Chapter 39: CHAPTER XXVII – Best Friends and Bitter Enemies

Rhystea shook her head as she watched Sphaere make her exit, but was surprised to see her taking companions along for the ride. Sighing in relief, she was glad that she too wasn’t whisked away alongside them.

Contemplating how to not dwell on her situation and instead focusing on enjoying the little things, such as her cup of tea, Rhystea couldn’t help but notice a pair of eyes burning a hole into her side, emanating from the bundle of silver wrapped up in her arms.

Adjusting her glasses, Rhystea lifted him up her charge and asked, “Something on your mind?”

“It’s just…” Devose started, but trailed off. After a moment, he opened his mouth to speak, but something must not have settled, as he frowned and said nothing. Making another attempt, he still couldn’t find satisfactory words and instead remained silent; all the while his eyes were fixated on Rhystea with a stare clearly burdened with a burning question.

“Come now, we’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t speak up. You’ve nothing to worry about, so spill it.” Rhystea insisted.

“Well…” Devose gave a thoughtful pause so he could let out a sigh and gather his thoughts. “Cekell, he’s… not bad?”

Rhystea was moved by his simple yet earnest words, and was in fact quite pleased that he was mulling over such thoughts. “No, I do not believe so.” She answered softly but assuredly.

“Am…” Devose started, but when he opened his mouth to say the next word, it seemed to choke him as he pried his eyes away from her to stare off into the distance. Rhystea gave him a moment, but could tell he was locked up, so she gave him a gentle squeeze to nudge him on. “Am I bad?” He inquired as worry spread across his face.

Rhystea deliberated for a moment to clearly relay her thoughts before speaking plainly, “You should know, I’m not really qualified to say if anyone is or isn’t bad; but, I’ll tell you what I do know to be undoubtedly true.” She paused and eyed him carefully as he swallowed hard before nodding. Continuing on, she added, “Bad people don’t care if they are bad, so they never bother to wonder about such things.”

Turning back to lock eyes with her, Devose continued, “Even though I seek retribution from Cekell, over the things he has done?”

Letting out a heavy sigh, Rhystea replied, “Look, no one is going to easily come to terms with someone they care about being taken from them. You asked me once about what I would do were it my parents, and to be honest, it scares me to even think about something like that. But, I would ask you this: do you think Cekell wanted to hurt anyone out of any sort of malicious intent?”

“Do intentions matter? Would you be any less angry if your parents were taken from you by way of some form of accident?” Devose countered.

“I hope I never have to find out.” Rhystea answered, “But I like to think that I’d look for the greater good in any such situation.”

“Would the greater good not be ensuring that he cannot hurt anyone else? That wouldn’t be vengeance, it would be protecting other potential victims!” Devose argued. “Does humanity not service a death penalty for heinous criminals, both to put a stop to their atrocities as well as deter other would be villains?”

“One so quick to kill in the name of vengeance or even justice might more likely kill for other reasons as well. Should they be killed, then, too?” Rhystea could tell her words struck a cord with the warborn, and gave him a moment to process before adding, “You can’t judge someone based off of something as flimsy as potential. We all carry the potential for both good and evil. Yes, Cekell may have committed some monstrous acts, but what if you were to snuff out his potential before he could make up for them? What if he does carry the potential to stop a conflict that has been burning since time immemorial? What if he’s the only one with that potential? What if he spends the rest of his life protecting people while harming no one?”

Devose broke eye contact and looked away again, the bitterness he felt with the debate pulling away from him writ clean across his face. “What if you’re wrong?” He spat out.

“I’d rather be wrong while trying to do the right thing, then be right trying to do the wrong thing. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. I’d rather gamble on the hope of a brighter tomorrow!” Rhystea encouraged. “Even if I fail, I can take pride in my choices and actions. Do you really think your mother would want you or your brother to hurt each other?”

