DUSKLIGHT ODYSSEY

Chapter 4

"Ion."

"Yawn?" she yawned. "What an interesting name."

Ion gave half a chuckle to her half-a-joke. "Not 'Yawn.' 'Yone.' I-O-N."

"So, Ion... I can have your water pouch?"

He smiled. "No."

She frowned. "Please!"

Ion cocked his head and tightened his sideways smile. The waterskin laid beside her. He reached for it. So did she—though not quick enough. Ion snatched it up, leaving Naim to grasp at the air. Ion stood holding the waterskin above the small girl, who desperately reached for it to no avail.

There was something so charmingly childish about this situation—a smile grew on Ion's lips, a sincere smile, the kind to which Ion's stone face was unaccustomed.

Naim's frustration was just as genuine. "Please!" she jumped in the air, grabbing hold of Ion's good arm, which she latched onto with a furious zeal.

The sight of the girl hanging from his bicep—so determined in her expression—was ridiculous enough to warrant a burst of laughter from Ion, a sound which was utterly foreign to him. Ion wasn't altogether sure he liked his own laugh.

"This isn't funny!" Naim finally caught hold of the waterskin, knocking it from Ion's hand. She dropped to the ground as quickly as it did, pouncing upon it, then lying still. Ion sat down beside her.

"So what's the plan? You're just going to sit here pouring water on your egg?"

"Yes. On Vio."

"Forever?"

"Not forever! Just till he cools down."

In her haste to snatch the waterskin, she left little Vio exposed a few feet away. Ion felt the urge to find out just how hot the egg was. He stooped down to touch it. A small hand flashed around his wrist, halting him with painful nails dug into his skin.

"Don't touch him!"

There was no winning with this girl. Ion wrested his wrist away and held his hands up in defeat. Without a word, he walked a few paces away, hands on his hips. "Fine," he said, "do your thing."

Naim warily watched him before she reached into the water with the leather pouch and poured its contents onto the egg laying in the damp soil.

Ion turned away. He had no idea what to make of the girl and her giant egg. He scanned the horizon. The sun was gone; only twilight remained. Ion peered across the miniature lake and saw the pale glow of an élaf dancing across the water. It stood hunched at the water's edge, miming the act of drinking, though it never opened its mouth. Ion hefted his pack to the ground to search for his knife.

Ion heard a faint gasp. "Look at that dog!" Naim sat pointing at the élaf with twinkling wonder emanating from her eyes.

"What's a dog?" asked Ion.

She shrugged.

Ion looked at her for a moment. He hadn't before noticed the faint wrinkles around her eyes—crow's feet—which betrayed her chronic smile. Her skin was darker than Ion's, deeply tanned, and covered in little dots Ion had never before seen on someone. If Ion didn't know better, he'd have thought she outright lived in the sun. Ion looked away as she caught his gaze. He rifled through his pack and caught hold of his knife.

Naim saw as he raised it and gasped again. "You're not going to hurt it, are you?"

Ion didn't answer. He rose to his feet and made his way toward the creature.