Belonging

She held out a trembling hand… unsure of this unknown… wanting the dream to merge into reality… not to be whisked away with the waking. The deep sapphire eyes didn’t waver… looking into hers as if searching for the answers to questions she didn’t yet know… reading her heart and soul. Moments stretching to ages, the wings unfurled… causing her to yelp and then clap a hand over her mouth… fearful of startling this magic into flight. The little creature squawked as it scampered behind the shards of broken shell… unsure and hesitant, but above all curious. The girl set her jaw, rolled her shoulders and once again reached a tentative hand toward the skinny little ball of shimmering color, drawn like a moth to flame. Sniffing the air with upraised nostrils… lifting tiny talons… the baby dragon tiptoed forward… nuzzling its face against her outstretched hand with something remarkably similar to a purr… it’s voice filling the lonely places of her being with warmth and belonging as it silently called her by name.