Chaos and Change: Eyes of Stars' Story

Chapter Six

"Eyes of Stars, Eyes of Stars, Eyes of Stars!"

The tall wynd could hear Yesinal coming before she was actually in sight. He'd been the first to return to the anory, of the two of them, and of course he'd hurried outside to be under the sunshine rather than the stifling earthen ceiling of the teleport chamber. Star of Day, as they'd decided on calling her-- who had not yet changed colors, sprouted scales, or grown a second tail, despite her insistence on riding around on his back-- perched on his head and peered around with wide eyes while they waited.

They didn't have to wait long.

Yesinal came gleefully charging out of the teleporting chamber, eyes bright and still caroling his name. He knew it was probably his imagination, but she looked like she'd grown another couple inches in the two weeks since he'd seen her. He did manage to side-step her charge, afraid of being bowled over and, in the process, possibly injuring little Star of Day. Apparently, he needn't have bothered, for she skidded to a stop right next to him and rubbed herself, cat-like, against his side. She was getting to be nearly as big as he was, so it took some effort to stay on his feet.

"Aaaah, I missed you!" she exclaimed. "It's so great to see you! How'd your trip go?" In her usual fashion, she didn't stop to let him answer, she just kept babbling. "Mine went great, the Destiny and Star City were all fun and exciting, and I bonded-- twice! Sort of! And I can't wait until you meet them, and did you get somebody? I don't see-- oh, there you are! Wow, you're tiny!"

Star of Day was trembling a bit, crouched low between Eyes of Star's ears and staring at the big, noisy thing that had just accosted her bond. It's all right, Eyes of Stars thought, trying to aim the reassurance in her direction. He wasn't naturally telepathic, but she was, so he just let her pick up the soothing and know it was aimed at her. She's gentle when she needs to be, and she is still a child, herself.

Aloud, he said, "This is Star of Day."

"Awwww. Kinda like you, huh?"

"She liked my name," Eyes of Stars shrugged, ruffling his feathers.

::Like 'Stars,:: the hatchling put in shyly. He thought he would have to emphasize to her one of these days that his name was Eyes of Stars, not just Stars. Perhaps once she started speaking in complete sentences he'd remind her.

"I like him, too," Yesinal confided, grinning-- though with less teeth than she otherwise might've. Even herbivore teeth, when they were that big, could be threatening. At least she was being observant, and making an effort. Maybe things would be all right, and his two bonds would wind up getting along. Eyes of Stars started to smile and relax, just a little.

::Yesi'?::

The wynd's ears perked and he followed Yesinal's gaze when her head snapped back around to the teleportation house she'd just come charging out of. There, just coming out into the sunshine with a little hesitation of his own, was a small, very black colt. Well, a colt with odd hooves, a sting on the end of his tail, tiny fangs sticking out of his muzzle, and what looked like eight eyes, blinking in tandem at the brighter light outside. And he was quite small, not even a foot and a half high at the withers. He looked rather like he could be an odd wynd foal, really: a wynd of chaos, perhaps, or even a slightly mutated wynd of war.

::Wow, so that's... skii?:: He spoke slowly, carefully, but not really ponderously-- just like he was being careful with his words. He was apparently quite unlike Yesinal, in that respect.

"No, silly, that's sky," Yesinal giggled.

::It's so... big!::

"Well, sure, it's the sky. Umax, come on over, this is Eyes of Stars! And Star of Day, she's hardly any bigger than Beacon is! Beacon, this is Eyes of Stars! Eyes of Stars, these're my new bonds, too!"

There was no second creature anywhere, not that Eyes of Stars could see, but he dipped his head in greeting as the colt came trotting out, grinning amiably, if a bit vacantly. ::Hi. I'm Umax.:: He held up the end of his tail. ::This's Beacon.::

Before Eyes of Stars could wonder why someone's tail had its own name, the bit of fluff at the base of the stinger rustled, and he realized that there was more than just fur there: there was... a spider. A very large spider, with what looked like wings and a flippered tail, who was half-hiding in the tail-tuft. It was quite large enough that it really couldn't hide very well in the sparse fur of its companion's tail. He looked, unaccountably, quite nervous. Eyes of Stars had no idea what could be more frightening than Yesinal herself to something small and delicate, but he would be gentle and soft-spoken for him. It was what he was natural at, anyway.

