its hips, freeing its tail. At liberty, the lizard-bird extended its arms, then its legs, having a good stretch after a long nap.

There were no such thing as manners when he was alive, so he thinks he need not learn them now.

Prompt #11 (by anonymous)

30 Days of Tamora Pierce: Day 27