Lost Change

Chapter 47

I slipped out of the den and crossed to the Kymari. I took the berry from her hand and started in on it - okay, this alone was worth waking up early for, these things were good - and tried not to laugh when she blinked and jerked in surprise. She must have been drifting off while waiting for me. The feel of me taking the berry had startled her, even though she should have seen me crossing the room.

I finished the berry and shook myself off, loosening my muscles and pushing away the sleepiness I still felt. I kept it light enough to avoid making the chiming sound with my scales - that would probably just cause my Kymari to fall asleep right there on the floor.

She stared at me for another moment, then slowly lifted her hand up and brought it to my back. I stiffened a little but didn't move. I still wasn't exactly used to her petting me, but... I had accepted that she was going to do it. And despite myself, I had to admit that it did feel nice.

Her hand stroked slowly over my back while I stared up at her. Once... twice... a third time... I stiffened and shifted on the floor, and she stopped and pulled her hand away. I might not be wasting effort actively attacking her every time she tried to touch me, but I still had my limits.

I walked over to the carrier and scratched at the door, then looked back at her. I made a show of sniffing the air and made it clear that I knew there were sunburst berries hidden inside.

She just stared blankly back down at me.

I narrowed my eyes at her. She... did know that there were sunburst berries in there, right? It was obvious that she was still half asleep, but she must have been the one to put them inside... right?

I turned back and scratched at the door a few more times.

Click.

...I hate you all so much.

The annoying weight of the harness pressed against my scales. I probably should have seen that coming - the Kymari wouldn't have wanted to risk trying to put that on me outside, in the middle of the woods, when messing it up would mean I escaped into the wild with my wings still trapped in a cast - but I wasn't exactly fully rested, either.

I turned back to look at her and hissed, growling out my frustration... and then just because I could, I abruptly stopped hissing and fell over onto my side. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllppppppppppp...."

My Kymari just rolled her eyes. She reached over me and opened the carrier, then scooped me up and dropped me inside it.

I had caught a hint of a smile on her face, though. For some reason that made me feel a little better.

She closed the door to the carrier, causing the world to go dark. I heard her mutter, "Well, that didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. I still have time for a shower."

Wait, she wasn't going to just leave me in here, was she? What if I don't want to be in here, or if I have to go to the bathroom, or more importantly, if I don't want to be in here?!

I heard footsteps start walking off towards the bedroom hallway. It seemed like she was.

I sighed again and fumbled around in the darkness of the carrier until I found one of the berries. Well. At least I had a delicious snack.

The carrier door opened slightly and my Kymari's hand reached in through the gap. She felt along my back for a moment, then I heard a soft 'snap' sound as she attached the leash to my harness. The door opened the rest of the way and gave me a glimpse of dark forest wilderness. I scurried out of the carrier and looked around.