A Simple Dance
By Olemgar

for DayBreak



The encampment was cheery and bright. Drink and food ran from table to paws as greetings and thanks were exchanged. Soft but cheerful music played. It was a great celebration, as it should be for such a happy day.

After a dangerous trek though the desert and almost dying to a bandit with two hyenas as his pets, the rebel cell had finally arrived at the Jerboa encampment, with the chieftain’s son with them. News of his return had traveled quickly through the stalls and tents, and now a true banquet was at full swing.

Outside the chieftain’s tent, merchants and guards all danced and drank and cheered as the news of their beloved Lazar drove them all to a partying mood.

And while the mood was loud and exciting, inside the tent the atmosphere was quieter, albeit still jubilant.

The chieftain had invited the group that had rescued his son to a private feast, and the party was enjoying themselves. Local food and expensive drinks were brought to each of the heroes, who not only saved the heir, but also liberated over fifty slaves from a nearby city, as well as slaying the corrupt lord Lucian. They were truly heroes, or at least the encampment sang so.

And well, that was all a bit too much for Mitne. The scarlet Kobold was certainly happy that she had reunited father and son, but that much attention on her felt a little off. Nevertheless, she could see that the rest of her party was reveling.

Zerra the Owlfolk was drinking and sampling the best food alongside Sable the Snake. Gaspar the Jerboa was trying to adjust being among so many of his kind at the same time. Pebble the Bustardfolk drank modestly while HIVE, the sentient collective of bees and a withered tree, observed the party while sampling honey to their inner hive.

Mitne herself was eating some of the roasted meats that had been brought to her. She avoided drinking for now, but the seasoned smell and warm looks of the food invited her to eat, even if just a little. She took slow bites out of it and enjoyed how easily it melted in her mouth. A faint smile showed on her lips.

And that was when she felt a familiar gaze on her. Mollisenu, the pink Swanfolk. The eyes of the tall lady seemed quite intent on her figure, although Mitne wasn’t sure why. I wonder if I’m making a fool of myself, she thought in her head. Maybe I’m using the wrong fork? A classy lady like her would know.

For whatever reason, ever since their first mission together, Mollisenu, or just Molli as the others called her, had quite the eyes for the kobold. Mitne had a hard time figuring it out. Molli was definitely nice to her. Very friendly, and she always seemed to comfort her smaller friend. Not to mention she was very pretty. Definitely the looks one would expect a well traveled prostitute like her would have. Especially those eyes. Pink just like her feathers. Gorgeous as she looked at Mitne. Like she was doing right now-

Mitne avoided her gaze with a blush under her scales. Stop it, she thought once again. It’s not like that. She’s definitely just checking your manners or something. She tried reasoning, reminiscing on her past, and how hard it felt to trust a pretty gaze like that again.

She sighed. She was about to take another bite out of her meal as she heard a chair sliding back. She looked to the side and saw Molli standing up, looking towards the chieftain.

“Great Chieftain. I want to thank you for this meal, but I also have a request. As a fellow musician, I wanted to hear some of your folk’s customs. The songs you play at celebrations. If you wouldn’t mind.” The bard requested, with her melodious voice in display.

“Why, certainly! What kind of host would I be if I couldn’t fulfill such a lovely proposition. Musicians! Flutes and strings at the ready!” As the chieftain commanded, a couple Jerboa in the background quickly exchanged looks, and got right on to it.

The music was soft, but inspiring. It was a melody akin to finishing a long journey and coming back home. Meeting your family and loved ones, and embracing in their company. Fitting, with Lazar returning to his father.

Mitne closed her eyes and filtered everything out. The music was lovely. It gave her some calm after those turbulent thoughts. It was great to just pretend she wasn’t there and feel the surrounding-

Her thoughts were broken as she felt a familiar touch. On her shoulder, pink feathers carefully touched her scales as she looked up. Those same pink eyes staring down at the Kobold.

Molli laughed. “Would you care for a dance?” she asked simply.

