The Gift
Richard's (SF) Storyline, Chapter 3.2
copyright comidacomida 2018
I made to speak but he held up a talon to stop me. "Please, Richard... allow me to speak and then thou mayest say your piece."
Nodding, I closed my mouth and let him continue. "Sorry."
He inclined his head to me and continued on. "We are yet new to one another. I know thee only through the thoughts and emotions of one dear to me who is now gone-- thou knowest little more about me than what thou hast observed these past days. I understand that thou are set upon by four spirits after only just recently learning that spirits exist, so, please know that I do not fault thee..."
I waited several long moments before I urged him to continue with a simple "...and?"
He leveled his gaze on me. "What I ask is unfair of me to request, but I shall regardless. Richard... I want thee to come with me today... just me. I wish to show thee something and I do not desire to share thee with the others. What sayest thee?"
He was right that the request was unfair and it was also completely unexpected. Pausing for an extended moment I looked back to Jack and I nodded; despite having so much to do, I could tell he was reaching out for contact. "Alright, Jack... I'm all yours. What is it you want to show me?"
The Gryphon motioned to the front door. "We are not headed anywhere a great distance away but neither is it close. If thou dost desire, we may walk there."
Treboada cracked his knuckled. "Ah, good. I ken go fer gettin' some walkin'-round."
Jack reiterated his earlier thought. "It is just us, Treboada. Richard and myself."
The big black wolf waved the objection but sat down regardless. "Bah... yeh just wannim all t'yerself."
I was surprised how forthcoming the Gryphon's reply actually was. "Yes. I do. And I believe I have been patient enough in waiting for him that he can appreciate my request as a reasonable one."
Ready to step in and put an end to the argument, I was surprised when Sabhana did it for me. "Calm yourself, Rian. Richard made a choice, and it is reasonable enough."
Nodding to the cream colored Wolf, I looked back to Balam and explained things in Spanish. "I am going to spend some time with Jack. He has something he wants to show me. We should be back later."
The Jaguar nodded and took a step forward, a paw going to his chest. "I will go with you too, Lak'tsil."
Since the evening in which Balam had offered to show me the Mayan ritual he had taken to calling me by a Mayan nickname he'd chosen for me and, although I still didn't know what it meant I didn't really mind-- and I'd already resolved to look it up when time permitted. "No, that's okay. Jack asked to show me something on our own."
Although I didn't expect the Jaguar to make much of a fuss over my absence I was actually quite surprised when Balam nodded in an almost serene way and simply held an arm out, pressing his paw to my shoulder and announced "Xiikteh uutsil."
It certainly wasn't Spanish, which meant it was probably Mayan. A blessing, perhaps? I felt inclined to ask. "What does that mean?"
Balam bowed his head calmly before speaking. "Return safely and I will tell you."
Before I could inquire further, the Jackal about-faced and retreated to my room. I would have inquired further but Jack spoke up from the doorway. "I shall bring thee too and from safely and then thou mayest speak further with him if it is thy wish."
It was almost eerie how close the Gryphon's statement was to the Jaguar's but I put the thought out of my mind and followed Jack out of the house. Each of the Wolves bid me a farewell and I closed the door behind me before locking it. Sticking my keys into my pocket I turned to regard my companion, and motioned him onward.
Rather than lead the way, Jack motioned beside him. "We shall walk together, Richard. Granted, by necessity I will be required to do most of the talking lest other Humans look at the askance for thy idiosyncrasies as they would see thee speaking alone to thyself."
I couldn't fault his logic and simply smiled, nodding as I spoke under my breath. "Sure. Got it."
As I fell into step beside him, the Gryphon began talking at length, far more than I'd expected considering his aloof quietness the past few days. "To begin, Richard, I must apologize as my purpose for asking time with thee alone is, to a degree, self-serving. My hope is that this walk shall grant us time for me to explain myself and to preface what it is I wish to show to thee this day."
I nodded at what he was saying but timed the gesture so that any onlookers might just as easily assume I was bobbing my head in time with a song I might have had going in my head. I glanced his way with what I hoped would be taken as an expression inviting him to continue. Fortunately he took it in the correct way. "I seek thy forgiveness at being as distant as I have been. It is not because I wish to see less of thee, rather, it is because I understand how busy thou art and how chaotic the presence of four spirits must be to thee, especially, as I said before, that thou art new to accepting our existence."
He interrupted himself, motioned to the right. "This way. We are drawing closer to our destination."
Although I hadn't been in Cherry City that long I was staring to learn my way around by that point, but the Gryphon had chosen a part of town I hadn't chosen to frequent. Even so, it seemed as though he knew where he was going so I followed along, trusting in his sense of direction. Jack continued speaking as he went, eyes constantly glancing this way and that, as if anticipating danger at any point. "I understand that thou art closer to the other spirits than thou art to me, and I realize that this may be my fault as well."
We passed several other pedestrians and, as realized that speaking to the Gryphon would get me some strange looks I started to appreciate his plan; my part in all of this was to listen. I would be compelled not to say anything, and it was working. He glanced my way after watching two twenty-somethings pass us on the other side of the street. "Tis not my goal to get in thy way or to cause any problems for thee, Richard. If thou art more inclined to have one or more of the other spirits in thy life to my exclusion I shall respect thy wishes... but I felt it was important to make a single plea on my own behalf."
There were a number of things I wanted to say in response but, again, he had done a fine job of presenting himself an opportunity to speak without interruption. We made one more turn and then I realized where we were: Church Street. Cherry City has a long road passing through the center of town named Church Street for good reason; witin a mile there were at least six churches. To my surprise, we slowed at the second one and he turned, heading up the steps and he continued speaking. "I am thankful that it was thy will to accept my offer for companionship and willingly joined me on this journey."
Approaching the double doors, Jack gestured to it. "Please, Richard... humor me in this and all will become clear."
I stood on the threshold of a church and numerous thoughts came flooding into my mind. Glancing toward the Gryphon, I also looked around at the numerous people walking on the street. Eyes returning to first the doors and then my companion, I--
b) -- was caught between frustrated that he'd trick me and sympathetic to his plight. I should have realized that Jack was still grieving and I'd essentially turned my back on him. In the end I opened the door and entered into the church, hoping that humoring the Gryphon would provide some comfort to him.
c) -- realized just how lost he must have felt in our irregular interactions. Rather than go inside, I went back down the steps and headed across the street to a bus bench, intent on finding a way to make better use of the time and try to actually engage him in discussion rather than some harebrained excuse to get me alone.
d) -- stared him down, hoping my disapproval of his underhanded tactic would be felt. I about faced and went back down the steps, heading for home.
.............................
A as well for me. Neither Richard or Jack is petty enough for the others.
-TGU.