Cringing up at his complete loss, Devose balled up his hands into fists from frustration. Even if he was stronger than his brother, it would be wrong to take revenge. Vengeance wouldn’t bring his mother back, and he couldn’t delude himself into believing that’s what she would want for either him or his brother… and yet, his anger remained. He couldn’t act on it, he couldn’t get rid of it, and it felt like it would suffocate him.

“Oh, don’t be like that!” Rhystea insisted, squeezing down tightly on him. “It’s an impossible situation for anyone. I’m going to take a page from Sphaere’s book… ugh, don’t tell her I said that! But, the fact that you are contemplating such matters so deeply is proof of your own personal growth! You’re not simply lashing out, you’re trying to find a way, the right way, a way you can accept and get others to acknowledge; and it’s not easy, but you haven’t given up! So keep looking on the bright side!”

Falling limp in her arms, Devose had no more resistance within him. He didn’t like it, and he was straining to bear it, but Rhystea’s words were unbiased and true. Bearing witness to Devose struggling to accept such a hard truth, Rhystea praised him, “You’re stronger than you realize. You have a mental wherewithal to determine what is right, not only for yourself, but for others. You have a stout heart that won’t yield, and the persistence to seek your answer through discomfort and hardship. Such aspects will take you far in life, there’s no need to rush!”

Missing most of what he had been told as though he were actively avoiding the words, Devose grumbled, “Not strong enough…”

“You know what I think? You’re brother just figured out what to fight for before you did. In all actuality, I thought I saw him get cut down already. It wasn’t until his enemy turned on Sphaere and myself that he found the strength to pick himself back up and carry on. It wasn’t simply that he didn’t want to lose the fight that pulled him back to his feet, it was refusing to lose something even more imperative. I believe that when you fight for someone else, and not merely for the notion of revenge, that you too will wield such might.”  Rhystea explained.

If Devose had a heart, it would have been moved. All he really wanted was recognition, and here it was in the most unlikely of places. His anger was suddenly transformed into envy. Why did his brother get this? Why was Devose left without a mother and with a father who couldn’t stand to look at him? He turned back to Rhystea and opened his mouth to speak, and hesitated. What could he say? After a moment, he realized it was gratitude that he felt when he looked into her eyes. Before he could express as much, a cry cut through the night.

 

A lone girl cheered as she plummeted through the sky, an exhilarated cry born of thrill and joy, unknown to fear and never doubting that she was completely safe, as if buckled in on some amusement ride. Cekell let out a happy squeak as he was fastened firmly against Sphaere’s racing heart. Sphaere would have cried out had her heart not lodged itself back in her throat, denying any panicked cries that might have otherwise escaped her lips.

R208 watched dumbfounded as A212 almost seemed to float away. In truth, it was just himself freefalling through the sky while his Aves friend instinctively stretched out his arms to decelerate his descent. The scale head hadn’t yet come to terms with the fact that the firm barrier he had just been standing on had abandoned him.

With her mind reflexively kicked into crises mode, Sphaere looked down at the dark abyss rising up to consume her, and saw something unexpected: a light. Having passed through the faint glow of the barrier, what was to illuminate the dark depths of what lie beneath her as she plunged through the sky? Focusing on it as she sank through the air like a stone, she realized it was a fire. They were directly above hole-in-the-ground-town, and this realization brought her comfort.

Sphaere was not someone who enjoyed surprises, which in her experience were usually unpleasant. She could not deny the fact that it was solely on her for having stoked Cekell’s mischievous side, even if it was her intent to aim it at Rhystea. Here she was, caught in a trap of her own making yet again, but this time there was a familiarity to it that she found to be warm and comforting.

Casting away her concerns, Sphaere turned to her companions. A212 was nowhere to be found, R208 was staring up curiously as though he were wondering how and why the sky had dropped him, and F120 was stretched out as wide as she could be, as though the ground were a mere ball that had been tossed to her and she intended to catch it with all her might, cheering and laughing like a child at play.

