05-05-2017, 11:21 AM
He sighed, nodding acknowledgement of Baylen’s words which confirmed what he had suspected instinctively. Unable to restrain himself his eyes lifted over the other man and glanced swiftly across the vast space of the field, taking in all of the strangers’ unfamiliar shapes against the green and the crisp pastel of the sky, looking for the little golden needle. Reservation and anticipation, rather than hope, dominated in the set of his gaze.
Smidgen’s voice was like honey, drawing him back to the present. She had the sort of inborn cheerfulness that was probably unstoppable. He was aware of a thrust of optimism and felt certain it was spillover from the little blue mare, and not born from anywhere within himself. Seirath’s shoulders slumped a little bit as she did speak. He nodded as she went on, braced for the answer but still disappointed, trying to rally his common sense and his social skills. He was attentive to the little mare as she spoke, slate eyes poring over the blue ones as though to read her answer before she actually spoke it. “Thank you, Smidgen, I really appreciate the advice.” He heard the condescension in the burro’s tone and, because it was so fully justified, Seirath felt as stupid as he probably looked. He wasn’t used to playing so many cards short of a full hand and he blamed the filly for that too. Charging off into the unknown compelled him to charge after her without thinking. The familiar annoyance with her was bittersweet in her absence, and added a creeping guilt to the cocktail of emotions clouding his perception.
Beqanna. The name had a strange ring to it, and was unfamiliar. It stirred nothing in the vault of his memories and this, oddly, made him feel a bit better about his surroundings and the other beings that populated it. He smiled in response to her invitation, polite gratitude was the appropriate reaction but there was sincerity there nonetheless. It was hard to make plans for a point beyond finding his wayward ward, as though the world without her was impermanent and illusory. “Of course, I would be happy to visit.” He actually wasn’t himself sure if that was true, though saying it out loud constituted a commitment according to his own code.
“Alayaya. At least, she answers to that.” He offered, his lip half climbing back into an apologetic smile. It was the name he had given her, and he thought it had probably stuck. “It’s hard to say, exactly… Trust me, you would know her if you saw her.” She was impossible to overlook, and she was definitely unforgettable. “I appreciate your offer, I could probably use some help, even if it was just to spread the word a little bit.” After all, he barely knew where he was, and he definitely didn’t know what was where.
It had been at least twelve hours since he had seen her last. The afternoon was wearing on – the days had shortened with the season, as though to frustrate him the sun was falling swiftly and unrelentingly and with it, his chances of finding her for today. Panic stifled, for the moment, his brain conjured a different tangent; the girl was friendly, overly friendly maybe, but she had so far always seemed to be able to keep herself out of the worst trouble and there was every reason to believe, as Smidgen said, that she was ‘okay’. He found he actually believed it, now that the thought had time to root itself properly.
He shifted his weight a little, overheated muscles cooling down quickly in the sudden stillness. He turned his attention back to the burro, tranquil gray eyes appraising. “Anything you’re looking for we can add to the list?” he asked.
Smidgen’s voice was like honey, drawing him back to the present. She had the sort of inborn cheerfulness that was probably unstoppable. He was aware of a thrust of optimism and felt certain it was spillover from the little blue mare, and not born from anywhere within himself. Seirath’s shoulders slumped a little bit as she did speak. He nodded as she went on, braced for the answer but still disappointed, trying to rally his common sense and his social skills. He was attentive to the little mare as she spoke, slate eyes poring over the blue ones as though to read her answer before she actually spoke it. “Thank you, Smidgen, I really appreciate the advice.” He heard the condescension in the burro’s tone and, because it was so fully justified, Seirath felt as stupid as he probably looked. He wasn’t used to playing so many cards short of a full hand and he blamed the filly for that too. Charging off into the unknown compelled him to charge after her without thinking. The familiar annoyance with her was bittersweet in her absence, and added a creeping guilt to the cocktail of emotions clouding his perception.
Beqanna. The name had a strange ring to it, and was unfamiliar. It stirred nothing in the vault of his memories and this, oddly, made him feel a bit better about his surroundings and the other beings that populated it. He smiled in response to her invitation, polite gratitude was the appropriate reaction but there was sincerity there nonetheless. It was hard to make plans for a point beyond finding his wayward ward, as though the world without her was impermanent and illusory. “Of course, I would be happy to visit.” He actually wasn’t himself sure if that was true, though saying it out loud constituted a commitment according to his own code.
“Alayaya. At least, she answers to that.” He offered, his lip half climbing back into an apologetic smile. It was the name he had given her, and he thought it had probably stuck. “It’s hard to say, exactly… Trust me, you would know her if you saw her.” She was impossible to overlook, and she was definitely unforgettable. “I appreciate your offer, I could probably use some help, even if it was just to spread the word a little bit.” After all, he barely knew where he was, and he definitely didn’t know what was where.
It had been at least twelve hours since he had seen her last. The afternoon was wearing on – the days had shortened with the season, as though to frustrate him the sun was falling swiftly and unrelentingly and with it, his chances of finding her for today. Panic stifled, for the moment, his brain conjured a different tangent; the girl was friendly, overly friendly maybe, but she had so far always seemed to be able to keep herself out of the worst trouble and there was every reason to believe, as Smidgen said, that she was ‘okay’. He found he actually believed it, now that the thought had time to root itself properly.
He shifted his weight a little, overheated muscles cooling down quickly in the sudden stillness. He turned his attention back to the burro, tranquil gray eyes appraising. “Anything you’re looking for we can add to the list?” he asked.
Seirath - wait