?I don?t think that they have invented words for what Cayt is going to do to you,? Gina laughed as she leaned back in her chair. The legs creaked as she settled her weight backward. Her gaze panned out over the side yard and over toward the Wood. It was a pretty afternoon. The wind was light and cool, which she thought was Amthy?s doing more than nature?s. Above them the sky was bright with fluffy cotton clouds that occasionally moved between them and the sun. Wild flowers bent and bobbed. Birds sang. It was nice.
?Sure there are,? Neano chortled. ?Murder is one.?
?Evisceration,? Bianca added as she drank her iced tea. The cubes collided melodiously against the walls of her perspiring glass.
?Vivisection,? Gre?Stok said grimly as he tacked his two coppers onto the growing list. ?Mark my words,? he said with a tip of his head as he turned his attention back to sharpening his knife. The rhythmic draw of the blade across the stone mixed with the chirping of summer bugs.
Amthy looked up at the table from her place on the porch. The green-haired nymph sat cross legged on the recently weather sealed wrap-around patio in the middle of her own battlefield of fabric, thread, beads, and ribbon. She held an embroidery hoop in the nest of her legs. ??s no? wrong t'advertise. Is no? like ?s an ad in the paper.?
?No, it?s worse,? Neano grumbled.
?How?s it worse??
?It?s a quilt in the Welcome Center. All the new arrivals will see it,? Bianca reminded Amthy.
Amthy brushed a section of olivine-hued hair from her bright, tsavorite-colored eyes. The rebellious strand threw itself with abandon back across her field of vision. ?The Wind?s been talkin?,? she reminded them. ??s for me t?listen.?
?It?s always talking,? Neano snorted back. ?And somehow it always gets you,? he added stress to his voice, ?in trouble. If what you?ve been hearing--.?
?You know! You?ve been hearing it to!? Amthy protested. Her cheeks puffed squirrel-like and her lips puckered into a pout.
?If what you?ve been hearing is true, it?s pack business.?
?An?m pack,? she reminded him with a nyah of her tongue. ?An?m an official princess of Geladine. The Royal Da adopted me.? Amthy further reminded Neano. ??s all sorts o? my business. ?m gonna do wha? I can t'help.?
?She?s coming,? Gre?Stok told the assembly of jockeys and Hishn.
A hush settled over the crowd. Amthy tucked the hoop beneath her leg and pulled out another she had in progress. It was a quick motion completed just as the silvery-blonde haired Shifter rounded the corner. She could feel the burn of at least two pairs of eyes into her skin. It was hard to act like there was nothing going on when everyone else was acting like something was. ?Cayt!? She called jubilantly, sing-songing her sister?s name.
Emerald-hued eyes narrowed. ?What?? She asked suspiciously.
?Nothing, Sissy-poo,? Amthy assured her, ??m jus? happy.?
?Of course you are,? Cayt replied, not entirely sold on Amthy?s reassurance. There was something fishy going on with the link between them, but she couldn't figure on what. ?What?s that you?ve got?? She pulled a chair out at the table, and sat with Gina, Gre?Stok, Neano, and Bianca. She looked at the pitcher of iced tea and the platter of glasses. The ice cubes were melting in the tawny beverage. A layer of water had settled separate on top.
?Care for a glass?? Bianca asked Cayt, gesturing to the pitcher.
?That would be nice, thank you,? Cayt said. The air around the table was peculiar. Her nose twitched in annoyance.
Amthy held up the hoop she was working on. ??s for the quilt they are making for the Welcome Center,? she gushed to Cayt. ?I jus? need some?un t?finish up writing for me.? She said about the quilt square.
?What is it going to say?? Cayt asked.
?Nymphs are--,? Amthy announced.
?Naughty?? Gina said over Amthy?s answer.
?Obnoxious?? Neano?s voice overlapped Gina?s.
?Narcoleptic?? Bianca fought to get her suggestion heard over Gina and Neano?s.
?Neat,? Amthy finished and waved her hoop at Gina since she was close. ??m no? obnoxious.? She squealed.
Gina laughed. ?Hey! I didn?t say it! Neano did!? She laughed and fended off Amthy?s swatting blows. ?Get Neano, not me!?
"But he's over there an' you're right here!" Amthy giggled. "You should pass't on t'him." She nodded earnestly.
?Neat?? Cayt snorted and a smile touched her mouth as she took the glass of iced tea from Bianca. ?Have you seen your room lately?? She teased her heart-sister.
