Lala... more. Hm, still not too pleased with this... Oh well. With luck, when I get back into the swing of writing fic and not essay/practical reports it should get better...
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Aura grunted and struggled with the pack – it was big, an adult would have been able to handle it no problem, but she was still young, and something of a runt anyway… After a second or two of swearing under her breath she manhandled it onto her shoulders, and winced as something hard inside dug into her shoulderblade.
Maybe she’d be able to find help elsewhere, she mused, heading off toward home… After all, there were enough people around town she could ask… There was a hoot of laughter and a veritable flood of youngsters rushed ut of one of the low buildings to one side – half a dozen mud children carrying the smallest slig children, the rest managing a laughing shuffling run round their ankles and nearly tripping them. A harried-looking pair of adult muds followed them out, looking run off their feet. She managed a wan smile – at least some people were learning to enjoy life again…
“Hey… hey, slig…! Wait up…” there was a voice, calling.
No-one for little old me, she thought, dismally, plodding onward.
“Well fine!” the voice said, hotly. “If you don’t want help any more, you might at least tell me, not ignore me…!”
Aura paused, one hand raised – hang on a minute, that voice… She turned her head; yes, it was that young mud from the shop – Jan, she remembered, that was his name… “What?” she asked, as he traipsed up, looking somewhat fed-up, and only just disguising his obvious annoyance.
“I… spoke with Dad,” he said, scratching the back of his head and fiddling with his feathers. “He said it’d be good if I was to go with you. So, here I am. If you’re still going, of course.”
She scrutinised his face for a second or two – he was wearing the exact same expression she herself often wore after arguing with her parents about something. “It’s okay,” she said, tiredly, turning back to the path and heading onward. “I want to travel wi’ someone who ain’t doing it under sufferance. You’re going t’make my life merry hell, always acting as though it’s some huge favour an’ there’s important stuff goin’ un-done because of it.”
“Hey!” he pouted, “That ain’t fair…”
“No-one ever said life were going to be fair,” she said, managed a shrug, realising in some subconscious place that she was echoing the words of one of her father’s late friends. “But y’can see what I’m getting’ at. I’d rather travel wi’ someone who’s doin’ it out of a genuine desire t’help, not someone who’s acting as though it’s all some huge chore… Maybe…” a sigh. “Maybe I best go alone…” her voice descended into mumbled musings. “Wouldn’ get more’n three steps into Scrabania before something ate me, but hey… least I tried…”
Jan scuffed his feet on the dusty path. “Listen…” he said, vainly. “I… suppose I was a bit unfair, earlier… You going out on this… well, it is a bit stupid, as the old guy’s likely dead by now, but… it’s, well… I don’t know. Not very slig-like.”
She glanced up at him, and laughed, scornfully. “You mean this should be a mud’s job, that it?”
“No! No, I…” he waved his paws a bit. “Oh, I don’t know. Besides… I want to help.”
“You mean your Dad’ll give you an earful if you go back without a positive answer.”
“That too.” He shrugged. “If you don’t want me along, I… well…” he shrugged again, mumbled inadequately. “I don’t know, I suppose it’s because I don’t know you… don’t even know your name… Maybe we’d get along better later, when we know each other better…”
“I suppose…” She paused midstep, twitched her tailtip. “I don’t… I’m not sure if…” She glanced back up at him; he was watching her with a very studied expression on his face, trying hard not to betray a scrap of emotion. “Maybe you’re right… I could do with a hand.” She offered up a wan smile. “Oh, and it’s Aurora, by the way… most people just call me Aura, though…”
He smiled back, halfheartedly.
“Well, we better start to arrange things…” She turned and plodded on again. “Don’t want to go and do things wrong before we even set out…”
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