The TwiceBorn

Time To Pay For Who We've Been

"She laughed and danced with the thought of death in her heart."--Hans Christian Andersen

“Settle down! I don't want you waking Islinn!” She snapped. Every breath he took and each word uttered had the capability of irritating her to no end. Blixen quickly seated himself but the excitement he couldn't contain channeled itself into his frantically switching tail.  His eyes glittered in the darkness.

“Islinn? She’s called Islinn?”  He crooned, spider-like, against her ear.

“Yes.  To me, she’s Islinn. To you, forbidden.  Now,go about your business.  They’re in Naldura.  They stayed there for some reason but they won’t be hard to find once they’re out on the road.”

Blixen nodded, only half-listening, as his eyes went back to Islinn.

“You won’t reconsider?”He asked with sad eyes.

“Reconsider what?”

“Me! Reconsider about me!”

Unable to contain himself, Blixen began to bounce up and down again.

“I would be so much more content serving you and Islinn than I would Yzebel!”   He squeaked madly.  “You wouldn't make me learn to dance jigs or roll over for crumbs…would you?”

Alora laughed as she patted Blixen stoutly on his head.  He could be endearing in a way.

  If he could only learn how to keep his hands off of himself and his claws from rooting about in his ears and nose.

“I don’t need any more bedevilment in my life.” She replied.  “As for tricks, the only one I’d teach you is how to keep your hands occupied in a more constructive manner.”

Blixen gave a lewd chuckle as he calmed back down and gazed upward at the moon.

“The night wanes while we banter on, Alora The Twiceborn. I must be about my task if I am to honor your request.  May I ask a small favor?”

“I suppose.” Alora eyed him suspiciously. 

He grinned.

“Loki.  I want to see Loki.”

Alora shrugged and walked over towards the warhorse with the tiny imp perched on her shoulder.  Loki’s head shot up and his black eyes stared at Blixen with alarm.  Alora suddenly grinned.  It wasn't often she got to see Loki on the tail-end of what she dealt with on a daily basis.  And she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he could dish it out but couldn't take it in return.

Screeching,Blixen launched himself from Alora’s shoulder and caught hold in the stallion’s long coarse tail.  He swung madly back and forth as Loki kicked and stomped in an attempt to rid himself of the malevolent little pest.  Blixen scrambled up Loki’s tail and perched on his hindquarters, giggling, but abruptly fell silent as he pointed into the darkness.

“Oh. That’s too bad. It appears as if your pack stag has gone down.”

Alora studied the little stag and snorted in disgust. 

“No, it’s just asleep.  That thing could slumber through an entire Sabbat.  Worthless creature.  Islinn’s fond of it though.”

“Ah,now  that’s a noble trait.” Blixen mocked.  “The toleration of the insufferable at the whim of others. I find you lacking, Alora The Twiceborn.”

“Yeah? I find you tedious.”  She retorted.   “You have business to be about.”

Still, the little goblin lingered.  Crooking one yellowed nail, he beckoned for Alora to come closer.  She took a step forward and Blixen agilely leaped onto her shoulder.  Ignoring her earlier threat, he situated himself close and caressed her cheek.