"Hello, Umax. And hello, Beacon." Star of Day, a little less startled by the smaller and less noisy newcomers, leaned way down-- Eyes of Stars dropped his head obligingly lower to let her investigate-- to sniff in their general direction. Umax leaned up and bumped noses with her-- then danced back with a little whinny-growl of surprise.

Eyes of Stars pranced back, himself, but in dismay, his rump bumping into Yesinal's shoulder, who squealed with surprise, herself. Star of Day only barely managed to hang onto his forlock and horn. "Oh, no, oh, damn, I'm so sorry!"

It had been so long since he'd "changed" a living person-- he'd let his guard down, with so many people wanting to be close to him and so little negative affects from the same. And now he had, for the first time in, he though, a year. Protruding from little Umax's shoulders were a pair of fuzzy, insectoid legs, small and twitching with their newfound existance.

::Whoah!:: Umax said heavily, trotting in place and watching the short new appendages bounce and twitch around, his neck bent at an odd angle to get a better view.

"Are you all right?" Eyes of Stars asked worriedly, trying to back up another step and get a better look simultaneously. It turned out to be impossible, so he wound up just crowding Yesinal back a bit, instead of managing the inspection.

::How'd you do that?:: Umax demanded, though he sounded more fascinated than annoyed or upset.

"It just happens," Eyes of Stars explained miserably. "I don't have any control over it, and it just happens... you're not hurt?"

::It's... cold!:: Eyes of Stars and Yesinal both stared at him, and he turned back his little ears at them. ::Not cold, I mean... uh....::

::Cool,:: another, smaller but deeper and, somehow, more adult voice commented. It was also oddly shaky. ::He means "cool". Slang. Mmeans good, fun, neat, new, different. And if you please, Umax, please, please step away from him....::

"What-- why?" Yesinal cried. "He didn't mean it--"

::Of-- of course not. I know that.:: Beacon, the spider-dragon, had tried unsuccessfully to bury himself deeper into Umax's tail-tuft, shaking enough to make the stinger rattle. ::But I d-don't want him to "not mean it" again. I-I don't want to change, there's not enough of me to change without ch-changing me all around!:: Even his mental voice was trembling and stuttering, and Eyes of Stars felt his tail drop and ears flatten unhappily.

"He's right," Eyes of Stars agreed miserably. "He's probably safer away from me...."

"But-- but--"

"It's all right, Yesinal," Eyes of Stars told her. "I shouldn't have let anyone get this close to me, anyway. I let my guard down. I won't come close enough to be a danger to you, Beacon," he added gravely to the small dragon-spider.

::M-many apologies,:: Beacon replied, but gave up on hiding and rather skuttled the inch further he could manage on Umax's tail before he would be in danger of falling off.

"I understand," Eyes of Stars nodded sadly.

Umax interrupted hesitantly, one insect-foot pointing behind the wynd. ::I, uh. I don't... think Yesi' does, though....::

Eyes of Stars blinked, and looked over his shoulder. Yesinal was no longer there, her warm presence at his hip vanished. He looked beyond where he'd expected her, and he saw her fleeing the scene at a gallop. " ... oh dear."

::I'm sorry,:: Beacon reiterated.

"I'd better go talk to her. Star of Day?"

The hatchling whimpered a little and petted his muzzle with a forepaw, but let him set her down gently beside Umax. ::Love 'Stars,:: she said in a small voice.

"I know, dear. Keep her out of trouble," he told the other two-- they didn't seem too irresponsible, hatchlings or no. Beacon even seemed like an adult already....

::Yessir,:: Umax said, his own mind-voice subdued and new appendages folding against his chest. ::We'll stay right here.::

Eyes of Stars smiled wanly at the trio-- Beacon tried to creep another few centimeters away, and very nearly did fall off the end of Umax's tail-- and turned to canter after her. He had no idea what he was going to say, but he knew he was going to have to say something. He just hoped he'd think of something when he caught up with her. 

Chapter Seven

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