Though it looked huge from the outside, Saekana quickly found that the Dyr aSashyn really wasn't all that large. In fact, most of it was quite cramped. After two days, she gave up trying to squeeze herself through the door into the room Aavayl had tentatively suggested she try to use. After a week, she gave up trying to wander the halls, tired of her wings constantly bumping the walls and her mane catching in the light fixtures on the ceiling, even when she kept her head low. She couldn't even rearrange the metals to her liking to get from deck to deck: the first time she'd tried was also her last, as Aavayl nearly panicked. Once everything was back the way it was supposed to be, he calmed and explained that there were things called circuits and computer chips in the floors, ceilings, and walls, and rearranging the metal wreaked havoc with them.

Saekana had heard of circuits and computer chips... she'd have to look it up, later.

So, though the anticipation of seeing a new world only grew-- after all, a new world meant room to run and fly-- Saekana's excitement wore off quickly. In the end, Saekana spent most of the two-week journey within the three rooms that seemed central to the ship, itself: the kitchen, dining room, and, especially, the "recreation room", which was the gymnasium Aavayl had told her about. It was the biggest room in the ship, and the only one in which she could spread her wings and stand tall without hitting her head. Aavayl helped her cart bedding in from the room that was supposedly "hers" and get it situated to her liking. He was very apologetic about the whole thing, but Saekana didn't mind. This was the whole reason they were heading back to his home planet, after all: to refit a ship to suit larger passengers like herself! She vowed to remember such things as cupboards with knobs large enough to comfortably grab, walls far enough apart for comfortably folded wings, and smoother light-fixtures. Kiralraes might not have a mane to get stuck on things, but Kiralraes might not be the only enkeyn aboard a sythyn space vessel! At the very least, there was still Saekana, herself.

Every day she had a lesson in the morning in sythyn language-- though how Aavayl knew what was "morning", Saekana had yet to determine, as every time was as bright as any other, unless Saekana actually turned off the lights. The afternoon-- again, Saekana simply trusted him as to what "afternoon" was-- was given over to learning about culture and custom, so that Saekana wouldn't unintentionally offend someone or embarrass herself. In the evening, which followed "afternoon", of course, as well as dinner, they talked about whatever they felt like talking about. Or, really, Saekana talked about whatever she felt like talking about, and Aavayl spoke when he found a need to interject. He wasn't really a very talkative fellow, but that was all right, and as the trip wore on, he started to open up.

One evening, though Saekana had lost count of which evening it was, they had a particularly fine dinner of some very rare, non-Kartyn meat-- rare in both senses of the word, in fact-- that Aavayl had apparently saved for that night, as everything else since they'd left home had been from supplies taken on there, native Kartyn fare, though often cooked up in strange and fascinating new ways. This, though, was no meat Saekana had ever tried, and she had tried quite a few in her travels. "What is this?" she asked him curiously; at least he let her use her own language outside lessons, though he was ruthless about not answering a question in common Sharian during lessons.

"Something from Llyr aRraanor," Aavayl answered quietly. "I'm sorry if it isn't what you're used to."

"It's good," Saekana said, and grinned at him. "And it's a nice change!"

"I just wanted something... familiar," Aavayl admitted, voice still soft. It seemed even a little softer, actually.

"Homesick?" Saekana asked, sympathetic.

That time he smiled. Aavayl's smiles seemed so small and tight, even on a small and tight face like his species'! They seemed genuine, at least, even if his face didn't seem to like making them. "A little."

"Wanna talk about it?" Saekana suggested. "Maybe that'll help. Tell me about-- um, your family?" After all, she heard about the world itself every so-called afternoon, but she didn't know a thing about Aavayl's family.

"It isn't very interesting," Aavayl warned.

"I'll let you know if you start getting boring," she promised. "Besides, it's only fair; I've told you all about my past." The fact that she just told him, because it was something to talk about, and he didn't necessarily ask, didn't really matter, did it?

Apparently he didn't think so, for he chuckled, and nodded. "All right. Well, you may have met my son, Thyravon. He remained behind with Athanora, on your world."

"I hadn't even realized that was your son," Saekana marveled. "I, uh, figured you just looked alike because I can't tell your people apart so well yet...."

"You'll get practice," Aavayl promised. "So you met him."

She had, indeed, though it had been brief. He'd seemed nice enough, and he had seemed to be having as hard a time with her tongue as she was, with his. Though he was, she remembered, both taller than his father and easier with a smile. Or maybe just looser in general, because he was younger or more easy-going. "I kinda liked him. Well, what I could tell of him from both of us struggling to be understood, anyway!"

"He is... a good-hearted boy," Aavayl said, a little evasively, but continued before Saekana could ask what else he might have been that the old man didn't want to talk about. She'd have to find out later, somehow. "He's engaged to Athanora, though I'm afraid they don't seem to be getting along as well as I'd hoped."

"Well, maybe being alone together for a while will help," Saekana said with some hope. Trouble with Kiralraes' bond would be trouble with Kiralraes-- and, of course, it would be good to see the two young people happy.

"Young people", she thought with a private giggle. I bet they're older than me!

"That is my hope, as well," Aavayl agreed. "He has some growing up to do, and she some unbending, but I do believe they can be happy together, if they both try. She is not particularly happy with this life... though he wanted to be a Searcher for a long time. He actually worked hard in his Searcher education, before he graduated."

From their lessons in sythyn culture, Saekana knew what a Searcher was, and what kind of education went into such things. She caught the distinction, however, between "worked hard in Searcher education" and "worked hard in general", so she had to ask: "What, did he not work hard in other classes?"

Aavayl smiled a wry smile, this time. "Thyravon did a very good job of not caring what his parents thought of him-- which, to some degree, is a good thing. His mother expected a lot. Perhaps too much."

"Who was she?"

"Is she," Aavayl corrected. "She is a Hunter--" Saekana knew that term, too, "--and she still Hunts, though I do not."

"Are you not... mated anymore?" Saekana asked; it seemed like a rude question the minute it came out of her mouth, and she turned her ears back, ducking her head, ready with an apology. He merely shook his head, however, forestalling the apologies.

"We are not," he answered simply, but did not deign to explain. At that point, she didn't really think it would be wise to ask. If he wanted to tell her why or what for, that was his prerogative. She'd probably forget later, when she was no longer embarrassed, and embarrass herself again by asking then... but for now, she let him drop the subject, and let him talk instead about when he and his mate were together, and when he was a Hunter instead of a Searcher captain.

It was, despite Aavayl's warnings to the contrary, not boring. It was a good enough set of stories, she thought, to even write down-- which was what she planned to do after he left for bed!

Chapter Eight

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