YOURS•AND•ONLY

Chapter 6 - Shadow

It has been four days since he last saw you. He watched with painful awareness as the day spanned into the night and you still didn't come. She'll definitely come tomorrow. He repeated his mantra for the fourth night in a row and rose in silence into the night sky.

Every morning, just after waking up, he transformed into his animal form and settled still at dawn in front of the inn where you were staying. He watched passers-by there all day, hoping to see you among them, and only when the moon rose in the sky did he rise with disappointment and fly back to his home. He was beginning to lose hope and patience, but he forbade himself to think negatively. You promised to come back to him. You never gave him a reason why he shouldn't trust you. You never lied to him or did you?

The unpleasant thought of the moments when you evasively answered his questions about your work came to his mind. It's true you're hiding something from him. Don't you trust him enough to tell him everything without fear? Or do you have secrets because if he found out, he wouldn't believe you anymore? Would he never want to see you again in his life?

He scolded himself abruptly for doubting you. He never once asked you to keep his identity a secret, and yet no one came for him in the last few days you've known each other. You showed him nothing but tenderness and understanding, you offered him a supportive hand when he needed it most, but above all you became an indispensable friend to him. He knew you had become a part of his life, and although he couldn't say it out loud, he couldn't imagine his day without you. Maybe that's why the previous days were such suffering for him. Your laughter and tactful answers cheered his world up.

It was late forenoon on the fifth day when his eyes saw your figure in the distance. He flew enthusiastically towards you as fast as he could, and although the other passers-by hid from the eagle's raid, you just raised your tired eyes and, with understanding, stretched your arm forward. He rested his claws carefully on your arm, taking great care not to injure you. Your exhausted but sincere smile greeted him.

"Hi Talbott. I missed you." Your other hand gently stroked his feathers. Every time you showed him even a small piece of love while he was in his animal form, he was incredibly happy. He knew that regardless of his appearance, you liked him for what he was. The thought that you like him just because how he is and how he looks gave him courage.

"Hello, Madam Rosmert." You greeted the innkeeper behind his back and Talbott looked at her curiously. When he realized she posed no threat, he looked at you again. It's been so long since he last saw you up close and he wanted to remember every detail of your being just in case he didn't see you again.

"Hello my dear! And who is this?" The blond woman asks and look at Talbott, who felt more than uncomfortable under her scrutiny, with interest. "Your new companion?" You laugh lightly and turn your arm so Madam Rosmert can get a better look at Talbott. "This is my new friend Talbott," you introduce him and watch Talbott swell with pride. He liked that you weren't ashamed of him.

"Oh, is that so? Nice to meet you Talbott, you look very good." She greeted him but then frowned at you - you saw the expression of a worried mother in her gaze. "On the other hand, you look absolutely awful." She commented on your disheveled look. It's true that in the last few days you didn't pay as much attention to your appearance as you normally did, but you didn't think it was that bad.

You laughed forcibly and ran your hand through your hair. "I'm a bit tired." You vaqualy answered. It wasn't the first time she had seen you extremely exhausted, but she had never seen you in such a state and it worried her. She looked at you understandingly and nodded to herself. "I'll cook you lunch and you go take a shower in the meantime."

"Could you make an extra portion straight?" You asked and watched as she smiled amused at you: "Already want a second helping?" She hushed you upstairs and you gratefully ascended the stairs leading to your room. As the door closed behind you with a silent thump, Talbott rose up into the air and was bathed in golden light. The next moment you were looking at his frowning face.