Mazikeen is glad to hear he’s been practicing, and her eyes dance as he takes on the blue of the scars she has left on Gale and the red of her marking, nodding her approval. Gale speaks more critically, though she has to agree. He could be much farther, but of course there’s a reason for that and she explains while her eyes trace the new additions to Bolder’s coat. “His father isn’t fond of shifting, thinks it’s a sign of the family Curse.” Mazikeen does laugh as she says this, because it is particularly funny considering who she’s standing next to. When the laughter fades, she gives Bolder a grin that’s maybe just a little wild. “But it’s just shifting and nothing to worry about.” And her voice shows her certainty plainly.
To Gale’s question, she considers the boy more intently but again there is a grin. “I think he is. Think of all he could learn from us? He’d excel at it in no time.” Mazikeen, who had once had her shapeshifting taken away so she would learn her lesson about how it did not define her, rarely passes a day without turning herself into one shape or another. And Gale, who was always there matching whatever she wore.
She watches passively when the lightning arcs out from Gale to Bolder, wondering if it will hurt the boy but not intervening until she knows whether it does. Instead, she has more questions for him.
“What do you think, Bolder? Want to stay with us for a little while, we could make up for all those lessons we didn’t get to have because of your dad?” She asks, even though it’s not really up to him. What happens will remain the same no matter whether he wants to stay or not. But she thinks how convenient it will be if Bolder wants to stay. And maybe the grief and pain his parents will feel at that knowledge will be enough of a ransom but she and Gale will just keep him anyway.
This time, she’s the one to turn to Gale and murmur this idea quietly into his ear, curious about what he thinks.
@bolder