A tinge of aggravation welled up within Sphaere as she realized that, for just a moment, she had panicked. Yes, it was an altogether unprecedented situation that came zig-zagging out of left field, but she was a thrill seeker at heart and her adventurous blood should have been boiling over with excitement. No longer restraining herself, she wrapped Cekell’s tendril around her neck and flung her own arms out, maneuvered herself closer to F120, and cheered alongside her.

Hearing Sphaere’s exhilarated cheers, R208 was shocked into the realization of his situation. Turning towards the darkened landscape spread out beneath him, the scalekin added his voice to that of his companions. True to Reptilia form, his voice drowned out that of his companions as he yelled as though he were trying to scare away the ground that was rising up to claim him.

Turning to R208, Sphaere’s excited cheers turned into a sputtering laugh as she saw the look painted across his face. Her scale clad friend seemed as though he were trying to overwrite his fear with anger as he yelled for all he was worth, exerting effort from the tip of his tail all the way to his teeth as his lungs wrung out something between a desperate death cry and a fever pitched battle roar.

But the ground would not be scared away by any mere voice. What goes up must come down, and in this manner, their joy ride was quickly approaching it’s destination. Those gathered around the fire beneath them had all stood up to peer into the night sky as the group came screaming at them.

Again, there was no slowing down as they came in for a landing. It was not until the last moment that Cekell spread out a barrier that dispersed their inertia, barely a hair’s width from the ground, that they would come to an instantaneous and complete stop.

Knowing what was coming, Sphaere had closed her eyes and converted her cheers to laughter as her circumstances were mind boggling, to which she decided she would do her best and enjoy. She knew no harm would come to her or her new friends, and she also knew that she didn’t want to drop in on everyone in panic mode, so she tried to imagine how Rhystea would handle the same situation, and she couldn’t hold back her laughter.

F120 was the first to realize they had landed, and she did so on her feet with a feline grace and poise that aligned with her demeanor. Having their heir apparent delivered unto them in such a manner, the Reptilia series – impressed by his new level of volume – joined him in a cacophony that could have awoken the dead. R208 himself was hollering with such vigor that he had clenched his eyes shut, and he dared not crack them open until he could hear his brethren. He found himself somehow on his feet but doubled over, and now howling with the added fervor of being whole and hearty and back with his Series.

Sphaere didn’t realize she was on the ground until she was startled to silence by a choir of clamoring scalekin. She was lying prone, flat on the ground, but in an instant and one swift move, she kicked both of her legs straight up with enough force that her entire body was lifted off the ground before nimbly shifting to land on her feet, facing the wailing scale squad.

The ensuing racket would not cease until R208 was out of breath, which took a moment as the lung capacity of the Reptilia was nothing short of impressive. R010 was the first to notice that A212 was not with them, and as he opened his mouth to ask, the Aves Eminent made his presence known.

Dropping his arms as he approached the ground, A212 swooped in like a bird of prey diving down on an unsuspecting R208 and driving him to the ground. Stretching his arms back out, the Aves Eminent proclaimed, “I AM THE WIND!!!”

Everyone witnessing the debacle fell silent, not so much at R208 being driven to the ground as they were in awe of A212’s entrance. It was the Aves’ turn to cheer as they rushed forward, lifted up their Eminent, and paraded him around the fire, all but singing of his exploit.

“Where did you take everyone? I figured you just needed an escape, but it seems as though you had some fun without me.” Rhystea noted.

“Oh, jus’ a quick trip ‘round the world courtesy o’ Ceke! Figured I’d give ya a li’l space, bien’ as we’re always stuck tagether!” Sphaere laughed as she drew Rhystea’s ire.

“Around the- really? That’s not fair! Who in their right mind would pass up such a- you’re messing me, aren’t you?” Rhystea griped.

“No, not at all. Cekell all but keeps us shackled tagether. How does it go? Absence makes the heart grow fonder? Didja miss me?!” Sphaere teased.

