Not worth the risk?

Yori was beginning to understand his sister. He was pleased, but at the same time frightened at the revelation. She saw weakness in love. He was beginning to see what that was now. Her only experiences with love had been painful – either because her love was betrayed or because she lost the person she cared for most.

Understanding and accepting were, Yori knew, two entirely different things. Understanding her view didn’t mean he agree with her or approved of what she did. However, he knew what had formed her and that meant he stood a better chance of stopping her.

So Much to Do

Yori stared at the object he’d come to retrieve. It was right there – inches away. Part of him was tempted to reach out and take it. However, he knew that wouldn’t work. No, he would follow Winnie’s plan. In order to do that, there were still things that he needed to do – preparations had to be made. Turning away, Yori headed back outside.

Finding joy from a falsehood

Yori knew it wasn’t true. It was a lie – a falsehood. However, there was comfort in the lie. If he could, even for a little while, make himself believe that lie, then he could believe that everything might be all right.

He embraced the lie and his fear and anxiety fell away. A faint smile touched his lips. In that moment, he believed what she told him and he could feel joy. She was his sister, for the moment, he could believe that she truly meant no harm. Both of them knew that the joy – the peace between them – was short-lived. Yori couldn’t bring himself to care.

Learning to breathe again

Yori’s breath caught in his throat. He froze for a moment, blinking. A shiver swept through him as Rune touched his hand.

“Breathe,” Rune whispered.

Why were you saved?

“Why did he spare you?”

Yori looked up at the mair and frowned. She was the only one who had spoken to them since they’d been brought there. He shrugged and shook his head. “I’m not sure I know, myself,” he admitted. “Perhaps he wants to gloat.”

She nodded slightly. “Perhaps,” she said. Then, she looked thoughtful for a moment. “Our kind were not always as we are.” She stood and added, “Perhaps he wanted you to see that.” Then, she hurried away.

Frowning, Yori watched after her. Why would it matter to him that they should understand the mairs?

I would not touch a thing he touched.

“He’s absolutely infuriating!”

Rune looked up when the door slammed closed. He smiled at Yori and opened his arms as Yori hugged him. “Rough day?” he asked.

“Johannesen,” Yori said, not lifting his head. “Why? Why, of all the people he could have chosen, did the commander decide to let Captain Johannesen be the one to train me?”

“He’s trying to show Johannesen what we see in you,” Rune said.

Yori laughed and shook his head. “I don’t think it’s working,” he said. He pulled away then and flopped into a chair. “He’s a twit and he’ll always be a twit. He’s determined to be a twit and that’s all there is to it.”

“Maybe you have to walk a mile in his shoes,” Rune said, shrugging. “He might have a reason for the way he views the world.”

“I’d sooner go bare-footed than wear any shoes he’s ever touched,” Yori grumbled. He knew Rune only meant the words figuratively, but he didn’t care. He flushed faintly when Rune chuckled. “You know what I mean!”

“I do,” Rune agreed, holding up a hand to forestall Yori’s temper being directed his way. “I apologize, Bellissima. You just… have a way with words.”

No Such Thing

Yori frowned slightly at the commander. Then, he looked at Rune. Leaning close, he whispered into the other’s ear. “Why does everyone here act like there’s only one correct way to do things?” he asked.

Rune blinked and then leaned closer to him. “If you’ve got a suggestion for a better way to do it…” he said, trailing off. He nodded towards the commander and shrugged.

For a moment, Yori hesitated. Then, he said, “I realize I’m new here, but… I had a suggestion that might make this process more expeditious.” The looks the others gave him said, clearer than words could have, that they’d never thought of another way to do this. “There’s always alternatives, you know?”

“No,” Leif said, his tone only partially-teasing. “There’s only one way to do anything!”

The commander rolled his eyes and said, “Let’s hear your idea Captain Hummel.”

certainty

Yori listened to the music and frowned at the lyrics. After a moment, he fussed with hair and sighed. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror. “I miss Rune,” he said, his voice soft.

Winnie glanced over at him. She nodded. “This song reminds you of him – of how you feel for each other?”

Nodding, Yori said, “This… is so him. I need to finish this mission and get back to him quickly.” He shrugged. Then, he flushed and looked over at her. “Do you know what I mean?”

Smiling, Winnie nodded. “I don’t think there’s a person separated from the one they love who wouldn’t,” she said.

I Choose You!

Yori watched the little ones scampering and playing. Some rolled and tumbled over each other. Some launched mock-attacks on their siblings. One was exploring the yarn.

He regarded the selection of skeins that had been rolled into balls closely. He chirped and clicked his beak, even while he purred softly. The balls varied in size, depending on how much had been used.

Suddenly, the little gryphling set his paw one the largest one. It was larger than his head, about half as big as his entire little body. With an excited chirp, he attacked it. Then, he was rolling and tumbling with the yarn.

Chuckling, Yori glanced over his shoulder at Rune. “He picked the largest one,” he said.

“Of course he did,” Rune said, sounding only slightly annoyed. He laughed and shook his head. “The larger the yarn ball, the larger the mess we’ll be cleaning up later.”

“The more yarn for him to become tangled in,” Yori said. He chuckled and looked back at the gryphling. He was already becoming wrapped in the yarn. “I used to do that with my mother’s yarn.”

“Good times,” Rune murmured. When Yori nodded and smiled, he laughed. “I was kidding, but… all right. I guess gryphons are more cat-like than I imagined.”

by way of inbreeding

“They… all look the same,” Yori said. He frowned and looked at Rune. Shaking his head, he repeated himself. “They all look just the same! How is that possible?”

“Small gene pool?” Rune suggested. “Inbreeding does tend to keep the same traits circulating around and lessen the amount of recombination.”

Yori blinked and then stared at him. “Recombination?” he repeated. Did Rune honestly just say that?