Tisis

The last flight (S)

We spend the rest of the day trying to figure out what happened and, more importantly, what to do next.

She writes something like 'a voice' talking to her in her dreams, which told her 'to come find her' or something...and I cannot help but wonder if this is related to the nauseating stream of images that flashed by me earlier.

I decide to not tell her about it though, seeing how she already has problems formulating and understanding full sentences in my language.
Plus, she'd chew me out for sure if she knew about it...completely regardless of the language.

Besides, as long as Zero is like this, there's no way for us to move anyway.
I ask Nym to try to figure out what to do, but it doesn't seem like she knows how to help him either.

And really, how would she?
It's not like she has any of the tools from the ship.
Nor does she know anything about the kind of animal Zero is.

...I was a fool to think that all would be good again once Nym is back.
Nothing is good.
It only got worse, thanks to that stupid volcano we just had to settle in.

I take a deep breath while watching Nym changing the bandages around Zero's wound again, with fresh ones we drenched with water from miracle lake.

I had hoped, that once we got some of that water, Zero would recover...but I guess it doesn't work as well once it is removed from its lake.

We also try to figure out a way to transport Zero there, but he's way too large and heavy and we don't have the time or the resources to build anything useful.

Man, this sucks...

After preparing a fire for the next night, Nym and myself determine who gets to take the first watch with rock-paper-scissors.

I win and Nym lets out a long sigh.
She's probably tired too, but it just can't be helped...one of us needs to stay awake and watch over the sleep of the others.

After cuddling myself into Zero's fur again, I quickly fall asleep.

Some time later, I wake again, because my resting place starts to move and I fall backwards and to the ground.

Upon opening my eyes, I realize that Zero has gotten up and is now looking down on me.

My heart skips a beat from surprise and I jump to my feet.
"Hey, Nym! Nym, look! Zero finally woke up again! How are you feeling, boy?"

"Sirus...well. Zero...glad," his voice echoes in the back of my mind.
"I...I can hear you again!" I sob, wondering when the tears had started flowing, but not minding them all that much.
"Zero...tired...Sirus...come. Last...flight."
"W-what are you talking about, 'last flight'? You...you're in no condition to fly! Your wing still is..."

I look at the place where the bandaged wound on his wing should be, but it's not there.
I then tousle through the fur on his head, to where the large wound should be, but it's gone. As if it's never been there.

Only then I realize, that Nym had not responded, when I called her.
I look around and everything is gone.
Nym, the forest, the fire, everything.

That's when I realize it.

"A dream, huh? Ah, crap, should've known it was too good..."
"No...not dream. Farewell. Zero tired. Zero...go sleep."
"Wait...no! No, no, no! You...you can't do this to me! I don't care if this is just some stupid dream or not, don't you dare give up! We...we'll figure out a way to get you to that stupid lake! Dip you in! Get you healed..."

"Zero...mistake. Zero...pay. Zero...thankful. Met Sirus. Met Sirus mate."
"Nym?! Now you listen, Nym is a friend, not my mate, and stop talking as if...as if...you..."

My tears and sobbing are making it increasingly harder to speak.
"Zero...glad...Sirus well. Nym well. Can sleep now."
"No! No, you can't sleep! Stay with me, you hear?!"

All of a sudden, my surroundings change and I find myself on Zero's back, as we soar through the skies.
And once more, I can see for miles and miles.

The crash site.
The swamp.
The still smoking volcano.
The dense forest beyond it.
The big pile of yellow that Nym called 'desert'.

And to the far right, beyond the dense forest, an endless body of water.
The ocean, as Nym had called it.

"Where...where are you taking me?"
"Zero go sleep...go home."

We fly to where I originally met Zero, when he was still little.
I remember that he was hurt back then too and on the verge of dying of thirst.

If not for me, he wouldn't even be alive today.
And neither would I be. Or Nym, for that matter.

Back then, Nym told me 'to not come crying to her, once he chewed off my arm'...funnily enough, that actually almost happened, but not for the reason she thought, but because he saved my life.
God alone knows how many times.

Zero touches down near a secluded rock formation I've never been to, allowing me to get down.
I hear yapping sounds from the rocks, to which Zero slowly walks.

I peer over the rocks and see a whole bunch of little 'Zero's', playfighting with each other, pulling at each other's tiny wings and the floppy ears, while a big one watches them attentively.

It looks distinctively different from Zero. Its neck fur isn't closely as thick and impressive. It also seems to lack the wings Zero has.
Their mother maybe?

What catches my attention the most however, is one particular little winged critter, who sits a little apart from the others, next to two other small ones, who also don't have wings.

Suddenly, a big, brutish looking male lands next to the nest, looks down on the small ones and then says with a voice sending chills down my spine, "Child weak. Child go," and picks up the single little winged one with its maw.

The mother tries to stop him, but gets struck down by the paw of the obviously superior male, before he throws the little one out of the rock formation.

"Child go! Become strong! Or die!"

This...is Zero's past.
I don't know how this is even possible, whether it's just my head playing tricks on me, but this seems to be how Zero got kicked out...and eventually ended up with us.

He got expelled from his pack for being too weak.
And then I saved him from dying...and he became a part of my little family instead.

"Zero...thankful. Sirus...friend...not care...Zero weak."

I put my hand on Zero's large head and say, "Hey, no big deal, buddy. You've long since repaid this one. I...I'm really sorry that had to happen to you...and yet, I am glad. Because if not for that ass, we never would have met. We...never would have made it this long, if not for you, big guy. You...you've grown strong, Zero. Far stronger than I will ever be."
"Zero...glad. Family...safe. Now...Zero go. Family...find new home."

I dig my face into his large fur and sob, "But it won't be much of a home without you, Zero...I...I'll miss you..."
"Zero...glad...Sirus...well. Sirus...fight...become stronger...protect mate. Carry Zero...in heart."

Just then, Zero's voice fades and with it, the entire world around us.

I shoot up from my sleep, the images and sounds still vivid in my mind.
Nym gives me a surprised look and asks, "Sirus...well?"

Just then, tears begin flowing down from my eyes and I quickly feel for Zero behind me.
He's still there, unmoving, just like before.

Yet something is vastly different.
Vastly wrong.

I can no longer feel his heartbeat.

And as the realization, that it wasn't just a dream, that Zero had actually used the last of his strength only to tell me farewell, hits me, I break down completely.

I don't know how much time passes, but Nym patiently waits for me to recover.

And for that, I will be eternally thankful to her.
Just as I will be eternally thankful to Zero for the time he shared with us.