Glowering through her glasses which she couldn’t help but to adjust, Rhystea reiterated, “I meant about the ‘around the world’ bit. Knowing what he’s capable of, I wouldn’t put it past him.” Her anger shifted to excitement as she recalled all the sights she would like to see, “Mountains, canyons, deserts, the ocean, even the arctic – thought I doubt Cekell would enjoy that last one!”

Sphaere’s smile widened as she piqued her friend’s curiosity with a laugh, “Haha, yea, we shot over a snow capped mountain an’ Ceke doubled back just ta spite the cold! Mountains an’ ‘specially the ocean are nice, but can ya even imagine catchin’ up ta the sunset at high speeds, an’ watchin’ it rise up as though it were mornin’?!”

Rhystea’s mouth fell open as she gawked at her friend, and a moment passed before she would gasp, “You did, didn’t you! You went without me! That’s so not fair! I want to take a trip around the world!”

Sphaere turned to F120, who hadn’t missed Rhystea’s words and immediately charged her, “Take me with you! I want to go again!”

“Who’re ya, an’ what’ve ya done with my fun hatin’ friend?!” Sphaere chuckled.

“I don’t hate fun! I just prefer to play it safe!” Rhystea insisted, removing her glasses to polish them thoroughly.

“Well Ceke, ya wanna take Ritsy fer a ride? I’m shore she’ll love bein’ dropped outta the sky!” Sphaere asked as she lifted the warborn up to her eyes.

Cekell let out a dull chirp before tying his arms and tendril around Sphaere’s neck.

Before either of his caretakers could ask what that meant, Devose let out a disgruntled scoff, but otherwise remained silent. After a moment, Rhystea prompted him, “What did he say?”

“He said that he’s tired, and that…” Devose trailed off and sighed heavily before finished, “That you’ll have to get me to take you.”

Sphaere sharply turned around and clapped a hand over her mouth to suppress a sputtering laugh.

“Yea, Devose, you take us! Please, please, please!!” F120 begged.

Devose looked down in shame as the gap between himself and his brother made itself known. “I… can’t…” He conceded, mumbling under his breath.

“Aww! Why-“ F120 started, but was cut off by Rhystea.

“He hasn’t had a chance to use the Astral point yet, and needs time to acclimate. Besides, it is getting late, and we have a big day planned for tomorrow.” Rhystea covered for Devose, causing him to affectionately wrap himself around her.

“Aww!” F120 aired her dejection. “I guess I need to get up early too…”

Having acquired and promptly downed another cup of coffee, R208 howled to get the attention of his series before addressing them, “Alright you toothless egg sitters! Back to repairing the gate! Last one to the trees gets to shovel out the bathroom-“

Before R208 had finished speaking, Shelly downed her cup and let out a maniacal scream as she charged towards the gate, bowling over several of her fellow series in the process as she attained speeds none thought her capable of. The rest of her series looked at each other baffled, before peering warily at their cups, gulping down the contents contained within, and chasing after her as loudly as they could manage.

R010 looked peculiarly at his own cup, then over to Sphaere and Rhystea, and curiously repeated the word, “Kaw-fee...?”

“It does have that effect.” Rhystea giggled.

“Ya should prob’ly go supervise ‘em, ‘r they’re liable ta tear down the whole forest.” Sphaere advised.

R010 opened his mouth to say something and in that moment, thought had intervened. His eyes narrowed as he realized he really couldn’t put such a claim past his series, and quickly emptied his cup into his still opened mouth, then charged off after them.

“Well, we’ve got a full day planned for tomorrow. Shall we call it a night?” Rhystea asked.

“Prob’ly oughtta. But first-“ Sphaere stopped, turned to her Aves friend and called out to him, “Oi! Beak fer brains!”

Hearing Sphaere’s voice as it was aimed directly at him, A212 turned as saw she was intently focused on him, and made his way to her with a puzzled look. “With a tongue as sharp as yours, it’s a wonder you don’t have scales. Do you require something?”

Sphaere laughed at the remark, but before she could say anything, Rhystea beat her to it, “You can’t see them, but her heart is covered in scales.”

