The next morning, the academy felt completely different.
Guardians and parents had started arriving in waves since sunrise. The main courtyard had turned into a chaotic reunion zone .
Dragonkin parents puffing small proud flames while hugging their scaled children, werewolf packs roughhousing and howling greetings, siren mothers singing soft welcoming melodies that made the fountain water dance. Even the air smelled different, like a mix of sea salt, smoke, and expensive cologne. It was a whole cultural explotion and this being her first time experiencing this she felt a mixture of pain and pleasure.
Lydia stood at the edge of it all, arms wrapped around herself, watching the happy chaos from a safe distance.
Families laughing. Parents fixing collars and smoothing hair or checking healthiness of tails, ears, claws, feathers , talons and stuff. Kids showing off their controlled shifts and powers with nervous pride.
