Page 24 of Clan and Crave

He missed having Sletran close enough tovisit, however. He commed the Nobek as often as he thought he couldwithout being branded a pest. Sletran’s usual cheerful greeting of,“Hey kid, how are you?” was as much a blow to his young heart as ajoy. Conyod was nearly seventeen, but it was obvious his crushcontinued to see him as a child rather than a man. The fact Sletrandidn’t always pick up or return his coms also made it clear Conyodhadn’t made the sort of impression he wanted.

Sletran did answer the com for one memorableoccasion Conyod was eager to share shortly after he’d celebratedhis eighteenth birthday. “Guess who this is?” the young Imdiko saidas he pointed his com’s vid lens at a tiny kestarsh foal snuggledagainst Elbmur’s snowy side in her stall.

“It looks as if you have a rodent problem,”Sletran teased. “Call an exterminator or it might attack yourmare.”

“Hey!”

“No, I’m kidding. It’s the kestarsh yourparents promised you, isn’t it? He’s a beauty. Quite thecombination, the black coat and white mane.”

“It’s a rare combination. He’s perfect,”Conyod gushed, his gaze moving constantly between the foal andSletran’s admiring vid image.

“Did you name him yet?”

“Dresk. It means joy.”

“An appropriate name, given how much joy Ihear in your voice. Congratulations, Conyod.”

“Thanks. You should come and see him. Are yougetting time off soon?” He did his best to keep his tonecasual.

“I am, but I’m visiting my parent clan. Sendme vids of Dresk. My mother would enjoy them.”

“Sure.” He swallowed disappointment. Hehadn’t seen Sletran in person since their last defensive session atthe mental health facility. Try as he might, he couldn’t conjure aplausible reason for them to get together. He’d hoped Dresk’sarrival would do the trick.

* * * *

After returning home, Conyod still hadoccasional bouts of the insomnia that had plagued him before he’drun away from home. He’d been unable to sleep the night followinghis conversation with Sletran and his latest invitation to come tothe ranch had been gently refused. Plots swirled in his head on howto get the Nobek to stop considering him a mere child. They allbordered on ridiculous and Conyod knew it, but he couldn’t stopconcocting them.

After tossing for hours, he quit trying tofall asleep. It was two hours until daylight, but he got up,dressed, and went to the stables.

He sat cross-legged on the ground outsideElbmur and Dresk’s stall, watching the foal sleep in the long curveof his mother’s neck. Trading fantasies of happily-ever-after withSletran for the more realistic plans of training his kestarshbrought calm, as did the pre-dawn quiet of the slumbering world.Conyod had snagged a blanket smelling of the musky kestarsh tosnuggle in against the chill. Its warmth and a sense of contentmentpervaded his senses. He finally began to feel sleepy.

He was just about to lie on the straw-coveredground when he saw movement at the corner of his eye. He looked inthat direction and saw nothing but the shadowed entrance of thewooden stable. No sound. None of the kestarsh reacted, as theywould should a stranger enter.

Nonetheless, Conyod’s instincts were alert,as if he hadn’t been on the verge of slumber seconds ago. His firstthought was for the ghost known for haunting the area before he’dbeen placed in the psychiatric facility, but it hadn’t beenglimpsed in years.

He summoned his courage despite his poundingheart. “Who’s there?”

A familiar figure glided from the shadows.“You have the senses of a Nobek, my son,” Vel said.

The old feeling of crowding prickled hisskin. He couldn’t mask the accusation from his tone. “Are you upearly? Or following me?”

“I heard you get up. I only wanted to checkon you and make sure you’re all right.” Vel came closer andcrouched next to him. “I’m doing my best not to smother you, myson. I’m…I’m struggling though.”

“I’m sorry I snapped at you.” Conyod forcedhimself to relax. Next to Lafec, Vel had the hardest timecontrolling his need to know where the youth was at any givenmoment.

“I can’t help worrying about you. I lost yourbrother. It would destroy me if anything happened to you too.”

It was as close as speaking the words “I loveyou” as a Nobek could come to another grown, or nearly grown, man.Moreover, Conyod had never heard Vel admit to anything he couldconstrue as a weakness. Saying he might be unable to keep his childfrom harm and how it would affect him if it came to pass was thesort of soul-bearing Conyod would have doubted Vel was capableof.

His father was trying. It came toConyod suddenly that Vel was perhaps doing as well as he was ablewhen it came to letting him grow up normally. It simultaneouslyfilled and broke the teen’s heart.

This may be as hands-off as it’ll get whereVel’s concerned. Same for Mother.

He’d have to accept it if he were to manage adecent relationship with his parents.

Conyod offered Vel a tight smile. “What doyou think of Dresk? You haven’t said much, at least around me.”

Vel appeared relieved he’d switched subjects.“You can’t argue against good heritage where his sire and dam areconcerned. As far as Dresk himself is concerned, he has excellentphysical lines early. He used all six legs for walking, right outof the gate, rather than depending on the middle set for merestability as most foals do.”

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