Lost Change

Chapter 50

I sagged a little on the windowsill. Another day without the Morning Song.

Lightning flashed somewhere in the distance and I thought I saw movement flickering near the street. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the dim light of the nearby buildings and squinted.

Ivy flew in slow circles above the street. Her scales gleamed with the raindrops hitting her, but the storm didn't seem to be bothering her too much. That must have been how she knew I was awake - she had a good view of the window from there.

"Is Minna awake? We stepped out when she started to fall asleep; Trenil's not that happy with the rain, if she's up now."

"No. She's asleep on the couch."

The green dragonet looped through the air and rose higher, then banked towards me. She came to a landing on the opposite side of the window from me and perched on the tiny windowsill there.

She shook off and caused a soft pattering sound as water flew off her and hit the window... and was immediately drenched again as the storm dropped more water on her. Tiny rivulets of water trickled over her scales just like they trickled down the window.

I watched her for a moment as she settled down. The sight of another dragonet was still strange.

She was pretty.

"Didn't your parents ever tell you not to play in the rain?" I put a little bit of dry sarcasm in my tone, but I wasn't feeling that playful. I felt stupid as soon as I said it - I probably just came across as grumpy.

She just smiled and spread her wings out. "All the time. I almost never listened to them, though. This isn't that bad, so long as the wind stays calm; it just seems worse because of all the clouds. Why? Haven't you ever flown in the rain?"

"Some." I had to admit that it had been fun to fly during a light rain. It took more work from my wings, but it was still an interesting experience. I glanced past her. "Is Trenil worried you'll catch a cold?"

"Some." Ivy echoed my non-answer back at me. She watched me quietly for a moment, then looked down at the street behind her. "Trenil talked to her. He wasn't happy. She shouldn't have kept food from you like that. That wasn't right."

I stared blankly out at the rain and didn't answer.

"She got excited... she said you had tried to cheer her up when she was sad, and she thought that meant you were accepting her. That you wanted to work with her and just needed a little push to figure out the tricks. Sometimes when they want to teach us things they'll wait until it's close to dinner, so we're getting hungry and are more interested in trying to get the berry. Before they learn that we're not just animals, I mean. The notes Minna has talk about that. But even then they'll never actually withhold a meal, it's just to get our interest. Trenil was furious that she put you in that situation." Ivy was quiet for a few more seconds. "She was really scared when your behavior changed. Said that it reminded her of when you were fighting the harness, and that your spirit had just gone limp. She didn't realize you hadn't actually come to accept her, and had only been trying to be nice. She's very worried she hurt you."

I stared out at the sky. More lightning flickered out in the distance.

I wasn't sure she hadn't hurt me.

I wasn't sure I hadn't come to accept her.

Ivy looked back at me after a moment of staring out at the city. "Trenil's going to talk to her more later, whenever she wakes up. We didn't want to disturb you. We weren't sure what kind of state you were in."