Zoya was startled to be shaken out of her thoughts by a man bumping into her, apparently deep in his thoughts as well. “Oh, um . . . sorry.” She smiled quickly, a reflex.
The man’s pelt flickered and danced, mesmerizing. Lightning. Clouds and sky. She swallowed, realizing this stranger possessed a pelt of the stars, just like herself. Only his reflected a state of the sky - while she was a Starling. A constellation. Zoya gazed at the man’s dark eye, the other a light, bright color close to aquamarine, as far as she could tell. His pelt seemed to mirror the storm that danced in Zoya’s own heart, striking. Crashing. Spinning and storming and slashing endlessly, constantly seething. She felt as if she was looking into a clear still lake, seeing a reflection of her own inner turmoil. “Who are you?” she asked cautiously. Then, realizing she should probably dish the same information she wanted to receive, “My name is Zoya.”

“We could’ve been anywhere, anywhere else!”