“Alright!” Sphaere chortled, “I might deserve that, but I jus’ wanted ya ta know that we’re goin’ ta bed, an’ that if ‘em spider bastards show their ugly heads, come wake us up – maybe I can find it my scaly heart ta help sort ‘em out.”

“You mean you’ll lend us the tiny one?” A212 turned his gaze on Devose before restating, “Or rather, Cekell. You can keep the mean one.”

Devose cringed up in Rhystea arms, and she looked down and insisted, “Best be careful when seeking revenge, lest revenge come to seek you, huh?”

“I’ll lend my foot right up yer feathery butt if ya don’ wake me up, ‘fore makin’ off with my Ceke!” Sphaere threatened as she squeezed down on her warborn, prompting agreement out of him in the form of a chirp.

“Ooh, scary!” A212 smiled as he feigned trembling in fear.

“Yer gonna get scary if ya keep it up, buster!” Sphaere shook her head and grinned sharply.

Rhystea pat her friend gently on the back as if to console her before noting, “I think he’s got you pegged.”

Sphaere turned to glare at Rhystea and pretended to adjust a pair of glasses that weren’t there before advising, “I wouldn’ be so shore.”

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Rhystea shrugged, “Your bark is clearly worse than your bite, and it’s always the smallest dogs that bark the loudest.”

“Jus’ ‘cuz I don’ like usin’ ‘em don’ mean I ain’t gotta pair o’ fangs. I keep ‘em hidden fer a reason!” Sphaere asserted.

“Oh I never doubted it, but we both know you’re not actually going to use them here, now are you? I’m wise to your game. You keep playing the same hand, and that makes it easy to call your bluff.” Now it was Rhystea smirking, as she was carried absolute faith in her words.

Sphaere glared at her in silence for a moment before turning back towards and heading to the cave while claiming, “That settles it, I’m definitely havin’ Ceke drop ya outta the sky tomorrow. Then ya can tell me all ‘bout my toothless bites an’ repeated bluffs.”

Rhystea hurried to catch up with her and suggested, “Or we could just get along. Peace is always an option.”

“We’ll get along better after I hear ya ‘pologize.” Sphaere explained.

“Ugh, must you persist in being so incorrigible?” Rhystea inquired.

“Yer the one encouragin’ me ta bear my fangs!” Sphaere retorted.

“I am not! Wait, are you confusing incorrigible and encouragible? Encouragible isn’t even a word!” Rhystea snapped.

“Tomato, tomahto.” Sphaere dismissed her out of hand.

“No! Not at all! They have completely different meanings!” Rhystea clarified, holding on to her glasses lest her enthusiasm knock them from their perch.

“Nah, I’m only incorrigible when someone’s constantly on my case, tryin’ ta correct every li’l thing I say ‘r do. Kinda like you. Makes me wanna bite ‘em!” Sphaere growled, showing her teeth for added emphasis.

“Well I’ll be, and here I thought you liked it!” Rhystea laughed.

“Now who’s encouragible?” Sphaere snarked.

“Oh, I give up!” Rhystea surrendered.

“Finally! Now let us discuss Ceke peekin’ in on our mem’ries, ‘r dreams ‘r what not. We don’ want ‘im talkin’ like me, so ‘e only needs ta read yer mind, right?” Sphaere stated with a self satisfied smirk.

Rhystea sighed, “You do make a valid case, and if he learns from you, he’s likely to be even more antagonistic towards his brother. It’s in everyone’s best interest if he doesn’t pick up any of your habits.” She smiled wryly as she stole away Sphaere’s grin.

Sphaere smile faded as she barked, “Oi, what’s that ‘pposed ta mean?!”

“It means you have many lousy habbits, tendencies, and pronunciations that I don’t want Cekell to be stuck with.” Rhystea beamed.

“Oh, an’ yer’s are so much better, are they?” Sphaere contended.

“Exactly.” Rhystea stated matter-of-factly as her smile only widened.