While it was an innocent request, panic incited within Mitne. She could feel attention being brought upon them two, since the bard was the one to ask for the music. Now, they were looking at her. Should she refuse? Maybe say the truth beforehand. “I… I don’t know how to dance…” She said, feeling embarrassed at admitting something like that.

“Hey, it’s no problem.” The swan lowered herself a bit, her head leaning closer to the kobold’s. “I can teach you. My sisters taught me how to dance back home. Just take my feathers in your paws, and I’ll guide you through it.”

Mitne felt antsy. She shouldn't do that. She was gonna embarrass herself and Molli! The thought of making a talented artist like Molli look like a fool dug at her confidence. That would be horrible!

…But those eyes. They felt so trusting. So comforting.

“...Alright.” Before Mitne could overthink, she accepted, and took her wing into her paw, and let herself be led to the open space within the tent. For some reason, she already could feel her brain trying to mess up her steps. She wanted to kick her brain for foiling her like that!!!

The music played as the two ladies found their space. Mitne could feel a lump in her throat as she started to realize how tall Molli was. And how beautiful-

She shook her head again. No! Control yourself, Mitne! Don’t embarrass the pretty lady!

Molli opened both her wings, and Mitne took them. Her feathers felt so soft and comfy against her scales. “Are you ready?” Molli asked, her voice calm and melodic.

The only thing melodic about Mitne’s heart was how fast it was beating right now, but she tried brushing it off. “Y-Yeah. Let’s do this.” She said quietly, only perceptible to the pink swan.

Molli nodded, taking the first step into their little dance. Her initial movement was swift. Too swift, perhaps, because Mitne failed to react in time. Fuck! She rushed her small body to mimic the bird’s movement, her eyes fixated on her wings and on her chest, and how it seemed to easily dazzle through the motions.

Mitne’s feet almost tripped on Molli’s time and time again. She was looking down, desperately avoiding making a scene. She could feel her paws almost stepping on her talons again and again, just barely missing it every time.

Her breathing got harder. Not because of the physical strain, but the anxiety of messing up slowly and slowly coming closer to reality. She gasped, realizing those emotions were slowing her down. She pushed her paw quicker, and bumped into Molli's feet, almost making them both tumble down.

The wing held her firm, making sure she was still standing. “Easy, there.” That briefly helped Mitne recompose herself, once more mimicking Molli’s movements as they spun through the hall.

This isn’t working! She thought. Quick! latch onto something else! Her eyes darted, trying to focus on something other than Molli’s feet. And her eyes landed right onto the bird’s white and blue dress. She tried keeping her eyes there, going with the flow. But that also didn’t work.

And this time, not even Molli was quick enough to grab Mitne.

By focusing too much on her chest, Mitne didn’t feel her paw dragging through the ground. She lost her balance, and in a moment of panic she tried grabbing onto support. Sadly, her paws landed on the dress, and as she went down, she dragged part of the fabric with her.

Mitne’s knees met the floor, and soon did her paws as she let go of the swan. It took a moment to register what she had just done, but once she looked up, she managed to glimpse Molli scrambling to fix her dress. It didn’t seem to tear, thankfully, but if not for her feathery cleavage, perhaps she would have shown way more.

And then it hit Mitne. It happened. It happened again. Because of me, Molli just looked like a fool in front of the chieftain, his trusted ones, and our party. Mitne’s breathing accelerated, the guilt getting heavier and heavier for her to bear. She could hear whispers from the table. They were talking about them. About how Mitne just messed up, she was sure of it! What else could it be?

Flashes of her past darted through her mind. The thought of herself on her knees, chained, crying, begging for help. That horrible yet familiar feeling of being helpless. Of having no one to save her.

Tears formed around her eyes, and a lump threatened to choke her breathing. I have to apologize! If Molli starts hating me, I don’t know what I would do! “I-I’m-”

“Shhhhh…” Mitne felt a soft touch on her shoulder once again. “It’s okay. This is your first time, right? This is natural.” Molli’s voice was calm. When Mitne looked up, she could see a smile at her beak.

