Another beautiful piece done by https://www.furaffinity.net/user/foxenawolf/ set in the universe of https://overlordcomic.com/

I also wrote a little something....

Freya sat in her room, a book in her hand, when the door to the room opened. Mahina had again invited herself into Freya’s room. She slunk silently from the doorway to the couch where Freya sat. She flopped wordlessly onto her stomach next to Freya, placing her chin on Freya’s thigh, and releasing a heavy sigh.

“Trip didn’t go well?” Freya asked, despite knowing that Mahina’s occasional trips to see her family typically left the raccoon feeling melancholy.
“It didn’t go badly…” Mahina replied noncommittally
“Mhm.” Freya replied as she turned a page in her book, knowing that her friend would continue if given a few moments.
“Nalani starts middle school this year.” Mahina continued. “I took her shopping for new clothes and supplies. She was so excited.” There was a hint of joy in the last bit of her statement. “She’s growing up so quickly.” Mahina continued speaking fondly of her little sister. Her tones turned bitter and resentful when she spoke again. “It’s just so frustrating knowing what opportunities she won’t have just because of the color of her fur.”

“Well, if nothing else, we know The Overlord doesn’t discriminate against the color of someone’s fur.” Freya replied cautiously after a couple moments.
“That’s not the point!” Mahina hissed vehemently.
“I know, I know. I was just saying.” Freya soothed as she reached her free hand down and started to gently scritch Mahina’s jaw.
Mahina sighed, and leaned into Freya’s hand, some of the tension leaving her body. They sat in silence for several minutes, Freya gently scratching Mahina’s jaw, before Freya spoke again with some urgency.
“Get up, we’re going out.”
“But I just got comfortable.” Mahina protested.
“Don’t care, I’m not letting you sit and stew this time.” Freya replied as she set her book down on the arm of the couch, and looked down at Mahina. “C’mon, don’t make me carry you” She continued when Mahina made no moves to get up. A few more moments passed with no movements from Mahina before Freya started to put her arm around her friend as if to lift her.
“All right, all right, I’m getting up” Mahina announced before she scooted herself off the couch, and got to her feet. She stood, looking at Freya and unable to keep herself from being at least a little curious about Freya’s plans. “Where are we going?” She asked with a slightly petulant frown.
“Somewhere to take your mind off all this for a bit.” Freya replied with a tooth filled grin.

The pair made their way outside, Freya in the lead and Mahina trudging behind. Freya spread her wings, ready to take to the air, before remembering that her companion couldn’t fly. She flashed a sheepish grin at Mahina, who still wore a frown, as she folded her wings again and summoned a ride for them.
“Still not going to tell me where we’re going?” Mahina asked as they rode along.
Freya shook her head in reply. “Nope, it’s a surprise” She told Mahina with a now, slightly mischievous grin. Mahina rolled her eyes, though she was no longer frowning.
They eventually arrived in front of a glassworks, and Mahina shot a confused glance at Freya.
“What are we going to do here?” Mahina asked.
Freya cocked her head momentarily as if the answer should have been obvious. “We’re going to occupy your mind with something else for a while.” She replied cheerfully before heading into the glassworks. Mahina shrugged, and followed Freya.

As the pair entered the retail portion of the glassworks, Freya waved to the rabbit behind the sales counter. “How you doing Mel, any open workspaces today?”
“It’s been a bit slow today. We have some space open if you’re looking to work today.” Mel replied. She noticed Mahina approaching Freya from the doorway. “Who’s your friend?”
Mahina stood a little straighter next to Freya and spoke. “My name’s Mahina.” She frowned a bit. “I’m still not sure why we’re here though.”
Mel giggled “My guess would be to make something from glass.” She said before directing a curious glance at Freya.
Freya nodded. “I’d like a workspace please, she’ll be working with me.” She took hold of Mahina’s hand, and led toward the back of the retail space and the door leading to the work floor.
“Don’t forget the safety briefs.” Mel called after the pair.

Once they made it to their work area, Freya grabbed a heavy leather apron for herself, and an apron and gloves for Mahina. “Here, put these on.” She told Mahina before she started going over rules, and safety guidelines to follow while they worked.
When Freya finished talking safety, Mahina gave her a curious look. “You never told me you were into glass blowing.” She pointed out. “Where and when did you learn?” She asked
Freya frowned “Those questions are the reason I never mentioned it.” She replied “Brings up times, and things I prefer left behind.” She elaborated
“Oh…I’m sorry” Mahina replied, her expression showing some hurt.
Freya shook her head, and released a heavy sigh. “No, I’m sorry.” She countered “Glass blowing was an escape. I started an apprenticeship when I was in high school as a way to escape from my home and my family for a few hours a day. For a few hours a day it was just the glass, and the infinite possibilities of what it could become.” She shook herself and smiled at Mahina. “Now, the glass waits.” She announced as she picked up a blow pipe, and headed for the furnace.

