hurt (KIRAN)

[Zephyr]

She shouldn’t be doing this. A little bit of the child knew how dangerous a few of the whers from Kalesk’s hatching could be. She was growing up a little, and she could recognize danger…if only in a vague way. She saw the blood that Jafask drew. It wasn’t all that much, though…not like Rask. What she didn’t see was the way the devious little iron wormed his way into other people’s minds, and that emotional pain can be even more dangerous than physical.

Mouse experienced it…when her mother left. It was why she stopped talking, even if she was still way too young to understand the complexities of the human mind. Mouse didn’t have a word for the reason why she couldn’t talk. She couldn’t explain the reason to anyone, no matter how much she might have wanted to – or how much she wanted to talk. Sure, she had a nice party of flits and whers who could talk for her…but sometimes…it just wasn’t enough.

And she couldn’t tell Gennesk why she felt she had to meet Jafask. There were no words for that either, and without explanation, she knew her daddywher just wouldn’t let her, and Mouse couldn’t risk that. So the child waited until Gennesk was sleeping. Silently, she waited patiently – and that was something for someone as small as Mouse – until she was sure the wher was asleep to slip away with a kiss on his snout. She loved Gennesk like her father, and Genner like her…other father, but she knew this was something she had to do. She made Charlie stay, and left the room, felt covered feet silent on the stone as she made her way along the hallway.

Bray told her he’d tell Gennesk, but Mouse made both firelizards promise not to wake him. They would only promise if they could be her bestguards. The child agreed, and made her way towards the wherling barracks with both flits in tow, Selene hiding under her hair, and Bray wrapped around her neck like a mini knight. Mouse slinked out into the mid morning day, keeping to the shadows so she didn’t cause suspicion.

The cold wind blew through the wings of her yellow wher costume, lifting the wings out behind her as she slipped into the wherling barracks. Here it was a little less quiet than the apartments. Some of the wherlings still had trouble sleeping during the day, Mouse sympathized. They would get used to it, and Mouse would be left alone on days where she just couldn’t sleep…like today. But this was a very different sort of restlessness than she usually felt.

She paused at the intersection of Saowyn and Lirmox’s rooms. She knew she should just slip into one of those and forget about this, but she kept moving, slow and quiet in the hallway in case a wher in one of the rooms heard her. She was fairly certain that any of them would stop her. She froze outside the room she thought was Jafari’s, and Bray froze on her shoulder, stiff as a rod. This was a bad idea…a very bad idea. Mouse couldn’t agree. She didn’t have bad ideas. And Jafari was her friend. She should be able to visit him. With a little more conviction, she knocked on the door, perched outside like the little yellow wher she pretended to be.

[Kiran]

Jafari wasn't sleeping as soundly as he could be. Ever in his mind was the oft-silent presence of his bonded, the iron wher that had had chosen him as his own. The one that lived to turn others lives into chaotic messes, bringing them down until there was nothing left but misery. His only exception was Jafari, pressing and probing and pushing him only into messes and thoughts that bothered him, that he could work through to be stronger.

The former Holdless couldn't complain. He had wanted a wher. He had gotten his wish. Be careful what you wish for. Jafari wasn't sure whether those words were his own or Jafask's. It didn't matter. In many ways they were one and the same, since the bond had been made. Later on, after a few more lessons and more work controlling the bond, maybe they would be more different then. Jafari couldn't wait, because he didn't like the chaos so much. He liked smiles and happiness. There.... Wasn't nearly so much of it when Jafask was around. But there is with Saowyn, yes? Yes, Saowyn made him very happy. She was there and eased his heart and supported him, and he adored her for it. Maybe he even...

A knock interrupted his thoughts. Real or a dream? Jafari sat up with a groan and found himself staring directly into the iron gray muzzle of Jafask, who had decided to plunk himself down on Jafari's legs at some point. Some sort of look not unlike a smug, wild grin splashed across the Wher's face. But there is with Saowyn, yes? Jafari's heart stopped. Was Jafask merely echoing the words that he had found in Jafari's mind, to had he aid them in the first place?

The wher wasn't giving any answers. He just looked upon his Handler, silent, smug. Jafari growled and shoved the covers away, heading for the door. Even if the knock was a dream at least it would distract him from the unnerving presence of his Bonded. Jafask followed close behind, enjoying that he disturbed Jafari and knowing that visitors at this time were highly unusual. Jafari opened the door and a strange sight greeted both of them. A yellow wher stood there, waiting. A yellow wher? Jafask didn't know of any. It was impossible. So what....?

Jafari caught on and in that instant the iron knew as well. Mouse! Jafari reached forward to lift her up and pull her into a hug. For a moment he was at risk of saying something aloud and risking everyone hearing, but at the last moment he managed to reign in his voice. He pulled her inside and close the door before saying anything to the girl in his arms. "Mouse! Mouse, it's so good to see you. I haven't in a while, and with things the way they are between me and Lirmox, well, it just wasn't going to happen, I thought. But you're getting so big now, and I can't believe it! But you shouldn't have come here. Didn't you know that I Impressed a wher? And Genner and Gennesk won't like for a second that you're here with us. You should go back!"

The iron wherling's emotions ran the gamut, from joy to panic. What would his Bonded do to this sweet, innocent little girl?! He glanced over to where the wher had plopped himself down. Right now there didn't seem to be any worries, but with the way Jafask was watching them both intently, there was no guarantee it would stay that way.