I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.
From "Home" by Daughtry
She wasn't quite sure when it had happened. Between hatching the second of their two offspring and realizing that the first, Ki'oreth, was an adult of the ruling dynasty in his sire's culture, probably. But it had happened. She was not happy. Her life was almost domestic.
The scaled beast rebelled. Even though the Angiarn'athi treated her with utmost respect, viewing her almost as a godlike creature, she longed for one—just one—to strike out at her or her family so that she could snap necks and crush bones. Heat boiled from her as the fury within built unabated. Rhy'Saan, who was busy with family and government, noticed, of course; but she could not tell him when he asked what was troubling her. He was troubling her. Ki'oreth, Rhyosite, the Angiarn'athi themselves....all were troubling her. How did one tell one's mate that"
"I do love you, with all my heart, Heorte," she had finally said. "But I must fly. I must leave for a time. I do not wish to leave you and our family in peril, if peril there is, but I also cannot stay another day with this fire burning within me."
He had nodded, his antlered head showing wisdom, understanding her even then in a way that she could never show enough gratitude for. "The Cloudwalkers have made Ki'oreth one of them. We have protection. There is no peril. If my brother still lives, he lives in disgrace and fear."
That made her pause a moment. "One who lives in that way can become dangerous." Perhaps she must stay and battle the heat within. Could she"
He shook his head. "There is no peril, Heorte. I have seen for many days that you have been...," the furred face twisted and looked down.
She reached to touch him, first his shoulder, then lifting her hand to caress the antlers, sending a shiver through him. "I love you. But I am what I am. The fire of my kin burns through me. I will not have it destroy us. So I must fly for a time. I will return."
"I will be waiting," he had simply said.
She wasn't quite sure when it had happened. Between hatching the second of their two offspring and realizing that the first, Ki'oreth, was an adult of the ruling dynasty in his sire's culture, probably. But it had happened. She was not happy. Her life was almost domestic.
The scaled beast rebelled. Even though the Angiarn'athi treated her with utmost respect, viewing her almost as a godlike creature, she longed for one—just one—to strike out at her or her family so that she could snap necks and crush bones. Heat boiled from her as the fury within built unabated. Rhy'Saan, who was busy with family and government, noticed, of course; but she could not tell him when he asked what was troubling her. He was troubling her. Ki'oreth, Rhyosite, the Angiarn'athi themselves....all were troubling her. How did one tell one's mate that"
"I do love you, with all my heart, Heorte," she had finally said. "But I must fly. I must leave for a time. I do not wish to leave you and our family in peril, if peril there is, but I also cannot stay another day with this fire burning within me."
He had nodded, his antlered head showing wisdom, understanding her even then in a way that she could never show enough gratitude for. "The Cloudwalkers have made Ki'oreth one of them. We have protection. There is no peril. If my brother still lives, he lives in disgrace and fear."
That made her pause a moment. "One who lives in that way can become dangerous." Perhaps she must stay and battle the heat within. Could she"
He shook his head. "There is no peril, Heorte. I have seen for many days that you have been...," the furred face twisted and looked down.
She reached to touch him, first his shoulder, then lifting her hand to caress the antlers, sending a shiver through him. "I love you. But I am what I am. The fire of my kin burns through me. I will not have it destroy us. So I must fly for a time. I will return."
"I will be waiting," he had simply said.