Kaara ran through it in her head a hundred times. She even slapped her own cheeks to make sure she hadn’t been dreaming.
No, that was real. It had to be. Kaara had climbed up one of the trees to think about the situation. She was now dangling from its branches like a bushel of ingen fruit. But even in her thinking position, she couldn’t really grasp what was happening.
What did it mean to see ghosts? What did it mean to have Malaki attracted to her?
Thinking of Malaki, Kaara recalled that there had been quite a bit less these days. Either her curse was gone, they’d snuffed them all out, or something was very very wrong.
“Thinkin’ real hard up there huh?” A familiar voice called out from below.
It was a xio only a couple years older than her. He had pure white hair and dark skin. His tail had already started to grow sharp razor edged spines.
It was Tadios.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” He said, squatting down and stretching his legs before taking a leap and landing on the branch above Kaara.
Kaara clapped for him, “Good jump.”
Tadios gave an exaggerated bow before sitting on his heels, “What’s on your mind, Avalanche?”
Kaara smiled at the codename he used. They’d come up with them so Tadios could tell her when he was prepared to keep a secret. Even so, the only secret Kaara could bring herself to tell him was that the wolf lady she met in Yvian was her new superhero next to her own mother.
And maybe a bit above her own mother.
“Well Etsai, for starters, do you happen to know what this gesture means?” Kaara balled her hand into a fist with her thumb up and paused, trying to remember what her ‘grandmother’ had done.
“Ah yes, Avalanche, a thumbs up. Usually a nonverbal way of establishing approval or communicatin’ things are alright.”
“No no, I’m not done, just trying to remember it…” Kaara said as she extended her index and pinky finger. She pointed her thumb to herself, “And then-” She closed her hands into fists and crossed them at the wrist, pointing at Tadios.
“Well I’m certainly flattered, Avalanche, but unfortunately our relationship will have to remain strictly professional. I’m more interested in xia who’re older than me, you see.”
Kaara raised her eyebrow, “What?”
Tadios chuckled, “That’s sign language for ‘I love you’.”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Kaara blushed, “Ah, well I suppose my gesture’s not untrue but it’s familial love at the end of the day, Etsai. Strictly professional. As for where I learned it, let’s say I was with my dad when I did.”
“I see, well if you wanna learn more I can always teach ya.”
“It might be useful to know, Etsai, I might take you up on that offer.”
“Now that can’t be the only thing buggin’ you, can it?”
Kaara put her finger on her lip quizzically, “You got any ghost stories to tell, Etsai?”
“Ah so you ended up seein’ a ghost huh? I wonder if it signed to you too?”
“Very ass-toot of you, Etsai, what makes you say that?”
“The thing about you Avalanche is you never lie, but sometimes you don’t tell the whole story either. For starters, you said you were with your dad, not that he signed to you. Plus, I’d think your dad would’ve told you already if you asked. Unless you didn’t ask because you weren’t sure about what you saw. Did he take you to the graves?”
If there was anyone better at reading people than Kaara, it was Tadios. But even he hadn’t figured out her real secret yet, “So then you saw the ghosts too?”
Tadios shook his head, “I aint seen shit, but if you did that’s interestin’ for sure, Avalanche.”
“I think I saw my grandparents. My grandma made the signs. I’m glad you helped me understand her message. But the fact that I didn’t know what the signs were and you did makes me believe it really was real.” Kaara said, pulling herself atop the branch she was hanging from.
“Now you’re trying to figure out what it means huh?”
Kaara nodded, “Is it normal to see ghosts?”
Tadios cupped his chin, “Dunno, but if we know what to call ‘em I’m sure someone’s seen ghosts before. Ya think we can ask?”
Kaara thought about her curse. There was a chance that it was related. She shook her head, “I think I want to figure it out on my own.”
“You afraid they might think you’re crazy?”
“More like I think people might be afraid of me.”
Tadios climbed down to her branch to sit next to her, “Ah cmon, I don’t fear ya. Then again, I suppose I don’t know if there’s a reason to be afraid, but I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“Well you’re real strong too. Plus, I’d still like to figure things out on my own. I think it’s more of an adventure that way anyways!”
Tadios shrugged, “True, you don’t like to be given the answer to your questions sometimes. It’s as much your strength as it is your weakness.”
“Thanks for the talk. I think it's given me some hints. I’m gonna try and see what I can find on my own, Tadi- Etsai.”
Tadios grinned, “I can live with that much. When’re you gonna tell me why you decided to hunt with us all of a sudden, by the way?”
“I already told you, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you wanted to give Arik and Rorik some space to train without being distracted by you. But you’ve been a great help to me and Tiksu, so I don’t think you’d really get in the way of Rorik and Arik either.”
“Would it be okay if I tell you why after I can tell the two of them why? I’d feel wrong if I let you in on it before them. They’re my friends, after all.”
Tadios nodded, “Alright, I won’t press too much, then. I understand.” He dropped down from the tree, “Don’t go to bed too late, if you start to see the sun head back alright? Gonna need you at your best tomorrow!”
“Got it!” Kaara waved, pausing to think. What was tomorrow?