Dagan instinctively knew that this was no insult. He almost felt like it was a prophecy.
*
“If you’re going back, we’ll walk with you.” Alonza stepped into the market clearing from the trees, Demetrius trailing after, his hair awry and his lips a little swollen.
Dagan chuckled. “Alonza, you fox. Look at this boy, he’s drunk on you.”
Alonza flushed but Demetrius just laughed and said, “I have a feeling there’s a certain irresistible charm about you Black Walnut Grove boys.”
“Is there? I mean, I’ve heard it said of me, but never of my brothers.” Dagan feigned surprise.
Alonza rolled his eyes and pulled gently at Dagan’s braid, which Dagan immediately flipped over his shoulder in mock-indignation.
Demetrius took Dagan’s arm companionably, and the three of them strolled toward home. “Will you keep your home conservancy?” Demetrius asked.
Dagan shrugged. “I was just talking to Innan about moving, actually. Any suggestions, after your spring walkabout this year?”
“I’m from the Paw Paw Grove Conservancy, and it’s nice. We have good cheese,” Demetrius offered.
“The goats are terrors,” Alonza said.
“I love goats. All animals, really.” Dagan decided he’d consider it. “I thought of asking Father if I could bring Shelly with me, but I don’t think he can spare her.”
“She makes too much noise,” Alonza said. “Always yapping.”
“She’s a good little alarm,” Dagan said, always prepared to defend the family dog.
“It’ll be very quiet,” Demetrius said thoughtfully. “Your home here is so full of people and sound and activity.”
“That’s probably what he’s trying to escape,” Alonza commented dryly.
“Were you?” Dagan asked. The idea had never occurred to him. Alonza had always been an overachiever, so no one was surprised when he was taken on by the Head Verder of the Heart Wood. Alonza wouldn’t have settled for less, even at that tender age.
“Yes,” came Alonza’s immediate reply.
“Huh.”
“What did you think?” Alonza chuckled.
“That you’re too full of yourself to accept anything less than apprenticeship with the Head Verder,” Dagan admitted.
“Well, that’s true,” Demetrius said.
“It is not,” Alonza protested, brows drawn down in annoyance. “Don’t side with him!”
“He’s right, though!” Demetrius insisted.
Alonza harrumphed like an old man with a winter cold.
Demetrius went on, “But Alonza’s a serious introvert. Too many days in a row socializing and he starts to get cranky. He needs peace and his favorite trees to regroup.”
Dagan glanced at his brother, suddenly seeing him through someone else’s eyes. “I didn’t know that. How fascinating. I feel the same way.”
Alonza frowned. “Really?”
Dagan nodded.
“But you’re the center of attention everywhere you go.” Alonza’s face scrunched up in confusion. Consternation, even, judging from the agitation in his voice.
Dagan laughed. “Yes. True. Well, everyone’s good at something.”
Demetrius chuckled. “If I could pick a talent, it’d definitely be that one. It looks fun.”
Alonza said, “Natural lifecasting isn’t enough?”
“No.” Dagan stopped and turned to face Demetrius, releasing his arm. “Really? You’re a natural lifecaster?” As in, he could feel the living world around him effortlessly and at all times?
Demetrius nodded. “It’s a pain in the ballsack sometimes, but yeah.”
“That’s what we wanted to talk to you about, actually,” Alonza said.
“Thad told me to talk to you.” Then Dagan felt a little pang.“You didn’t actually come for the send-off party, did you?”
“We did,” Demetrius said quickly, taking his arm again and resuming their walk. “But we also thought we should tell you before you went out scouting: Something’s really, really not right with the Blue Bird River.”
Dagan nodded, all seriousness of a sudden. “Bartolo said something was up but wouldn’t tell me anything.”
“Whatever you see, hear, or even smell, mark it on your scout map,” Alonza said, imperious as ever. “If you’re going that direction, especially, but even if not. We don’t know where else the sickness might’ve spread or what the effects will be.”
