The egg and men were both gone when he awoke, as was the door in the side of his cage. He couldn't have been asleep long, maybe only a moment had passed. But everything had changed. So this was it? He was stuck here, alone and unloved, though finally in a place where something of him could be appreciated. He found some form of amusement in that prospect.      A sound from outside the tent had him tensing, but then he relaxed. Where would he escape to? What reason did he have to try?      One of the mages returned with the egg, handling it with utmost care. He ignored Haaji, instead carefully placing the little green and yellow egg on a workbench and pulling out some odd looking tools. The egg seemed to reach out for Haaji, and he let it touch his mind. He had no reassurance of his own to offer, but it almost seemed as though when they connected like this, both of them derived some form of comfort. It was like when he'd first found it, though at the time, he hadn't really noticed.      He watched the man measure the egg, weigh it, compare his findings with a notebook. All the while, fumed silently in his cage, unable to do anything but watch as the man worked. He had only found the egg recently, but already it was precious to him. If those mages did anything to harm it, in any way... what? What could he do? He was trapped in this cage, unable to even move without either passing out or cutting off the circulation to his extremities. The only thing he could do was fill the room with animosity, which he did.      It was about this time that Haaji noticed a dark mist creeping in from under the edges of the tent. It moved in a sort of searching, encompassing motion. For a while, he thought that maybe it was just his imagination, that whatever drug they'd given him before was playing with his senses. Soon, the mist had filled the tent, staying close to the floor. It investigate Haaji's cage, swirling around his lower limbs and tail, but didn't linger. It was interested in the mage, however, and climbed up his back, keeping out of sight. When he turned to check something, it made quick pass of the table he worked on, pausing at the egg. It briefly flowed over the egg's smooth surface, encompassing it in what seemed to be a sort of ethereal embrace, and then it was gone again. The mage returned to his work, but now the mist seeped over his shoulders. With every intake of breath he took, a little stream of darkness flowed in, but none of it escaped when he exhaled.      Haaji found it intriguing. Very soon, the man was swaying on his feet, and then he was down, unconscious on the floor.      *Good job, Avalon,* Haaji heard, and blinked. What? Humans didn't have mental communication, even the mages. Or, he didn't think they did. *You in there,* a new voice reached out to contact the sira. It was sharper than the first, though strangely similar to it, and directed at him specifically. Now he was even more confused.      ~Me?~      *Yes, you. Who else?* The voice muttered, *Get the egg and get out.*      Haaji tested his bonds again. Still there, still tight. ~I can't. I'm tied down.~      There was a short pause, before he heard a tear in the fabric of the tent behind him. He tried to turn, but a hissing voice warned him not to. "Keep your eyesss on the egg," it said, and he did. Soon enough, he felt his tail being freed, followed by his hind legs, neck and forepaws. Then there was a violent noise behind him, and the cage shook. He'd just been broken out.      *There,* the mindvoice said with finality, *Now go.*      The dark mist was retreating out the tear in the tent. Haaji was once again alone. Whatever had freed him had disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. It had been fast, nearly silent, and from the shape the side of his cage was in, very strong. Haaji was almost glad he hadn't seen it. There was nothing to do now but follow those instructions. He snatched up the egg, securing it once more within the warm safety of his pouch, and bolted out the way the mist had gone.      *Take good care of him,* a third voice, similar to both of the other two but softer, told him. Or the egg. He wasn't entirely sure which. Maybe both.      ~Thank you,~ Haaji sent, following the last thread of communication back to it's source, mostly sure it would reach his rescuers. He wasn't sure if he meant it.      The two of them, Haaji and the egg, traveled for a time, distancing themselves from the camp. It was late, the forest nearly pitch black, but Haaji's large eyes with their slitted pupils were well suited for night vision. In fact, he often felt more comfortable in the dark, because the light actually hurt his sensitive eyes.      Still, it didn't take long for him to tire. He hadn't eaten since two nights ago, and felt it. He also hadn't really seen or spoken to another being since then. Sira were a social species, needing interaction. Haaji had grown up receiving negative attention more than positive, but that didn't change the fact that he had needed others around him.      So now, in the absence of any other sira or sentient to talk to, he began talking to himself. Or rather, the egg.      ~Well, at least we can learn from our last mistake,~ he murmured, on the lookout for a well-hidden hollow to sleep in. There was no way he'd get caught again. ~What we need to do is find somewhere to stay. I mean, longer than just one night. Somewhere safe.~      The egg listened, or at least Haaji felt that it did. He thought it was sort of soaking up everything that happened. It listened, but offered no advice of it's own. Perhaps the day would come when whatever was in this egg hatched and could contribute, but for now, it remained silent.      That was fine for now. As he went about the task of finding a suitable place to spend the night, Haaji told the egg stories. He told it about his parents, how he could still remember their faces and the feel of their mental touch though they were now long dead. He related the years after their deaths, his brother and his brother's mate, his nieces. The other younglings he grew up with, how he felt at once singled out and neglected. He started to tell the egg about Cliija, but couldn't continue farther than her appearance. It was too soon.      But that was alright; he had found a place to sleep by then. And he needed his rest. Tomorrow would find them sooner rather than later, bringing with it a whole new set of challenges. Back | Next