“It would be interestin’ ta see ‘im correct ya.” Sphaere agreed.

“I’d like to see him try.” Rhystea announced snobbishly.

“Yer awf’ly shore o’ yerself, ain’tcha?” Sphaere noted.

“But of course! I’ll have you know that I am quite the learned individual.” Rhystea insisted arrogantly.

Sphaere looked up at the cave they were entering, then back to Rhystea and declared, “It’s a wonder that head o’ yers fits in here.”

Rhystea turned and flashed her eyes at Sphaere, asserting, “It is filled to bursting with knowledge, ain’t it?!” Mocking her friend and laughing at the statement.

Sphaere just shook her head and let out something of a cross between a lighthearted sigh and a nostalgic laugh, but otherwise had nothing to say.

Rhystea peered at her peculiarly for a moment before inquiring, “What?”

“Oh…” Sphaere started, then fell into a contemplative silence as she carefully chose her words. “I do try ta keep ever’one at arms length, but ya in particular jus’ brush off every attempt I make ta push ya away, an’ keep comin’. Part o’ me is surprised ya can stand me. Yea, I got a thick an’ thorny shell, but it’s there fer a reason; but ya jus’ keep tryin’ ta walk ‘round it as though ya thank yer gunna find an openin’. Part o’ me cain’t believe that ya seemin’ly wanna be my friend.”

Rhystea’s smile widened from ear to ear and she clenched up in an effort not to gush. “Well, you are one of the most accountable people I’ve ever met, and you don’t take advantage of those around you. In fact you put yourself out there to the point of even going out on a limb just to make sure that you aren’t the weak link. I find that part of you to be rather inspiring! And all of that is worth risking your thorns, which are really only there for show. Also, I’m pretty sure I just found an opening in your defenses!”

Sphaere looked sharply away from Rhystea and down at her own feet, clutching Cekell tightly, raising him up every so slightly as though she were trying to hide behind him, and received a happy squeak for her efforts.

“Aww, you’re blushing, aren’t you?!” Rhystea pointed out.

“No I ain’t!” Sphaere declared, refraining from turning to look at her friend.

“Then why are you beet red?!” Rhystea pressed her.

“It’s too dark in here, ya cain’t see me!” Sphaere parried.

“Then what made you squeeze the air out of Cekell?!” Rhystea persuaded.

“Ya talk too much!” Sphaere shot back in exasperation.

“What happened to your fangs?!” Rhystea tried keeping Sphaere off balance.

“Yer ‘bout ta find out!” Sphaere bluffed.

“I sure am trying!” Rhystea called her bluff.

“Count yerself lucky that Ceke’s here, holdin’ me back!” Sphaere deflected.

“He’s making it look easy!” Rhystea pursued.

Out of options, Sphaere clammed up and refused to speak.

“Aww, now you’re just speechless!” Rhystea gushed in attempt to drive her point home, “How cute!”

“Gah!” Sphaere cried out as she played her last card, which was to flee as fast as she could. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that she could outrun Rhystea, and completely left her behind.

Rather than chase after her, Rhystea burst into laughter, as loud as she could, knowing full well that Sphaere couldn’t run away from that. Making her way to her friend, who had stopped when she reached the hammock they would use as a bed, she declared her victory, “I win!”

Sphaere turned and glared at her, which was unmistakable even in the low light provided by a dying fire on the far side of the chamber. “Not going to deny it?!” Rhystea egged her on.

“Sometimes, I really don’ like ya!” Sphaere admitted.

“I know the feeling!” Rhystea laughed.

“Yer enjoyin’ this too much!” Sphaere stamped her foot in her insistence.

“Well, you don’t ever let me win, in fact I’m usually the one at my wits’ end when dealing with you – which you always enjoy! It’s my turn, and I’m going to savor it!” Rhystea explained with a cocky smile.

“Careful ya don’ trip over that ego, ‘r yer own feet.” Sphaere redirected.

