[Gift] Seasonal | Don't Fall | Slow to Trust

No one had told Irody that the mountain was steep. Sure she would have guessed that there would be hills to a mountain. It wasn’t a surprise that she would get tired and they would need breaks. But she was a Styra unlike her girlfriend. And this mountain was perhaps not the easiest they could’ve chosen. It seemed as if the hills were neverending. Every time it evened out Irody took a break. She needed them unlike Obscura. Obscura could’ve probably kept going for hours and never tire. Her over-energized girlfriend, a laced Pachy, was the embodiment of hyperactivity but she learned quite quickly that they would need to stop and take breaks from time to time.

Irody could tell that she wanted to keep going. Her toes would do a little tippy-tap from whenever they paused for a longer time. It wasn’t something she did intentionally. Irody was quite sure that she didn’t even notice she was doing them. She was just that energized. Yet she never complained when they had to stop. 

“I wanna see it with you.” Obscura nodded when Irody said she could go ahead to the top and they would just meet each other at the top instead. “It wouldn’t be as beautiful if I didn’t get to experience it with you.” Irody didn’t know how to respond to that statement. Obscura probably didn’t know herself what a beautiful thing she had told her. It was just true. For the Pachy it wasn’t so much about reaching their destination as it was to reach it with Irody.

They were breaking as they heard the heavy steps of another. Obscura placed herself between Irody and the sound of footsteps, ready to defend. A grey dinosaur they had never met before made his way up. She sounded almost as tired as Irody did as she had when she laid down. She looked shocked at their meeting.

“Hello.” She nodded. Short with words, probably because she didn’t have much air left after the climb. “I am sorry to interrupt.” She didn’t wait for them to say anything and instead laid down a bit away from them, letting out a heavy sigh.

Obscura didn’t let her gaze leave her as the Pachy laid down next to Irody. It was her first time laying down on their climb up the mountain side. She didn’t need the rest. But now she was making a sort of point towards the gray, big dinosaur. Irody didn’t mind. She didn’t let the chuckle escape her, but one of the reasons she loved the Pachy was her over-protective nature.

“I was told the best thing I could do was climb the mountain to experience the beauty of this world.” The grey Iguanodon sighed. “But I am not accustomed to these high mountains.” She had clearly gotten most of her breath back. The grey Iguanodon looked over at the two of them. Irody had to nudge Obscura as she had a slight scowl on her face.

“I am sorry, where are my manners? My name is Grus. I am from Atlantis. It’s my first time up here.” Both Irody and Obscura looked surprised at the Iguanodon.

“Atlantis?” Obscura tilted her head slightly, squinting her eyes as she spoke with a tone that implied a certain amount of distrust. 

“I’ve heard a bit about it.” Irody said her gaze stern as it shifted to Obscura in an attempt to keep her from outright telling the Iguanodon about her feelings. “It’s under water isn’t it? I never visited it myself.” 

Grus nodded her head. Her eyes shifted slightly towards Obscura. Clearly she had noticed the fact that Obscura carried a certain amount of distrust towards Atlanteans.

“I figured I would climb the mountain to see the world above.” She moved her head in a slow, sweeping movement and let her gaze travel over the view that the side of the mountain offered. “It is really beautiful. We’re only half way up and yet the view is so amazing. We’re so high up.” 

“Were there no mountains in your home?” Irody felt how stupid the question was as she asked it. Mountains under the sea? She didn’t know much about the sea but that sounded like common sense that there wouldn’t be mountains. 

“It’s not as plane as you’d think.” Obscura added. Her tone shifted so quickly when she spoke to Irody. It was as if she couldn’t contain the love she held for her. But as soon as she shifted her attention to Grus it went back to that distrustful tone again. It wasn’t rude per se but it was very evident that she didn’t carry any trust towards her. 

“There are hills, and what I would call mountains. But like this? No. When I reach the top, it will be the highest I’ve ever climbed.” There was something in her voice that carried a certain awe. 

“We’re also heading to the top.” Obscura added, surprising Irody in the sharing of information. It was the Pachy attempting to disregard her distrust for a bit. Seeing how Irody didn’t share the distrust. 

“Then we will see each other at the top I suppose.”

“Or we all travel together to the top.” The question was more towards Obscura than Grus. Her partner would need to accept the idea. She looked over at Irody for a few moments before she nodded. “I would like to hear more about Atlantis. From someone who lived there. I have been curious.” 

Grus nodded slowly. “I can tell you a bit, but not perhaps while we keep climbing. I barely had any breath left, let alone talking.” Irody laughed at this. She too knew how it felt to climb the mountain. The air was thinner and the breaths heavier. 

“Agreed. Plus, Obscura can talk to both of us as we climb. There’s no stopping her. It’s as if she doesn’t even need to breathe.” Irody stroked her head against the Pachy who replied by stroking her head back against her. 

“If you both are ready we can keep climbing.” Obscura stood up. Perhaps it was just a trick of the ear, but it almost sounded as if she was less distrustful. 

1036 words.