#lyell

HE DOES I NUZZLE HIS NOSE WITH MINE LIKE CATS

Ford readjusts his glasses. He finds social interactions difficult at times- preferring to study anomalies or ancient relics over other people. Lyell is friendly enough and he knows it- he always lends an ear to Ford (should Ford ever want to chat)... usually he just goes on about discoveries rather than his private life- but... he does enjoy Lyell’s company, he truly does.

It was an early start and a long ride to Zuzu, but not an unwelcome one. Lyell needed the trip in the early winter and with no plants to need to water, Shane had gladly offered to go with. Marnie said she’d check in on the animals while they were out. It’d only be a couple days, Shane told her. Thanked her. Promised souvenirs for her and Jas.

Cars weren’t the most fun way to travel, but at least the sights on the road to the big city were... not entirely un-scenic, at least. “There’s a sports bar I like in town, if we get a chance to check it out. I think you might get a kick out of it. They have a station that’s regularly on the Tunneler’s pre-season ‘Spring training’ games. It’s an indoor heated arena, so  really, nothing about winter’s gonna throw them off. It’s not super crowded usually either, except on Saturdays.” It was idle banter. But at least he could chat about town. “...You ever get to Zuzu much? I could show you a couple good restaurants around that I don’t think get noticed much. Cheap but good stuff. Off the main tourist drag, so, they get overlooked but they’re worth it. One of em’s got the best burgers I know and a wide range of local microcraft beers on tap.”

     Enough was enough. No more of her tantrums! She was trudging through uneven ground, shivering with her arms wrapped around herself pretending as if she’ll survive another hour. Avelan touched a hand to a tree, sending a vibration---a feeling like something beneath the ground was moving and moving fast and just as Allisae was about to take another step, roots shot from the ground like serpents, winding and tangling together, growing thicker until they made a haphazard wall to keep her from going any farther.

     She turned, finally, facing him with a glare far colder than the winter air. The blockade Avelan had made shriveled, thinning into narrow husks as the life from them vanished, crumbling into dust. Her brother could go home if he wanted. But she needed to find Lyell. To see him safe and alright and alive.     

     Never mind her feelings of being betrayed. Betrayed that Lyell, even with how cold and distant Avelan had been, would leave her without so much as a goodbye. But this wasn’t about her. She did not come to scold him. He was a child, after all. Impulsive and still unaware of others’ feelings. He was just as hurt. Felt just as inadequate or unwanted or betrayed---and he was without a mother to tell him otherwise. So when she finds him, she’ll take him into her arms until he could feel how much he was missed, until he was warm and every reason he had for running off melted away.

     And after that, if he still wanted to stay in the forest, then she had to choice but to let him go. It didn’t matter what she wanted out of all this, but she would see him safe and protected. If not by her, then by someone. 

     “Lyell!” She croaked out and it was then that she realized she’d been crying. “Lyell, please!”

     “Allisae! Quiet! We’re probably in werewolf territory and if there’s more, we don’t want to let them know where we are!”

      “He could be lying dead or dangling from the maws of a bear, Avelan! And as always you’re thinking about saving your own skin! Go home, you’ve done enough!”