Lost Change - Snippets

Getting Cold Wings

The blue chuckled and moved one of his rocks. "Good to hear."

"What about you?" I moved another of my pieces out, then took a closer look at the other player. The orange straps of a Kymari harness didn't seem quite as familiar to him as I knew mine had become, but he didn't seem overly bothered by it as he stretched and moved. "I see Cylene finally got a harness on you."

Jonathan studied the board for a few more seconds, then moved one of his pieces out. "Yeah." There was a dejected sound to his tone, and he reached up to tug at one of the straps running across his chest. "I knew this was going to be part of the deal, but it's still hard to get used to. You would think it wouldn't be that bad, given how used to wearing clothes we got as humans, and especially with our scales being tougher than ordinary skin, but... it's still taking some getting used to. Just a bit too tight in some places, a bit too loose in others, the odd unexpected tug on a wing when I'm trying to fly."

I grinned, remembering how annoying it had been when I had first woken up to realize Trenil had gotten me trapped in one. "And the smell."

"And the smell!" The blue wrinkled his nose and made a face of mock disgust. "Though I suppose I was lucky in that sense, compared to you and the other 'rescue' bond companions. Cylene made sure to give me time to sniff it and get comfortable with it before the first time she tried to get it on me; I didn't just wake up and find I was stuck in it. I can't imagine that was much fun."

"It was not." I flattened my ears at the memory, then moved a second piece out onto the board.

"Yeah. I'm glad the Elders loosened up that law about taking us from the park. It makes it a lot easier for us if we do decide we want to kidnap a Kymari to have all for ourselves." I grinned at Jonathan's characterization as he stared at his pieces in thought. "Cylene's much nicer than I expected. I knew all the stories you and the other bonded dragonets told, but... it's different to actually experience it. She genuinely does care about me. And not just because it's helping her career, or because of some sense of duty at stoping sicora. I can tell she's happy when she comes to the park and sees me. She smiles when she picks me out in the gatherings before the Morning Song, or when I call out her name and fly to her after. She's happy just to be around me."

The blue dragonet's calm chirps and warbles turned sadder. "And I can tell she's sad when it's time for her to go. I know she's waiting for the day I'll follow her home and leave the park. I... am getting close to that point, but it's still hard. Leaving everything and taking that chance. Trusting her that much."

Yeah...

"I think it won't be much longer before I'm able to, though. I'm missing her more and more each night, and feeling safer and safer around her. But... yeah. She's treating me nicely. I'm doing fine." Jonathan finally picked a rock and moved it out onto the board. Then he pulled his arms back towards him and looked up at me, meeting my gaze with his yellow eyes. "What is it that's got you so distracted, Ivy? What are you worrying about?"

I sighed and slowly slumped down to lay flat against the rock. I gathered up all the anxiety and worry, all the doubt and concern, all the fear I might be making a huge mistake... and at the last second I added in the love and the hope I felt when I thought about Nate. I focused on the blue dragonet and sent the feelings through the mindspeech. "The same thing that has you worried, I guess. Trenil and I are moving tomorrow. It will be very hard to come back, if I'm able to at all, and even then only after a long flight."

My tail curled around and nudged a third piece onto the board. "I won't be able to join you in the Morning Song anymore. It will just be myself and Nate up there. And I want to be with him, I do, I'm just..." I sighed again and felt my ear tufts tickle over my neck as they fell. "I'm scared to move. Scared to be so far away from everyone I know."