“B-But I just made you look like a fool…” The kobold’s voice was coarse amidst her faint crying. She felt like the worst for embarrassing her new friend like that. Someone that took a chance on her.

“You didn’t. Here, look at me.” Molli said, her head closer than ever to Mitne’s. “Let’s try again. This time, don’t focus on my feet or my chest. Focus on my eyes instead.”

“Y-Your eyes? But how will I know where to…” Her voice faltered.

“Just believe me. You’ll know what to do.”

Mitne indeed looked towards her eyes. And they looked…

…So caring.

Mitne took a deep breath while still close to the ground, and stood up once more. Her eyes were still leaking with tears, but she did as advised. Her eyes were only on Molli’s.

And they resumed. Molli took the first step.

…And Mitne took the second.

Her eyes widened as she could feel a rhythm. Not from the music, but within their dance. With every motion from Molli, she would reciprocate in almost perfect fashion.

How am I doing this? I don’t know how to dance and I can’t see where her body is going. Then how… Her eyes widened. Eyes, that was the answer.

She could feel it from Molli. Their eyes were connected, and it was as if their hearts also were. She could feel deep within where her partner was moving, and her body would answer in kind.

“W-Wow…” Mitne couldn’t help but say outloud.

Molli giggled. “See? Everyone has a dancer within them. You just have to trust your partner~.” Her smile was so beautiful that it made Mitne's heart stir. It seemed to beat faster at it.

Mitne didn’t put much thought into it, instead letting her body flow through the motions.

They twirled. They spun. Their movement was akin to a professional duo, moving through the hall like it was a gala. The red scales and pink feathers would mix amidst their movements, their figures striking and powerful.

She could feel eyes on them. B-But this feels… not bad. Good, I guess. She couldn’t help but smile a bit as she let the sound of the song and the passion in her eyes take her where she needed to be next. It felt incredible!

The music’s tempo increased. It seemed like it was reaching its apex. Just at that moment, Mitne felt Molli’s wings firmly grasp her back.

“Do you trust me?” The swan asked.

And the kobold didn’t miss a beat. “Yes.”

With a smile, Molli’s other wing grasped onto Mitne’s chest, and used both of them to bring her up in the air, right above Molli’s tall figure. She was belly down, and both arms and legs stretched far as she gently spun above her dance partner. The lack of footing felt terrifying for a second, but… she felt safe.

With one last swift movement, Molli brought Mitne closer to the floor, planting the back of the kobold’s paws against the ground as she was leant backward, with her back being held tightly as Molli’s forehead inched so close against that of Mitne’s.

Both posed as they gasped with sweat running down their foreheads. They remained in that pose for a couple seconds before applause began.

The table cheered for the two dancers. Jerboa and party alike congratulated them for the amazing performance.

Eventually Molli brought Mitne back on her feet, releasing her wings from her.

The little warlock looked up, with a smile. “Thank you. I… didn’t know I could do that.” Mitne said, her voice quiet from how shy she felt.

“I didn’t doubt you for a second~.” Molli said, and brought her beak down to give a kiss on her cheek.

The action stunned Mitne, her eyes widened and her face blushed in a way she never felt before. Seeing that, Molli just giggled and patted her head, before going back to the table and resuming her conversation.

But Mitne remained there. Her thoughts overloaded with too much information, even more so with the feeling from the kiss still fresh. But amidst them all, one rang louder than the others in her head.

“…Okay, I think I like her…”

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A lovely little story based on events from our tabletop campaign. It was such an incredible moment that I had to write this for 's birthday. Not to mention the amazing piece they drew up as well from a while ago.

A small yet tender moment Mollisenu (My Swan bard) and Mitne (Day's Kobold Warlock) when they arrived at their destination after an escort mission.

Thanks Day for the wonderful art, and I hope you enjoyed the story just as much. And I hope everyone else enjoys what we did :3

Mollisenu belongs to me

Mitne belongs to

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