Creatures Of Sonaria: Sands Of Time

Part 5: Mixed

       Because I care about you...

       Dune was frozen in shock. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight. Even Arche looked the same. Indigo was just... there in the drama. 

       Her mind was spinning around constantly. She still didn't know what to feel about Arche. Did she really love him, or did she love his company? Did Arche care about her, or did he just care about being with his own species? Could she even love a regular knarliki while she was a SandSwept?

       "No, you don't," Dune finally said after what seemed like hours. 

       "I do!" Arche said, taking a step forward, but Dune flinched back. She didn't feel like talking to him. I didn't care that he was hurt, I just didn't feel right.

       Indigo, who was silent the whole time, but he tapped his hooves and got our attention. "Enough arguing," he said. "Dune, we'll keep watch for Gher, but I'm having Arche travel with you to make sure you follow any other rules the plain has."

       Now Dune was quite furious with Indigo. Forcing her to travel with someone she didn't know her feelings to? 

       "Fine," Dune managed to hiss through her teeth. She left without waiting up for Arche, but he easily caught up. 

       "Bye, Indigo!" Arche called back. "Hope Unne heals faster this time, and I'm sure Dune is sincerely sorry for attacking them too," Arche said, nudging her in a not-so-playful way like he usually did, but more of a gesture to lie about it so she could keep her privilege to keep breathing.

       Dune nodded and kept going, heading for the The NewLands to rest. The sun was going down, so they decided to go through the plains. Or at least it would have been Dune until she was forced to travel with Arche. 

       To her luck, they traveled in silence, but it was also uncomfortable knowing there was visible tension between the two. Dune really didn't enjoy it, it was even more uncomforting than being followed by a noisy regular knarliki. At least Arche kept her entertained, but now they were more neutral. 

       The moon had almost risen above the both of them when they reached The NewLands lake. No predators or creature nests were around either. There was a small herd of kiridian, and they hunted a couple, one for each of them. Luckily, these were just regulars, so there was no need for anymore trials.

       After they had their fill on kiridian, Dune sat by the NewLands lake, staring at the moonlit water that rippled from the wind. She stared at her own pale reflection questioningly, thinking about the events of today and how she should take them. Questioning her feelings for Arche was her biggest problem. She kind of did see him as a friend, but knowing how he felt about her... what was she to do?

       Just then, Arche came to sit next to her. Dune snuck a glance at him, then back at the water. 

       "Look," Arche started. "I... I can guess you're really confused and, well, nervous. But y-you don't have to like be back. I can wait a few more years for another knarliki as a mate, but I still want to be friends at least." Arche sighed and stood up. "Just... think about it ok?" he said, headed to the other side of the lake to rest.

       Dune inhaled. "Is it true?" she asked without looking up. Arche's footsteps stopped.

       "Is what true?" he asked. 

       "That there's no subspecies of knarlikies?" 

       Dune looked up at Arche, who was staring back at her with his head tilted to the left. "I don't think so, but maybe you were... a part of a tribe, let's say. Kind of like Indigo's herd, but instead you have to be a certain color. So I don't think you're a subspecies, but more civil. Does that make sense?"

       "Yeah, sure," she said, looking back down at the water, feeling worse. 

       "Is that a bad thing?" Arche asked, coming back to sit next to her. 

       Dune shrugged. "Maybe, I just feel less...special." she said, earing a punch to her shoulder from Arche.

       "Don't say that!" He shouted, looking at her remorsefully. "Just because you're not a subspecies, doesn't mean you're not special. Haven't you notice you're a literal glimmer?" He brushed his tail along her gold shining tail spines. She guessed he was right, but there were other glimmers in Sonaria too, so she wasn't the only one!

       Him being here, making her feel better, Dune started getting her feelings straight. Dune wasn't angry at Arche. She never was. 

       "Arche," Dune started. "Do you think Indigo made us travel together just to get us together?"

       Arche didn't respond for a long time. Dune took the courage to look up and see if he was ok, to which she saw him hissing a bit. "If that's the whole case, then I swear to the aeries above that I'll kill him and turn his herd into a mess for turning us into one!"

       "Maybe it worked," Dune said. Arche looked at her with a startled expression. He was trying so hard not to let a smile break through his heart, but clearly it was impossible. He hesitated to put his claws on mine. 

       "Do... do you really mean it?" he asked hopefully. "Do you really like me?" 

       Dune nodded. "I mean, it's only been a day but-"

       Not a second later did she feel Arche's arms ensnaring her in a tight hug. I froze, shocked by this sudden event. She decided to leave her comfort zone and entwined her tail around his. 

       Arche unwrapped himself and smirked at Dune. "I knew my charm would get to you sooner," he teased.

       "Don't push your luck," Dune said, pushing him away. "We may as well get some sleep before we head to the Murky Lands, which will be a very long day or two." She said, stretching and laying down on the grass. Arche did the same, nestling up next to her. Not long did she fall asleep peacefully.