??s no? tha? bad,? Amthy huffed. ?An? besides I do mean the other sort o? neat. The nifty sort o? neat. No? the clean?un.?
?Oh, that explains it,? Cayt laughed and drank her tea.
?Sure there are,? Neano chortled. ?Murder is one.?
?Evisceration,? Bianca added as she drank her iced tea. The cubes collided melodiously against the walls of her perspiring glass.
?Vivisection,? Gre?Stok said grimly as he tacked his two coppers onto the growing list. ?Mark my words,? he said with a tip of his head as he turned his attention back to sharpening his knife. The rhythmic draw of the blade across the stone mixed with the chirping of summer bugs.
Amthy looked up at the table from her place on the porch. The green-haired nymph sat cross legged on the recently weather sealed wrap-around patio in the middle of her own battlefield of fabric, thread, beads, and ribbon. She held an embroidery hoop in the nest of her legs. ??s no? wrong t'advertise. Is no? like ?s an ad in the paper.?
?No, it?s worse,? Neano grumbled.
?How?s it worse??
?It?s a quilt in the Welcome Center. All the new arrivals will see it,? Bianca reminded Amthy.
Amthy brushed a section of olivine-hued hair from her bright, tsavorite-colored eyes. The rebellious strand threw itself with abandon back across her field of vision. ?The Wind?s been talkin?,? she reminded them. ??s for me t?listen.?
?It?s always talking,? Neano snorted back. ?And somehow it always gets you,? he added stress to his voice, ?in trouble. If what you?ve been hearing--.?
?You know! You?ve been hearing it to!? Amthy protested. Her cheeks puffed squirrel-like and her lips puckered into a pout.
?If what you?ve been hearing is true, it?s pack business.?
?An?m pack,? she reminded him with a nyah of her tongue. ?An?m an official princess of Geladine. The Royal Da adopted me.? Amthy further reminded Neano. ??s all sorts o? my business. ?m gonna do wha? I can t'help.?
?She?s coming,? Gre?Stok told the assembly of jockeys and Hishn.
A hush settled over the crowd. Amthy tucked the hoop beneath her leg and pulled out another she had in progress. It was a quick motion completed just as the silvery-blonde haired Shifter rounded the corner. She could feel the burn of at least two pairs of eyes into her skin. It was hard to act like there was nothing going on when everyone else was acting like something was. ?Cayt!? She called jubilantly, sing-songing her sister?s name.
Emerald-hued eyes narrowed. ?What?? She asked suspiciously.
?Nothing, Sissy-poo,? Amthy assured her, ??m jus? happy.?
?Of course you are,? Cayt replied, not entirely sold on Amthy?s reassurance. There was something fishy going on with the link between them, but she couldn't figure on what. ?What?s that you?ve got?? She pulled a chair out at the table, and sat with Gina, Gre?Stok, Neano, and Bianca. She looked at the pitcher of iced tea and the platter of glasses. The ice cubes were melting in the tawny beverage. A layer of water had settled separate on top.
?Care for a glass?? Bianca asked Cayt, gesturing to the pitcher.
?That would be nice, thank you,? Cayt said. The air around the table was peculiar. Her nose twitched in annoyance.
Amthy held up the hoop she was working on. ??s for the quilt they are making for the Welcome Center,? she gushed to Cayt. ?I jus? need some?un t?finish up writing for me.? She said about the quilt square.
?What is it going to say?? Cayt asked.
?Nymphs are--,? Amthy announced.
?Naughty?? Gina said over Amthy?s answer.
?Obnoxious?? Neano?s voice overlapped Gina?s.
?Narcoleptic?? Bianca fought to get her suggestion heard over Gina and Neano?s.
?Neat,? Amthy finished and waved her hoop at Gina since she was close. ??m no? obnoxious.? She squealed.
Gina laughed. ?Hey! I didn?t say it! Neano did!? She laughed and fended off Amthy?s swatting blows. ?Get Neano, not me!?
"But he's over there an' you're right here!" Amthy giggled. "You should pass't on t'him." She nodded earnestly.
?Neat?? Cayt snorted and a smile touched her mouth as she took the glass of iced tea from Bianca. ?Have you seen your room lately?? She teased her heart-sister.
??s no? tha? bad,? Amthy huffed. ?An? besides I do mean the other sort o? neat. The nifty sort o? neat. No? the clean?un.?
?Oh, that explains it,? Cayt laughed and drank her tea.