Ka'Lula crashes onto the misty mountaintop with a thunderous whump, her wings flapping wildly before folding neatly against her back. Dust and clouds swirl around her as she lands with Pip clinging to her neck, eyes wide and systems whirring in panicked glee.
With a swirl of vortex of smoke and embers, she shifts back into her human form, dropping to her knees as she catches her breath. Her bronzed skin glistens with sweat, steam curling from her horns and shoulders. Pip rolls onto the ground beside her, landing with a thud, dazed but still fully intact.
They lie in silence for a long moment, the wind whistling around them, carrying the scent of pine, stone, and fire.
Then, Ka'Lula giggles.
"Sorry about that," she says breathlessly, her voice tinged with embarrassment and something like awe. "I... I turned into a dragon again." She looks at Pip, her amber eyes wide and shimmering. "But this time felt... different."
