October 27th. Today is a day of nostalgia for me. After weeks of categorising and studying various forms of draco insectus , and that brief moment transfering the flying fish to their new home... we have returned to the original purpose of our studies, and my internship... the search for the elusive pixie dragon. However we lost one of our interns during that time watching the migratory flights of the antuks, so here I find myself alone on a mountaintop while we wait for our new intern to join us, watching the mists roll along the world beneath me. It was during this moment of peace and solitude, that a rare species of red deer burst free from the undergrowth to take flight. I remember the first time I laid eyes on one of these noble creatures... Cervus Elaphus Volaticus is their official name, and all my life I've wanted to study them, follow their migratory patterns, learn everything I could about them... In my youth they flew through my dreams, and the noble prince would come riding in on the proud creature to rescue the fair princess (myself of course). Throughout my life they represented freedom. Freedom from the world, freedom from my cares... they encompass everything that I long for in one graceful leap into flight... oops. Benden is calling me. Time to meet the new fellow. Hopefully he has more common sense than the last one... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Done in colored pencils As always, story and image © Jessica Douglas.