[Intro] (Gentle, intricate fingerstyle acoustic guitar begins. A soft, steady tapping starts.) [Verse 1] Little shadow, sharp and quick Building defenses, thorn and stick They see the midnight in your eye Reflecting back a hostile sky Quick to talon, fast to bite Guarding edges in the light You wear the armor 'cause you must To keep the inner sheen from rust. [Chorus 1] Oh, the wind blows cold and strange Through the wires, demanding change But the ink-dark feather holds the line A complicated, fierce design Flying where the others won't You bear the burdens that they don't. [Verse 2] No white knight on a steady steed You cultivate your own defiant seed You'd rather breathe the dragon's flame Than play a quiet, easy game You own the scars, you know the score And stand your ground, demanding more You bleed in iron, write in ink And rarely care what others think. [Chorus 2] Oh, the wind blows cold and fast The digital die is quickly cast But the ink-dark feather rides the gale Beyond the judgment, past the pale Flying where the others cease You search for your own kind of peace. [Instrumental Break] (The fingerstyle pattern becomes slightly more complex, mirroring the melody before softening again.) [Bridge] It's easy loving gentle doves The ones who fit like tailored gloves But the melody that breaks and bends Is where the realest art transcends They call you wicked, quick to scorn But I have seen the way you mourn You've chosen chaos, it is true But that’s not all there is to you. [Verse 3] The storm may rage, the static hiss There’s rugged loyalty in this And if you need a quiet void To scream the truths you can't avoid I'll watch the canopy with you Until the morning breaks anew. [Chorus 3] Oh, the wind blows cold and high But you have learned to read the sky The ink-dark feather, strong and true The morning light belongs to you Flying past the noise and scorn A different kind of grace is born. [Outro] Little shadow, taking flight Carry on into the light. Hmm hmm. Carry on. (Guitar and tapping fade out slowly.)
