IRON GOD | 2: Empyrean

[11] Dakko: Bated Breath

Dakko woke up to a sweet trilling song. He pulled himself up and opened the window of the barn where they'd taken refuge. It was just before sunrise. He expected to see birds. Or anything else small and cute. He certainly didn't expect to see a full-grown lightningfisher out in the pasture.

His heart skipped a beat until he recognized it was Yayaba. He didn't know Yayaba all that well, but she at least wouldn't bite their heads off.

Lalek rose next. "Singing real pretty, Yaya." She stretched. "She's a morning girl."

Dakko looked back at her. "What about you?"

Lalek shrugged. "I can be up and at it anytime. I never get tired, not really. That's my power."

"Huh?" The boy's eyebrows rose. "I thought your power was that you were incredibly strong."

"Common misconception." Lalek grinned. "Though I guess you could say it's a berry in the bread. If I never get exhausted enough to quit, I can work out all I want, can't I?"

Dakko grinned. "That's actually amazing." He held up his own scrawny arms. "Maybe you could teach me how to get stronger?" He ran a hand through his hair. "And cut my hair?"

Lalek gave a hearty laugh. "Sure thing, kid."

Ido bolted up to the open window and squeezed in next to Dakko. His eyes widened at the sight of the lightningfisher. "Wow!" His face lifted in the biggest smile he'd possibly ever worn. "Good morning, Yaya!"

The lightningfisher lifted her huge wings off the ground and spread them wide. Electricity shot up from her elegant streamlined head. Then she stretched forward like a dog wanting to play.

Ido squeezed himself out through the window and waved to Yayaba. She made a warbling call that, with some imagination, sounded like her name. Aaaaaa-yaya-ba!

Ido bent his knee in some odd attempt at a bow. "I'm Ido!"

Dakko looked at Lalek. "Think they'll be friends?"

"Oh, quite naturally." The woman leaned her side against the wall.

Yayaba spread her wings out again and sent an even bigger crack of lightning up into the clouds. Then she looked down at Ido and cocked her head to one side.

"I think she wants you to do it too," Dakko suggested.

Ido nodded. Then he ran a bit farther out into the pasture, closer to Yayaba. A few minutes later, he clapped his hands together above his head and blazing sparks exploded.

Yayaba shrieked and then sang brighter. She dipped her huge head down and nudged Ido, but not hard enough to knock him backwards. Ido laughed and patted her head. Dakko smiled and felt warm again.

Lalek didn't look quite as happy. She smiled, but there was strain behind the expression. When he noticed it, Dakko had to ask. "What are you so worried about?"

She pursed her lips and sighed. "You were up later than me. Did Rizval come back at any point last night?"

"Huh?" The boy shrugged. "No, I haven't seen them. Maybe they got distracted."

Lalek shook her head. "Rizval never gets distracted enough to wander off for this long." She looked up. "I remember when they left, they were going to Staffen's place to see if anything else needed doing. Maybe the town council knows something."

Dakko bent down and adjusted one of his knee braces. "Are you scared, Lalek?"

"Quite honestly, yes," she admitted. Then she called out the window. "Ido! Are you coming with us?"