Avoidance Behavior

After my enthusiasm for the breathing tree had calmed a little, Kohric kept his word and taught me how to apologize in Azu-nah.

Thorough, as always, he actually showed me both formal and informal variations. As with their greeting, the formal apology has gesturing involved. I’m sorry to say I will never be able to get my point across with gesture alone. It involves flattening one’s ears, among other things (maybe I can build some kind of poseable hat… ) so I’d have to explain what I was doing to get my point across. But it’s straightforward enough. It didn’t take me long to learn it at all.

Not nearly long enough.

With the lesson over, I didn’t have any more distractions between me and apologizing to Eyani. Nandi too, really. But mostly Eyani. I didn’t want to face either of them. So I fidgeted on the cliff edge, fussed with my computer pad, and even contemplated starting another, more detailed sketch of the breathing tree. Kohric wasn’t having any of it, though. I was staring intently at a fantastically uninteresting bit of tree bark when he suddenly swatted my shoulder with the end of his tail (for the record, that really stings).

He glowered up at me with what I assume was exasperation, and pointed wordlessly to the trailhead leading down to the encampment. I’m holding out hope that he wasn’t good enough to read my expression, and couldn’t tell just how sheepish I looked. I put away my computer and meekly made my way toward the trail head.

“Surely Eyani will not kill Tee,” Kohric teased as I headed down. I put my tongue out at him (to his amusement, as usual), and made my way back to the clan. I tried to take my time, but the trail was perhaps only a kilometer long at best, even with the switchbacks. I was there in no time. Ugh, there’s nothing worse than admitting when you’ve really bungled something. I was not looking forward to this.

My plan was to edge around the periphery of the camp, stay out of the way, and hunt for Eyani that way. And if perhaps I just didn’t find him until tomorrow, well, that would really be too bad. Really. Have I mentioned I hate admitting to screw-ups?

My plan barely lasted two minutes. So much for mapping things out. Less than ten meters from the base of the trail I ran into Nandi. I’d almost have said Kohric told him where to find me, except that then Kohric would have been able to warp space-time, and I really wasn’t in the mood to puzzle that out.

For the first minute or so my mind went blank and I completely forgot the apology lesson. I was trying to piece together enough vocabulary to say how stupid I’d been, and wondered if “fart-head” would suffice in place of “moron.” Nandi took pity on me, though. I’m grateful. “Tall Tee the Fart Head” would probably never have gone away.

“Tee no longer angers, yes?” he asked brightly.

“Yes,” I said, and smiled. His cheer was contagious. I bent my head, bowed a little, and tried to mime that I was putting non-existent ears flat. “I’m very sorry, Nandi.”

I think he found my pathetic attempt funny, but he was nice enough not to laugh in my face. He was grinning wide, though. He moved close to me and butted his forehead against my chest. “It is well,” he said, and reached to pull my head down level with his, so he could press his forehead against mine; an Azu-nah hug.

I told him how I wanted to find Eyani, and he brightened further. He brought me back to the patch of grass where the whole thing began, right near the start of the beach. As we came closer I could see a little blue lump between two tussocks of grass. Apparently Eyani hadn’t moved since I’d shouted at him. My throat closed. I felt horrible; even worse for the fact that I’d been selfishly avoiding apologizing to him. He’d been my loyal little supporter, and I’d gone and barked at him for it.

I knelt down a meter or so away from him. I could see him eyeing me through his half-closed eyelids. “Eyani?”

He shut his eyes and feigned sleep; my heart sank.

“Eyani, I’m sorry.” I mimed the same ear-flattening apology as I’d done with Nandi, bowing my head down. “I was afraid,” I said, groping for words. In retrospect my grammar was appalling. “I was afraid of being a stranger. I should not have angered. I do not want you to be sad. I’m sorry.”

I sat back on my knees and held my breath. Slowly, painfully slowly, the lump in front of me uncurled and stood up. He looked up at me with his huge green eyes, and slowly opened his mouth in a gape-grin. “Still my friend,” he said, and stretched to butt his forehead against mine. I couldn’t help reaching out to draw him in to a human hug.

“Eyani is a good friend,” I said.