To Talk With a Friend.

CANA!


Good skies, it has been a long time since she has heard him bellow out her name like that. If the truth were known, it amuses her, because that is another small sign that he is truly back. But for effect, she acts surprised, astounded, and oh so innocent.



He wants to talk to her. Okay, that is nothing out of the ordinary. Over the years, they have had many discussions on many things. Sometimes they even agreed on things, amazingly enough. And right now, talking to him appeals to her a great deal. He is one that she trusts, and not with just the day to day mundane things of her life, but with things that go deeper.



It took them some time to escape the fires. It seems the Ubar had suddenly developed this sense of humor where he wanted to just slide a gig or two towards his second in command, offering him the dweller chained to his wagon. Oh no, Fonce was not going there, so what does he do? He uses her as a human shield? Can we say….what are you thinking? Truthfully, it was good to see such teasing flying around, and it was good to be a part of it. As of late, she has been feeling disconnected in some ways, and this helped.


When they finally stepped between the wagons to talk, he got right to the point. "How are you Cana"


That was a loaded question. At this point, she could try to straight arm him like she did most. Maybe smile, say she was fine. And he might have bought it for the beat of a heart. He knew her too well, and there was just thing barrier there, a strange one maybe, but she could not lie to him. Their relationship was not based on lies.


She had slumped against a wagon and began to tell him the truths about how she was, about the worry of the unknown, about missing Ba'atar, and her fears for his safety. How she was working so hard to stay strong and show no weakness around others. This was important to her, many did not know just how important.


He told her that she was doing fine, that if it were him he would be ranting, raving, throwing things, kicking thing. Looking up at him, she said that happened, but when it did it was late at night and in her own wagons, and if he wanted to check, he could ask poor Rook.


She talked of the children. Her eight year old son was trying to take on the mantle of a man, and her three year old had become convinced his father's leaving had something to do with him. The other two seemed to be doing fine, and the girls were yet too young to realize he was gone. But she did worry about Tug and Also. She did not tell him this to elicit sympathy, only to let him know where she was with them.


He assured her that he would spend some time with them, to give them some stability, maybe some guidance. She wanted to hug him, but didn't. That is one thing that she knows about him very well, his aversion to casual touch, to someone invading that personal space that he protects so well.


He reassured her about many things that worried her one being the raiders. At the time they had shown up, she had an eight year old son out riding the perimeter of the herds, and yes she had been concerned.


Finally they worked around to something else, her not being able to sleep, more to the point of the dreams that haunted her in the night. His attention intensified and he questioned her more, then told her that the dreams were something he could help with, which, in a way, shocked her.


In all the years that they have been friends, she has never actually questioned him about being a haruspex. Some that are of that clan are very open about it, you basically knew their ways. But, he had never been that way. He was more private about it, and because she respected and cared for him, she had just never asked. It was just something she accepted, and did not question.


But when he began to speak of dreams, with the voice of authority, she could not help but pay closer attention. He said that what was there, could be either a message or a warning, and that whichever it was, it did not belong there. It could be a matter of simply making her a talisman, a dream catcher. But if necessary, he would go into her dreams and deal with it.


Into her dreams? She was a bit taken aback. But if there was anyone that she would trust to make that unusual journey, to be in a place that most consider to be most private, it was this man. She not only trusted him with her live, but with her soul.


Was she at peace when they parted company? In some ways, yes, but there were still the dreams. Until they had been solved, she had a feeling she would have no peace. As he moved away, she had whispered to his departing back........


Walk well, Dream Walker.