Rhystea had expected such a reprisal from Sphaere, and careful to maintain her calm, she reached up an resituated her glasses, only to be blindsided when Devose piped up, “I still find it hard to believe you trip over your own feet.”

“Hey! You’re supposed to be on my side!” Rhystea imposed.

Cekell let out a curious whistle, to which Devose responded, “Right? Everyone else’s feet work in tandem, but it’s like hers don’t get along with each other!”

“Wait?! THIS is what you two can actually agree on?!” Rhystea shouted in outright surprise and aggravation.

“Well it’s strange how often you fall down, usually with nothing there to trip you up.” Devose defended, to which Cekell let out a chirp of overt agreement.

Rhystea fumed, she was fully aware of how impossibly clumsy she was, yet she could do nothing about it. Before she could reply, Sphaere doubled over in explosive laughter.

“Oh, come on! I had you right where I wanted you, then these twerps help you weasel your way out, and now I’m the one on the ropes!” Rhystea looked down at Devose before finished, “You’re lucky I don’t put you down on the cold hard ground!”

Completely at her mercy, Devose looked back up at her, pouted out his lip, and tightly wrapped around her arm.

“Hmph!” Rhystea’s gaze sharpened in indignation, “You don’t play fair!”

Sphaere silenced her own laughter with a, “Phew!” And took a deep breath before continuing, “Much better! I wouldn’ o’ been able ta sleep without gettin’ even!”

“Har har!” Rhystea rolled her eyes as she ever so carefully climbed into the hammock, careful to neither drop Devose nor fall on her face. She had to snatch up her glasses when they almost fell as she tumbled into the hammock, and turned to glare at a snickering Sphaere, who brandished a shit eating grin before casually slipping in next to Rhystea with the greatest of ease.

Cekell wormed his way in between his caretakers, inadvertently coming into contact with Devose and receiving a kick in return for having done so. Letting out an angry screech, Cekell started to bow up before each of the warborn were yanked up by their tendrils and admonished for their behavior.

“Cain’tcha  jus’ get along fer one night?” Sphaere asked, followed by Rhystea adding, “Is that really too much to ask?”

“He touched me first!” Devose insisted, prompting a barrage of banter from a beleaguered Cekell.

“Alright, alright! Simmer down!” Sphaere demanded.

“No more fighting, let’s just go to sleep!” Rhystea ordered.

They released their grips on their respective warborn, and while Cekell rooted around in effort to once again squeeze between his caretakers, Devose hopped over the edge of the hammock. Rhystea whipped up in an attempt to catch him, causing a wide eyed Sphaere to stretch out and balance the swinging hammock lest they all fall out.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Rhystea questioned.

“I will find no reprieve next to that murderer!” Devose muttered angrily, slowly deescalating to a barely audible mumble as he turned away, “…besides, I need to get stronger, I can’t protect you or even carry you through the sky…”

Having missed most of what Devose had said as the ensuing commotion nearly knocked them out of their bed, and by the time they laid eyes on him, he was already begrudgingly walking away in the opposite direction. “Hey! Where are you going?!” Rhystea called out, but the only response she would get would be Cekell berating him with an irritated squeak.

Rhystea moved to exit the hammock, but Sphaere quickly reached out and grabbed her, insisting, “Let ‘im go. We made good progress with ‘im, but we cain’t force ‘im ta do anythang.” Then raising her voice, she called out to Devose, “Oi! I know ya got a lot on yer mind, but when ya see yer pappa gain, ya tell ‘im ya love ‘im! Do it point blank, an’ ya’ll get some o’ yer answers. ‘E’ll respond with how ‘e feels, one way ‘r another.”

“And don’t forget that we’re here, too!” Rhystea added.

Devose stopped mid step, but only briefly. Without another word from any of them, he hurried on to his next goal. While he had thought about his father, he mostly pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. He was fully aware that, best case scenario, his father would only love him if first he earned that love, and yet that realization did not deter him from coveting it any less.

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