III
The morning sun crept through the window of their room, illuminating a hollowed out chamber in the side of a tree. Not long after the gentle rays had landed upon the slumbering pair, Wander opened his eyes and stretched.
"Wake up, Syl," he said, backing out of his hat and sliding down her neck. "Let's see what the Wyrls are doing today."
The Zbornak opened one eye. "Where do you want to go?"
Wander plopped his hat on his head and finger-combed the fur on his body until it looked less messy. "I'm not sure. How about figuring out where we can get some brekkie first?"
Sylvia rose to her feet and tested her ankle. "Good, not as sore today," she remarked, following Wander out a door that led onto an outdoor platform.
"Last night was so wonderful," Wander said as they walked up some stairs that wound around the tree. "They eat so many different types of fruit, a bunch of which I didn't even recognize!"
"And don't forget they eat leaves too," Sylvia added. "Lettuce is one thing, but those leaves were leaves. And they were eating them by the mouthful!"
She stopped as the stairs beneath them creaked loudly.
"What's wrong?" Wander asked, concerned.
"I don't know if you've noticed, but everything up here is constantly swaying a little. I don't like it."
"I'm sure the Wyrls have built everything securely. And there's plenty of guard-rails; don't worry about falling."
"It's not just that." Sylvia started forward again, gripping the stairs' guard rail more tightly. "My stomach doesn't like it either."
A Wyrl came down the steps towards them. "Good morning, guests! Chief Nasaki has already prepared breakfast for the two of you. He's waiting for you at the feasting floor, the place we all ate last night."
"Thank you," Sylvia said, nodding at him as he passed them. Wander danced up the steps with fresh excitement.
"I hope it's more fruit! They have the best fruit."
"I was talking to Ryn last night, and he says that's all they eat – leaves and fruit."
It wasn't long until they reached the feasting floor. The chief and several elders were sitting and eating at a colorful mat laid out in the middle of the platform. Nasaki's eyes grew animated as soon as he saw them.
"Wander! Sylvia! Sit down and eat with us, honored guests!"
They complied, Wander immediately digging into the food and talking with his mouth full, while Sylvia ate more slowly.
"I want to see a mora," Wander announced suddenly. "What do they look like?"
"They're beautiful creatures that come in many colors," Nasaki replied. "They have a tail that looks like the body of a screw. It ripples smoothly and quickly when they move. Their backs produce oxygen that riders collect and use on the trip. They have very good temperaments for beasts of burden, and live a long time."
"Do you have one?"
"We did, once, but it was killed in a Dhrak attack many moons ago," another elder said quietly.
Wander's face fell and he looked down at the mat. He felt Sylvia softly pat him on the shoulder.
"Hey, what do you guys do for fun around here?" she asked. He knew it was mainly for his sake.
"The young ones like creating obstacle courses that they use to race each other," Nasaki said. "Us older Wyrls enjoy painting and wood-carving. The guards have sparring competitions once in a while, though Kaz almost always wins." He gestured to a Wyrl who was standing at attention nearby. "Saor, please ask Kaz to come here."
Wander brought a large slice of melon to his mouth and started chomping into it vigorously. Sylvia glanced at him but didn't say anything.
Kaz showed up after a few minutes, dressed in the same style ninja outfit she had worn yesterday, except this one had a blue-colored fringe and sash around her waist instead of gold, and her mask was down. The katanas were once again strapped across her back.
"You called, Father?" She stood there rigidly, eyes fixed on his face.
"Yes. You spar regularly with Ryn. Would you mind sparring today, with our guests as audience? They are seeking entertainment."
Kaz frowned. "If they wish to."
Sylvia broke in. "Chief Nasaki, sir, with all respect, I don't think a spar would be necessary…Wander doesn't like to see fighting."
Still chewing away, Wander gave a little nod.
The chief looked at him and his eyes softened. "I understand. Then how about a trip to Lyra Falls?" He turned back to Kaz. "Dhraks haven't been seen there in years…it should be a safe area. Why don't you and Ryn take them today?"
"Ryn planned an investigation of the Right Soryn caves for today. There have been signs of Dhrak activity there all week."
"Ah, yes." His face grew grave. "The trip can wait until tomorrow. You may go now."
Wander swallowed the last of his melon and gave Kaz a little wave. She didn't seem to notice.
"Thank you, Father. We will leave at tenth notch, and hopefully will be back by fifth."
As she turned to go, Nasaki called out, "And Kaz…please be careful."
She glanced back and Wander caught a glimpse of a smile. The tenderness it brought to her face was so lovely that his heart fluttered sharply inside of his chest.
"I will, Father. As always." Then she was gone.
XXX
After breakfast, Nasaki had one of his servants, Fenri, show them around the village. There were gardens growing fruit, buildings holding tools and dried fruit, a tree whose branches were filled with pottery creations that caught rainwater and funneled it into large pitchers, a tree strung with obstacle courses made out of rope and wood, an herbal that provided medicine for the sick, a building for weaving clothes, a building for pottery, painting and woodcarving, a training area for the guards, a weaponry and armor room, and of course, the Wyrls' individual houses for them and their families.
"The forge is on the ground of the fortage, if you want to see it as well," Fenri said.
"I don't mind going down there," Sylvia panted. "I'm a little tired of bein' up here."
Wander finally focused on her instead of the sights around him. Sylvia looked pretty queasy. He guessed her pride prevented her from admitting to the guard the affect this place was having on her stomach.
"Me too," he quickly piped up. "I wouldn't mind a trip to the ground."
Fenri took them down using the same circular platform they rode yesterday and showed them the forge, which was built from stones and mortar. When Sylvia told him they'd take some time to explore the grounds, he left them with a warning. "Feel free to go anywhere you wish, but do not go past the walls. It is rare for Dhraks to venture this close, but it is not worth the risk. Dhraks are very dangerous."
"You heard what he said, Wander," Sylvia said as soon as Fenri was gone. "No wandering over the wall."
"Got it," Wander said cheerfully, leading the way as they moved through the trees. They made their way to a grassy patch where the sun shone down through an opening in the overhead leaves in a glorious stream of gold-white light.
Sylvia sank to the ground and relaxed with a long sigh. Wander leaned against her, enjoying the rhythmic rise and fall of her side as she breathed.
"Ahhh…I could stay here all day," Sylvia said contentedly. "Wander, if you're going to go anywhere, please don't go far."
"I'm good where I am," Wander replied. "You know…" he added after a bit, "I think Kaz is avoiding me for some reason. Every time I tried to talk to her last night, she had some sort of excuse to get away. And this morning, she wouldn't even look at me."
Sylvia was silent for a while. "I noticed that too, buddy. Maybe she's not used to having another Star-born around, and it's just too weird for her to handle right now. Or maybe she's not that friendly of a person."
"I think she's got a good heart underneath," Wander said quietly.
"You think that of just about everyone," Sylvia said with a small smile.
"But with her it's so easy to tell..." Wander hesitated, looking at his fingers clasped in his lap before continuing. "She's like a flower whose petals are tightly closed, and if she just opened them, you would see how beautiful she is."
"Well, how are you going to open them?" Sylvia asked, playing along with Wander's metaphor. "You can't just tear them off one by one, that wouldn't do any good."
Wander smiled. "The same way you get every flower to open – sunshine."
