#mod dina

Seeing Runaan attempt to court was both a delight and a wonder. He was blushing 24/7. It looked like a sunburn. Runaan will say I was the one to get him into trouble, but I swear I was just being a good bro. First of all, I was being a scientist when I said Runaan should try a courtship dance. If it works for bugs, it should work for elves, right? If he showed any skepticism, all I had to do was remind him that I was the genius who bagged Tiadrin.

I never tried to get Runaan into trouble, per se, but it always seems like when we were together it ended up like that; going to pet the moonstrider cubs meant a cloak and dagger mission to rescue them from their horrible prison in the stables, which was Runaan’s fault, an exercise in broship empathy meant switching places, markings, and households for a month, which was also Runaan’s fault. Long story short, I’m never at fault. And Lain is the best friend everyone deserves.

I am NOT a mom friend. Mom friends are weirdos that carry around snacks for everyone. I’m kewl. I say, “If you forget your snack, you’re fucked.” Lain learned right away. Runaan did not. Which is why I have to yell profanities at him. 

. . .

ARE YOU STALKING ME? 

I may or may not have said this exact thing to Runaan. He pretends to be a bad-ass, but when he was courting Ethari, he had meltdowns every night. Full on alligator tears. Let me tell you, it’s so much more convincing than when Lain cries.

It’s not that this is something special, it’s how I really feel. I’ve learned to quell my inner monologue, because I’ve been called abrasive. But you can’t always hide how you really feel, especially when it is so effective. 

Of course I never told you, bro. That’s Rayla’s story. You know how good I am at keeping secrets. But, bro, you’re all blushy because Ethari’s teasing you, so I’ll tell you.

Once upon a time, Garlath came upon the adoraburr village of Fluffillage. That’s pronounced flu-fill-ij. A thousand adoraburrs hopping, stacking, eating? 

Or...photosynthesizing? Help, bro, are they plants or animals? Maybe, they’re plankton. Anyway, going to adoraburr school, learning Squeakch 101 and How To Walk Without Stacking.

Garlath looked upon the village with displeasure.

“Why are you so small and cute?” he asked. “It makes me want to lie down and cuddle you, which is very unbefitting of a warrior.” 

“Oh, please,” said the adoraburrs, “we would love to be enveloped in your large muscular arms. You surely give the greatest hugs.” 

“Ha!” Garlath laughed. “I do not hug. Hugging is for humans. Why do you think we call them hughmans with a silent GH?”

“I thought maybe they were all named Hugh,” one adoraburr said.

“That is foolish,” Garlath said. “I refuse to share with you my moonberries.”

The moral of this story is that the only biceps you can hug are Ethari’s.

The Storm Spire is a sheer stone cliff. Besides the fact that there is no fertile soil, the temperatures are too cold to support crop growth. Hardy grain types grow in the southern steppes, and the Skywings travel for collection every few weeks. We rely on the herd animals that migrate through the mountains. Moonshadows don’t often eat meat, so when Lain and I first came here, the change in diet was unpleasant. Ethari sends the occasional snack with his letters, though.

Runaan tried sending moonberries in an envelope once. It didn’t work very well. Such a shame that moonberries stain.

This is very hard to talk about. A tragedy. I was a changed elf. 

It all happened one beautifully squishy day. While Runaan was snobbing the recruits, I was teaching them. He’s a good bro, but he’s not so good at the talky-talky. Anyway, I was just standing there, mocking him as bros do, and then he’s hauling me around by my hair, which is, like, super ow, and yelling something all high and mighty about controlling the enemy by any means necessary. 

Not cool, I know, but me being the cool bro I am decided to add to his lesson with ingenuity. Ethari came over to braid our hair together. Friendship braidselet <3. 

And then he ruined it by going all crazy assassin bro and hauling me over his shoulder, which is, like, also super ow, and then he sliced my poor baby braidby right off. That’s braid baby, in case you don’t speak me.

 I told him how un-bro-fessional that was, and he snobbed me. 

*sob* 

Excuse me. It’s hard to speak through my tears.  

When Runaan realized the full extent of his crimes, he said I could lead the training sessions until my braid came back. He had no idea what was coming for him.

Tiadrin transcends lists. She likes to be contrary, so if I told her she could, she never would, and if I told her she couldn’t, she’d just start holding my braid instead of my hand. 

Runaan can’t touch it because he doesn’t show it the proper respect.

He has. Many times. He even writes his own songs. He...does his best.