Shattered Thoughts

Ike liked learning new things and was a really quick learner. No, he was better than really quick, he was super quick! The words genius to be precise, stupid. But he was just a boy and that was a silly thing to say about a boy. No, he was just a quick learner. All it really was was listening and remembering what the ferret voice said. It was like being given a little sheet of paper, all he had to do was look at it and keep it in his head. Why, if you asked him what he read three weeks ago he could recite it all to you perfectly! But no one really asked him but the voices… That's because they don't like that you hear voices. They don't like you Ike… Ooh but that was fine if they didn't like him because he had the voices to talk to and his mommy and now the new voice that he could see! Her name was Lily, it was a pretty name.

Oh but Ike, you also talk to Mr. Thistle right? With a sudden grumble Ike crossed his arms at the thought of that evil and terrible hare trying to be his dad. No, his dad was a smart and heroic officer named Vodge who would come back one day and save mommy from Mr. Thistle and his eevvill plans to take his mom and turn him into a slave! Laugh or cringe at the thought he was serious.

"Hey, OK you?" He heard Lily say in her language, now understanding almost everything she said. It was fun learning new words! You're still stupid. Oh but it was still really fun, even if he wasn't as smart as some of the other kids in his class. They knew how to subtract numbers. You can't subtract numbers Ike, it's impossible for you and you never will. Subtracting numbers was harder than remembering stuff because the teachers wanted him to write out his work and thought he was cheating when he put down the answer with no work and…"Hey, you no OK." The ferret said breaking his line of thought. He focused on her as she started to crawl over and lifted her hand into the air.

But Lily froze, her hand staying in the air in a trembling hesitance like his mother would sometimes... Because she doesn't want to touch you. "But she's a voice." She's no voice. Lily cocked her head to the side before she relaxed, lowing her hand to the floor. Ike knew the expression that crossed her features then. His mommy and all the other grown-ups held that face a lot of the time. Mr. Thristle had that face almost all the time. He didn't like it. It's called pity, cause they realize you aren't normal. "Mommy says I'm just different, and different is OK." Ike mumbled with his head down casted, talking to neither the voices nor the ferret voice that couldn't hear the others but… to himself.

"Oh Ike, that fine, you OK. You learn Askan tongue real quick! Talk different, ya, but learn quick, ya." Lily said, trying to reassure him but he ignored her. It was really hard for him to ignore voices and people because he was such a good listener but he practiced a lot and ignored her then. His legs crawled up to his chest as he stared down at a spot bellow him. There was an odd darker tint to the stone that looked like a stain long ago cleaned. There were a lot of spots like that all over Salamandstron…

He stared at that spot for just a minute or so, or that's what he thought. Sometimes when he started ignoring everything he also ignored the time as well. Finally after what was actually a few minutes he felt something touch his shoulder. It was a warm and reassuring hand, small and delicate. He looked up to meet Lily's brown eyes. "Me vermin. You fine. Like you much, yes." And she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him then. He took in a sniff as she hugged him, her chin resting on his shoulder and neck next to his. She felt really warm and a content feeling passed through him.

With a smile Ike took his arms from his knees, wrapped them around Lily, and brought her into a close hug. There was nothing else in the world in that moment but him and her. Everything fell silent from the sounds and voices to the feelings and touches. All that Ike knew and wanted to know as Lily continued to hold him and he hold her was the warmth between them.

He wasn't sure who closed their eyes first, but he knew he felt loved in that moment…

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