When Mahina joined her, she started instructing her how to get a gather, keep it moving, and start working it. After several failed attempts, and a good bit of encouragement, Mahina had a good gather on the end of the pipe and had blown it into a globe.
“Great, keep it moving.” Freya said as she picked up some canes of colored glass. “Let’s add some color to it.” She continued before taking a deep breath. She held a cane of glass up in the air in front of her, and blew fire onto it. Mahina couldn’t help but watch with some awe. It was the first time she’d seen Freya breathe a serious flame, and yet, it was very controlled. It wasn’t long before the cane of glass started to melt and drip like a candle. As the glass started to drip, Freya flipped it so the drips landed on the globe Mahina was working. Drips and strings of molten colored glass fused with the clear globe. Freya repeated the process several more times before instructing Mahina to gather another layer from the furnace.

The pair continued to work; Mahina kept the work moving as Freya began to shape it. Mahina quickly lost track of her earlier frustrations as she concentrated on the glass and the repetitive motions to keep it moving, and keep it hot. Before long, they had a short spherical bottle with a thin neck and a wide funnel shaped mouth. They removed the bottle from the pipe, and it was back to the furnace for another gather of glass. The pair repeated the process from before, this time shaping a stopper for the bottle.
“We’re done with the blow pipe for now.” Freya announced as she separated the bottle stopper from the pipe. She led Mahina to another part of the workshop that had torch stations for smaller, more delicate work. She picked up canes of clear, and colored glass before handing a clear cane to Mahina. “Here, now we start the best part.” She said as she started cutting the colored canes into disks and laying them out.
“Go ahead and light the torch, then start heating about six inches of the middle of that cane.” Freya told Mahina, who nodded and did as Freya instructed. As Mahina heated the clear cane, Freya finished arranged the colored disks. She took a deep breath, and blew fire over the pattern.
“Okay, bring that cane over.” Freya said with some urgency. “Quick, set it here, and roll it across.” She continued as Mahina approached. As Mahina rolled the hot cane she carried, it picked up the pattern Freya had laid out. “Back to the torch.” Freya instructed before she started laying out thin, clear canes next to each other. Freya breathed fire on the canes as she had the disks before. “One more roll.” She called over to Mahina. Mahina looked over and nodded before bringing the glass she held over and rolling it over the canes, encasing the colored pattern in clear glass. She immediately took the piece back to the torch, and Freya grinned. Freya could tell that Mahina was now fully absorbed in the work.
Freya moved over next to Mahina to instruct her in the next steps. “Alright, now smooth it on this carbon block” She instructed, pointing to the block.
“Like this?” Mahina asked as she spun the glass against the block.
Freya smiled, and nodded. “Just like that.” She replied. She continued to give Mahina instructions, and occasionally show her what to do.

As they finished the piece they were working on, Freya held it up for Mahina to see “It’s gorgeous.” She commented as she looked at the vine and flower pattern they’d embedded in the length of the piece. “What exactly is it though?” She asked with some curiosity.
“It’s a dip pen.” Freya replied with a grin before she put it in the annealing kiln with the bottle and stopper. Mahina tilted her head curiously in response, and Freya chuckled. “You said your sister liked to do calligraphy. Now she’ll have a glass dip pen, and an ink bottle to use for it.”
Mahina stared at Freya, her mouth partially open as if she were about to say something. She was momentarily struck speechless by Freya’s gesture. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, and she threw her arms around Freya. She buried her face in Freya’s chest to hide her tears. She eventually managed a muffled “Thank you.” Before she let Freya go, and took a slightly sheepish step back. “Thank you, for everything. I ended up having a lot of fun today.” She said while flashing a smile.
Freya grinned back at Mahina. “See, I knew you would. We’ll have to come back tomorrow to pick everything up.” She replied as she led the way off the work floor and back into the shop. She waved at Mel as they headed out of the shop. “Be back tomorrow to pick things up.” She called.
When the pair were out of the shop, Freya looked at Mahina. “Let’s get something to eat, I’m starved.”