Tempest

Chapter Seven

A small sound, a mix between a mewl and a whimper jerked him out of his thoughts. Taz snapped his head, zeroing in on the sound, and easily found the source. The golden shape off to the side of the fire, curled up tightly and shaking in its sleep. Taz crawled over to Kyran and placed his hand on the soft fur. He was shaking so badly he was almost vibrating. “Kyran,” he said softly. “Kyran, wake up,” Taz repeated, shaking him slightly.

Kyran woke up suddenly before squeezing his eyes shut again, immediately shifting back to his human form and his hand coming up to punch Taz. Taz easily caught the feeble punch and Kyran slowly opened his eyes. “Another nightmare?” Taz said quietly and Kyran jerked away from him, breaking the eye contact and bringing his knees up to his chest, still shaking. His eyes fluttered close and Taz knew exactly what his nightmare was. He sat next to the pale figure and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay,” he said softly.

Kyran gave a weak smile and looked at Taz, who immediately translated the look. I’m so messed up. Taz laughed quietly, the sound slowly fading into the darkness of the forest. Taz leaned back on his hands, his back just avoiding the remnants of the flames that licked behind him. “Well, this is nostalgic.” Kyran rolled his eyes, still curled up in his ball. “It might have actually been right here.”

Kyran shot him a look. You could shut up now. “There were seven vultures,” Taz said haughtily, smiling. Kyran intensified the glare, narrowing his eyes into slits. Taz grinned at him. “You’re the reason I’m not allowed outside anymore. Don’t look at me like that.” Kyran pouted before offering a small smile of his own.

You’re the one who decided to go out and bring a monsters back to your house. No wonder your parents keep you isolated.

Taz stuck his tongue out at his best friend. “Isolated? You make me sound like a mental patient, stupid.” And so it continued, the playful banter that the two were so known for.

You are insane. You saved me, after all. Clearly crazy.

Taz slugged him on the shoulder. “Coming from you.”

The two sat in comfortable silence for a minute or two, until Taz yawned. Kyran gave him a meaningful look and he rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. “All right, I’m going to bed. You gonna be okay?” he asked the shapeshifter, who hesitantly nodded. Taz blinked, then looked away. “Good night, then.” He lied down on the forest floor again, brushing some flecks of wood off of him.

Kyran watched his best friend fall into a deep sleep before lying back down himself. He stared into the fire before reaching a hand out, enjoying the warmth. The fire licked around his hand, the tips curling around his fingertips and sliding over his skin. To everyone else, it would’ve burned. To him, it was just warm and slightly nostalgic. Slowly he fell into a sleep as well, his mind conjuring a dream of the green grass outside of Taz’s house, where the rabbits ran, where Vivien and Taz were off a little ways away, and where he curled up as a fox in a patch of chrysanthemums.

I blearily opened my eyes the next morning to see the dying embers of the fire resting in the pile of ash, glowing slightly. I rolled over to see Taz a few feet away, on his side and having brushed all the leaves out from under him. Kyran was sleeping as a human right next to the pile of ash, his arms and legs tucked into his body like the fetal position. His white hair fell over his face, obscuring his expression, but he was sleeping deeply and soundly. I rolled onto my back to peer through the green canopy of trees. I stared through the trees for a second until a loud yell from my backpack made me jump up and made Kyran awake instantly, leaping to all fours. “Wake up!” Adriana yelled indignantly, and Kyran relaxed slightly, flopping onto his stomach.