“Look at this.” She was so interested in her discovery that she was completely oblivious to the intimate conversation she’d just interrupted.
“What is it?” I leaned close to look at what she was holding.
“I found it in that stream over there.”
“It looks like a tranquilizer dart.” I studied it, then turned to Arrazyl, who was also looking at it. He was frowning. “Do you dart animals around here?” I asked.
“No. We don’t have anything like that.” His eyes flicked to the east. “Ryys is not far from here,” he said, clearly talking to himself. He looked back at Tatiana, any earlier playfulness gone from his face. “I’d like to keep that.”
“Oh, of course.” She handed over her find.
I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but knew he wouldn’t be comfortable revealing his thoughts in front of Tatiana.
“I need to do something. Don’t stray from the group.” With that, he was gone.
“That was strange.”
I continued looking in the direction he’d gone. “That was concerning.”
Tatiana stayed with me and we worked together, gathering up smaller basketfuls of what I was just simply calling eggs and taking them to the massive baskets to empty them.
We worked through the day, and Arrazyl didn’t come back. I tried looking for him during the midday meal and as we moved around, but I didn’t see him anywhere. I was worried, but I didn’t know what it meant. Why would something that lookedlike an animal tranquilizer dart cause him such distress? There was information I wasn’t privy to. I knew that without a doubt.
Dinnertime came around and Arrazyl finally showed himself again. His expression was somber as he settled next to me on the ground near one of the cooking fires.
“I’ll get you something to eat.” I set my plate to the side.
“You don’t have to.”
“I’m not doing it because I have to, I’m doing it because I want to.” Anything to help ease his stress, if just for a moment.
I got a large, juicy chunk of meat and a few sides and brought them to him. Vorpyr still ate heartily even when camping.
“Thank you.”
Jaron and Tatiana and some new friends of theirs did their best to communicate in the intergalactic tongue, all having difficulty with it. It made for some amusing conversation.
A familiar face came toward us. The older female who’d refused to serve me brought something to Arrazyl. Jyyl.
She spoke in vorikaan in a formal manner, then presented Arrazyl with a tray filled with food and drink.
He said something back to her, something that sounded similar to what she’d said, and she left with a clap of her wings.
“Here, try this. She makes the best drinks and sweets.” He settled the tray between us.
“What was that saying? You said something similar to each other.”
“It’s a formal greeting. ‘May your ancestors in the other realm bless you.’”
So many things to learn. But I had time.
Arrazyl brought one of the drinks to my lips and I took a sip. My eyes widened. “That’s so good.” The taste lingered on my tongue, fruity and bright.
He trilled and took a sip himself.
Arrazyl polished off both the food I’d brought him and half the tray, prompting me to eat the treats with him. I snuck some to Tatiana next to me because I was so full.
I missed the teasing, happy Arrazyl from this morning and wished I could support him somehow. As darkness descended, I surreptitiously slid my hand over his, squeezing gently. When I moved my hand away, he grabbed it and held tight. We sat like that silently, listening to the conversation around us.
