Lost Change

Chapter 63

The soft 'ding' of the door opening filtered into the bedroom, followed by footsteps. I felt my ear tufts raise at the sound, but I didn't really feel like getting up. It was probably whoever would be moving into the place now that Minna had moved out. They would probably want me to leave...

I didn't feel like getting up. Minna's scent was strong here - I wasn't ready to go.

"It has to be a false alarm. Nothing could have set off the motion sensors this high up without setting off the door alarm first, and the sensor sweep says nothing is inside."

"Probably, but we are still going to do a walkthrough to be sure."

The footsteps grew quieter, moving off to the kitchen... then grew louder, moving back to the living room, before they stopped.

"Look at that. Something cut a hole in the window."

"Huh. The edges look burned. Maybe that set the alarm off?"

"Too small. Let's finish checking."

The footsteps picked up again, coming closer.

A Kymari stepped into the bedroom. He looked around quickly and started to turn away... then paused and glanced back at me. "Found it. In here."

A second Kymari appeared behind the first. I lifted my head up and warbled mournfully at them. "Go away."

They didn't understand me. I doubted they would have left even if they had.

"It's that fire lizard. The Kymallata. What is he doing here?" The Kymari stepped closer and knelt down a little. "Come on little guy, you can't stay here. This is somebody else's home; you need to get back to yours."

I just stared at him. I couldn't even begin to think of how to respond to that. This was supposed to be my home. I had only just made the decision, and already I couldn't dream of ever living anywhere else...

"He looks scared. Back up a little while I call this in."

"It's a wild animal; we can just shoo it away."

The Kymari at the door shook his head. "Something else is going on here. It wouldn't come here without some kind of reason. Let's check with the building manager and see if they know anything - it doesn't look like it's going anywhere, so you can always resort to shooing a Kymallata away later." He stared at the other guard with an expression that suggested he was not impressed with that idea.

The Kymari kneeling by me stood up with a sigh. "Fine, fine. Your call."

The two backed out into the hallway. I heard them talking in quieter voices, and thought I heard other voices randomly added in... but I didn't care enough to try and listen.

Minna's scent was strong here. It was so easy to just imagine she was beside me, and that any minute now she would have a sunburst berry for me. I sunk back down into the carpet and closed my eyes, focusing only on that smell.

The floor underneath me vibrated from footsteps. I lifted my eyes, blinking. The bedroom was dark... the sun had set. I must have fallen asleep.

The footsteps stopped at the doorway. I glanced up to see who was there this time...

It was my friend.

"Minna!!" I trilled out the incomprehensible greeting and stretched my wings wide, jumping into the air to fly to her.

She caught me and pulled me to her chest. "Hi." I pushed my head against her chin in a happy nuzzle, thrumming deep in my chest as she slunk down to sit up against the wall. I gathered some of her shirt in my hands and clung to her, flattening my body against her. The separation of the past few days... the dreadful fear that Minna was gone for good... I nudged at her chin again with my head. She was here.

Her hands adjusted to hold me. She cradled me in a gentle hug, supporting me with one arm and beginning to pet carefully down my back. Her arm pressed against me and pulled me closer, too, and I got the sense that we were both doing the same thing. Making up for the days apart. Making sure each of us was really there.

We were.

We were together.

There were some more footsteps in the hallway, and I glanced over Minna's shoulder to see Terron in the doorway. He looked at us with a serious expression, but I could see happiness somewhere in his eyes.

"Mom and Dad are not going to like this."

Minna's other hand came up and began to pet my head. "I don't care."

Already her petting felt better. Just the simple decision to accept her had changed things. The worry was still there somewhere, a whisper that this should be embarrassing, or that Terron would laugh at me... but... I didn't care anymore. I was where I belonged. I was home.

I nudged my head against her hand when it lifted away from my back, and thrummed louder when it returned to rub over my back. Who cared what anyone else thought? Who cared about embarrassment, or dignity, or silly pride?

I was with my friend.

Terron didn't laugh, though. He only smiled softly down at us. "I will call the ship and tell them to unload your things. How close to leaving were they?"

"Five hours."

Terron winced and started tapping the device at his wrist. "They aren't going to be happy about such a last minute change."

Minna just stroked her hand over my neck again. "Sorry."

"No you aren't." Terron's voice held a teasing note to it. "You can stay with us until we get a place worked out. Lyzel will be glad to see him again, too. But you're telling Dad."

I felt Minna shift subtly and knew she was fighting back tears. She was trembling softly against the wall. "Thank you."

Terron smiled, then walked back to the living room, leaving us alone.

I felt a wet spot on my back. Then another. I pulled my head away from Minna and looked at my back... then looked up at her. Tears were flowing down her face now that Terron was gone. I leaned up and nudged my head against her face, catching one of her tears before it could fall to my back. I hugged my friend with my wings while she slowly trembled and stroked over my back. "You came back. I'm so glad."

I felt the thrumming in my chest grow stronger, and I lowered my head to rest it on her shirt. "Me, too."