|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:17 pm
Nowhere else to go. Totchli sighed to himself. He could kick her out. He was sure he could. Despite the insistent inner voice telling him to welcome her into his reefs. He did NOT want to invite her to stay as long as she wanted to. He did NOT want to share his home with anyone. These were HIS reefs, HIS home. He refused to share his space with anyone who would eventually hurt him. And he knew she would hurt him. If he let himself, he’d start to care, and as soon as he did, she’d leave him. No. He wasn’t going to let himself to get attached. But… he also couldn’t just kick her out. Not really. That would be cruel. He was a loner, but he wasn’t cruel? Was he? He didn’t think he was. But maybe he should be. The question, ultimately, was whether he wanted to spare his own feelings or the dolphin’s.
“What’s your name?” he asked, buying himself time to decide what to do with her.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:19 pm
“V…v….v….v….vel….vet,” she managed to choke out, ducking further into the hidden alcove.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:21 pm
“Velvet?” he repeated, hoping he translated that correctly. The creature was trembling like a jellyfish. He found it hard to believe that she was that afraid of him. He wasn’t exactly intimidating. Was she hiding from something? Was there something out there that was hunting her? That would be more than enough to justify kicking her out. At the same time… shouldn’t he offer her sanctuary? Well, maybe not sanctuary, but a place to hide? Maybe just for a little while…
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:23 pm
She wasn’t sure if he was actually asking, or just talking to himself. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. Rather than distract him, or risk annoying him, she nodded a bit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:54 pm
The nod did him. It was so slight and timid, as if she was trying to answer him while at the same time avoiding notice. Whatever was wrong with this little dolphin, he couldn’t just send her out into the world at large. But he also couldn’t let her stay and risk her hurting him. Two choices, both completely contradicting one another. Unless, of course, he could allow her to stay and protect himself at the same time. He mulled this possibility over for a moment, before the solution came to him.
“You can stay here,” he told her, stretching out a bit, “for as long as you like. IF you stay out of sight and keep quiet. I don’t want to see you, hear you, or even know you’re here.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:57 pm
Velvet stared at him in shock for a moment before nodding quickly to show her agreement. She could stay out of sight. That would probably even work better for her. She didn’t want to be seen any more than he wanted to see her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 6:00 pm
Maybe his conditions were a bit harsh, but the little dolphin seemed eager to agree. Either she was as antisocial as Totchli was, or she was that afraid of whatever was hunting her. For a moment, he considered changing his mind, but the moment passed quickly. He eased out of the reefs enough to go to the entrance that would lead into what he had come to think of as his sleeping chamber. He probably would have to make it clear that this particular chamber was his and his alone. Then again, she’d probably figure it out on her own. Regardless, if he never saw her around, he wouldn’t get attached to her, and he wouldn’t even notice when she was gone. At least, that the theory.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
