#ynot

“Excuse me.”

Ynot turned, responding to the tug at their coat.  The little hatchling surprised them in the balcony seat overlooking the operatic performance below.  Just a travelling troupe, passing through, nothing special.

“Yes, little one, can I help you?”

“I wanted to see what the stage looks like,” the pearlcatcher said, clutching her pearl to her chest.

“Why of course,” Ynot crooned, hoisting her up to sit with her legs dangling over the balcony below.  They kept a protective claw on her waist so she didn’t fall, “interested in opera, are you?”

“I think the costumes are pretty,” she said, swinging her legs, “I always wanted to wear them.  Mommy thinks it’s silly, but I really want to.”

“Tell me, darling, can you sing?”

She looked at them strangely through the shadows, catching the odd reflection of their eyes in the darkness.  Something dark and viscous ran down their cheeks and the pearlcatcher’s breath hitched.

“Y-yes...” she said hesitantly, “I sing for my mommy all the time.  Mommy’s probably worried about me...”

“Nonsense,” Ynot purred, their grip tightening around her waist.

Her breath caught in her throat as she caught their full gaze.  Black liquid pooled on the lip of the balcony, staining her dress and hands.  She felt herself slip off, unable to scream as she crashed through the floor.  No one seemed to see her.

Talk of the new soprano singing in the Briar Rose buzzed about the town.  Like so many of the talent, she went unlisted on the playbills--a complete mystery, up for guessing.  Her sad birdsong rang out in the evening performances above all the others.

“Oh, she won’t stay long.  You know the director,” said a Snapper to his companion after the show.

“Yes, a fickle one, aren’t they?  Always finds such marvelous performers, and half the time they’re gone before I even see them.  Damn shame, I wonder where they find them,” replied the Coatl, fussing with his feathers.