Unpredictable

Chapter 19-- Brumous

(Edited)

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Brumous (adjective)

Meaning: Of grey skies and winter days; filled with heavy clouds or fog; relating to winter or cold, sunless weather

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<Rose's point of view>

You're just like a hatchling! I leave you alone for two days, and everything falls apart. 

She stand over my sulking form in all her sapphire blue glory. Her presence cuddles my mind like a fluffy warm blanket you wrap yourself in after a snow-storm. 

...How'd you find me?  I rise to my haunches, trying to stand up, but she takes two steps forward to crowd me with her bulk and ensure I stay seated. I cross my legs and lean back on my arms. She nuzzles my face with her snout. 

You are not as unpredictable as you think you are. To your credit, though, I checked a handful of other spots before finding you here. Not that it changes the fact that when I found you I discovered you roaming a ghost town, bemoaning your existence. What are you now, two hundred and twenty-two? I think I should be able to leave for TWO DAYS  by this point without having to return to you having a quarter-life crisis. 

I hug her neck and cuddle into her, ignoring the insults in favor of just basking in her presence. She unfolds one of her wings, making a tent around me. Her snout strokes my back. 

Oh, gosh, Aquila. You have no idea how glad I am to have you and that mouth of yours back. 

I feel her shift through my mind, seeing all that happened. I tiptoe into hers (not that she doesn't know. She's well aware and most likely amused), trying to figure out what she did and maybe get some peace from it. 

Her mind is vast and alien; everything shifts around in weird ways. Aquila's blocked off certain parts, but I don't push those. I go into what she's made available. I relive her hunting trip, experiencing through her eyes the thrill of flight and the glory of her kills. 

Once satisfied, we both retreat back into our own minds.

I open my eyes to meet Aquila's glaring blue slits. The ninja are mere baby antelope to that woman's hooked claws and experienced teeth, and you left them as if you were a piece of mindless prey. 

I'm not a mind elemental, Aquila. I couldn't take her then and there, at least not with the Green Ninja on a leash like a foaming guard dog.  I cross my arms, wanting to puke at the thought of her hands and lips on Lloyd like that. 

Aquila's head juts forward and knocks me over, forcing me on my back. You could have returned to the other ninja and defeated her together-- she's a Neutral, she could not have taken you all on at once. You coward! You did not act like the warrior who hatched me, the worthy warrior whom my parents gave me to. You disgrace them and me! 

Her tails thumps and her wings snap up and down. She glowers down at me, her teeth bared and claws extended. I scuttled back only to have her pin me with her snout. 

You ran away from the ninja--- who were chosen by the prophecy--- just as you run away from all things. When I was hatched, you were running away from Trylle, even going as far as changing the name your mother gave you. After Domagoj burnt, you ran away on mission after mission, running away from Kit and your shame. You've been running from you past as long as I've known you. 

She draws back, bending her neck to look away from me. She casts her eyes towards the ground. 

When we started hunting Katara, I thought just maybe you'd turned around and for once just started running towards something. Then we met the ninja, and I had the gall to hope that you'd stop running at all. That for once in your life, you'd stay.