Between The Crystals

Ch 80 Airship

The green Saursune trotted closer and gave a reassuring hum before repeating the keen and walking to the middle of the airship. My muscles trembled at the thought of going inside.

The female circled around me with a hum and slid under my arm until my hand rested on her shoulder again. She set one of her hands on the doorstep and waited, not pulling away from my hand.

I swallowed hard as my mind flew. If I went inside, this airship could take off. I might never find my way back. Was this a trap? What kind of dangers were inside? Our village had always avoided all Saursune structures—it was how we survived for so long. We had barely even gone within eyeshot of a farm, and entering the airship seemed even more dangerous than going inside a farm building.

I was only three paces from the open door, and most of the interior was visible from where I stood. I didn't see anything potentially threatening. Oddly enough, the fur cushions were arranged a lot like the resting hides near a crystal.

That still left the trap theory, and I had no way to disprove it. The grass-woven figures had been moved beside the airship, not inside it! What if the return trip part also hadn't been the full truth?

The green Saursune repeated the back-and-forth circle with a keen, and when I still didn't move, he lay down and whined a lot like the youngsters had. I glanced at the brown female, hoping she'd understand the fear in my eyes.

Her hand left the doorway, and she circled behind me, nudging my back toward the door very gently, before sliding under my hand again. She hummed reassuringly as she waited for me, no trace of impatience or annoyance that I could see.

I swallowed hard. If it was a trap, it was a very subtle one since they could have easily shoved me inside. My first step forward could barely even be classified as a step, but the female hummed a deeper encouragement.

Several foot-shuffles later, my feet were in front of the threshold as the female stood halfway inside, her shoulder still beside mine. The floor wasn't even knee-high, an easy step, if I had attempted it.

I stared at the interior, seeing nothing but walls and fur cushions. No crystal. No sacks of grain. And I saw zero reason to go inside to share energy with a Saursune. I was also far too aware that these two could drag me inside if they chose.

As if sensing my growing reluctance and alarm, the green Saursune rose to all fours and padded to the back of the airship. He lifted a hand to the wall and pulled part of it off—no, it swung like the door in the old village—letting us see a previously hidden crystal with a single spire.

They had a crystal inside an airship? How? Crystal formations had huge root systems, even if they were knee-high like this one was. Something about it seemed strange though. It wasn't as clear, and instead of light reflecting deep inside it, it seemed to glow from the base. Was this a different type of crystal?

The male looked between me and it as he gave another soft keen. Memory of the crystal formation inside the woven airship suddenly began to make sense, although it also left me more confused. Why show me this crystal? I wasn't sure I could port to a crystal that moved around, and even if I could, I certainly wasn't about to try when it was in an airship!

Their attempt to coax me inside no longer seemed quite so suspicious. I peered at the strange crystal, so different from any other I'd seen before.

My gaze shifted to the doorway in front of my knees. Was I really going to try this? For three sacks of grain... I took a deep breath and lifted my foot up. It was a lot harder to convince myself to actually step up.

I was actually inside an airship.

It seemed impossible.

I had to be insane.