Chapter 28/ 37
Written by Jessi Maxwell - send C&C to Megami_no_Remon@hotmail.com
Duo stared around wide-eyed, though no one could see it in the sudden pitch-black. Quatre felt all too keenly, however, the abrupt shock and worry from both of his companions when the sun vanished.
"Ch...Chad! I think the sun just vanished!" Quatre managed after a moment, fumbling behind him for the cave entrance. He was surprised when what he felt wasn't stone but a warm body. A moment later, Chad produced the small lamp he'd been using to light the cave. The tiny flame seemed unusually bright. Chad himself was leaning heavily on a thick wooden shaft that'd been fashioned into something of a crutch.
"Um...yes. It does that. Do you not have night on your world?"
Duo looked at the sky, then back at the Chad. "Well yeah, but...the sun doesn't just VANISH!"
"Then how does it get dark?"
Zechs blinked and peered closer at the dragon-boy. "You're saying...that this is a regular occurrence? For the sun to be and then suddenly...not be?"
Ayrchad smiled. "Every day. It's not a real sun. I understand the old suns went down with a bit more ceremony, but I wouldn't know. I've never seen them. It was a bit before my memory. It's just as well anyhow; Shaiyra says that the real sun would have melted me." Here the boy shuddered.
"Not a real sun? Then what is it?" Duo blinked, somewhat incredulous.
"An illusion, of course. A replacement."
"Illusory suns give off real light?" Zechs asked, arching an eyebrow. He was willing to believe in illusions and magic, considering he was speaking to a dragon.
"Of course not. The light is illusory too, else it'd burn me."
Duo squinted. "Wait...so the light isn't real, but we can see by it?"
Chad chuckled a bit and shrugged. He looked more pale than usual, however, and was starting to lean more heavily on his crutch. "Shai explained it to me once. He said my mind couldn't comprehend the thought of fake light that didn't actually show anything ... light I could see that didn't actually have a benefit... so I could see by it. Or something. It was rather complex, and magic's something that almost entirely passed me by." Chad smiled, though his features clouded in a barely masked wince.
Quatre frowned at the sudden spike of pain that shot through him, generating from the broken dragon. "We need to get you off your feet."
"Er...yes. Can you bring that inside the entryway? I'll clean it and deal with it." Chad smiled and nodded towards the easkii.
While all three of the pilots had extensive knowledge of death-dealing, none of them had any real idea what to do with the easkii Quatre had shot and were grateful to let the dragon-boy deal with it.
After dragging the beast inside the entrance of the cave, out of the snow, Chad settled down next to it and began to systematically dismantle the creature. One of the first things he plucked free of the beast, after cutting it open, was the heart. This he held out shyly towards Quatre.
Quatre blinked hard, giving Chad a blank look before hesitantly accepting the bloody organ. He gave Zechs and Duo a somewhat helpless look, confused as much by the gift as by the expression and emotions radiating off the dragon. Chad apparently thought this was something of a big deal and was somewhat shy and expectant. "Erm...thank you," Quatre offered hesitantly. "I'm afraid our customs are a bit different than yours."
"Oh," Chad blinked, a faint blush tingeing his cheeks. "Well...the heart is the right and honor of the hunter that made the kill...it's the strongest part of any creature."
"Oh. Err..." Quatre eyed it dubiously, suddenly looking a bit queasy as he realized what he was supposed to do with it. "Oh..."
Duo saved him, stepping in smoothly. "Chad, I think Quatre wants you to have it. You need the strength more than we do." Duo flashed them both a grin as he plucked the heart up and gave it back to the dragon. Quatre shot him an infinitely grateful expression. Ayrchad blushed brightly and ducked his head with a soft murmur of thanks.
Zechs leaned over and whispered to Duo. "This probably makes them married by dragon customs." This of course was enough to dissolve Duo in a puddle of hysterical laughter, and the dragon and Arabian eyed him in confusion. Zechs kept his expression mostly neutral, though he couldn't keep a faint smirk from twitching his lips.
Chad finished dismantling the easkii, wrapping several organs in the hide and pulling himself up on his crutch. "Come, let's bring the rest inside and I can prepare some for your journey."
"Let me help you," Quatre said, moving to help support the boy, taking the crutch in his other hand. Chad gave him a grateful look and allowed Quatre to escort him inside. Zechs and Duo followed soon thereafter, hauling the butchered beast with them.
Once set up back inside, Chad cheerily went about cutting the flesh of the deer-like creature off the bone. After getting a satisfying piece free, he beamed and lifted it, pausing when he noticed three sets of eyes on him.
Duo of course was the first to speak. "You're...going to eat that?"
Chad looked confused. "Um...I'm sorry, did you want this piece?"
Duo shook his head vigorously. "N-no, but...erm...I guess you don't cook, eh?"
"Cook?"
"Never mind," Duo said with a slight grin. Satisfied that all was well, the dragon-boy happily began munching on his piece of easkii, obviously ravenous.
Duo and Quatre both stared when Zechs shrugged and picked up a strip himself, sampling it. One elegant platinum eyebrow lifted at their expressions. "Local cuisine...I cannot very well be impolite. It's actually not bad. Somewhat sweet, if a bit chewy."
"I am SO not kissing you for at least a week." Duo gaped in something approaching horror. "I think I just became a vegetarian."
Zechs chuckled. "Trust me. When you have to deal with visiting dignitaries and aristocracy as much as I have in my life...suffice it to say that this is far milder than some things I've eaten."
"I think I'll roast mine." Duo said, still looking rather queasy. "Damn carnivore..."
Zechs chuckled. "I thought you were a vegetarian now?"
"Oh, shut up, you..." Duo muttered, busying himself with finishing the preparations for their journey. "We're leavin' first thing in the morning?"
Zechs nodded. "Yes, I think that'd be best. You'll be fine without us, Quatre?"
Quatre rolled his eyes. "JUST because I don't look terrifying doesn't mean I'm not still highly trained and capable of taking care of myself. Besides...I'd wager not much is out there that'd threaten a cave that dragons live in."
Chad chuckled and shook his head. "That much is true. Not many things would dare. Certainly nothing that lives around here."
Zechs nodded. "Alright, then. First thing in the morning we'll leave."