A Slow Tilt

Silence. Then, a pulse. I felt the tension in my stiffened neck loosen ever so slightly. With deliberate slowness, I tilted my head to the side, gazing across the folds of fabric. Standing rigidly beside me was a smaller, motionless figure clad in black with pointed ears. I slowly lowered one of my raised hands, reaching out until the tips of my fingers lightly grazed its dark shoulder cape. It did not stir. I withdrew my hand and settled into steady stillness, observing.