14.2 Re - Cypher

"Hello, Toby."   The pegasus looks up, surprised as Cri approaches. The others are getting breakfast ready, preparing for the last leg of the trip to Midnight.   "Hello. You are one of Princess Marwa's friends."   "I am. My name is Cri, she asked me to speak with you."   "Does she not know I understand her?"   "She does. But unfortunately, she can't understand you as well as she'd like. So she asked me to help."   Toby tucks his wings and takes a couple short steps toward her, to show her he's done eating and is ready to pay attention.   "What does she want to know?"   Cri smiles, settles herself on the grass, content to look up at his long face.   "It saddens her that you and Cypher can't get along."   He stomps a hoof, blowing irritatedly, but doesn't answer otherwise.   Cri waits, but Toby is even more used to one-way communication than she is, and after a few minutes, she asks, "Can you help me understand what bothers you about him?"   "My princess deserves better."   An amused smile, "I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a more loyal ally to her. The two of you have a lot in common, you know. You're both so proud, and you both worry about Marwa."   "So long as it stays far away from my princess, I don't care what it feels," Toby snorts.   Cri clicks her tongue softly.   "That's unkind," she says, chiding, "Cypher uses 'he,' not 'it.'"   Toby snorts, tossing his mane. "'He' is a person word."   "He is a person - a human."   "Are you sure?" Toby is regarding her warily. "He doesn't feel like one."   Cri's golden eyes give nothing away. "What does he feel like, then?"   Toby dances from hoof to hoof. "I don't know. No animal I've ever met. Wrong. Marwa is very brave, but she shouldn't stand so close to it."   Cri considers, but keeps the frown from her facial feathers. Toby's trepidition is eerily similar to that of othes beasts she's talked to, most of whom were not comfortable conversing until the warlock was out of sight.   "I will grant that he is not a normal human," she murmurs, "But he is human, all the same. He has... a sort of sickness. Not catching," she adds, seeing the flare in Toby's nostrils. “Sometimes smelling an illness makes us feel endangered, yes?”   Toby considers this. He nods his head, slowly, twitching one ear.   “Or a wound, even if it’s not ours, and the risk of getting one has long-since left. Isn’t it possible your reaction to Cypher is similar?”   Toby considers this, standing still as he thinks, tail twitching at flies automatically. Marwa brushed him out just this morning and it is as luxuriously silky as his mane.   “Maybe. Maybe sickness. Some kind of parasite. Still not safe for my princess."   “You’ve travelled with Marwa for several days now, yes?”   “My bond with Princess Marwa is beyond the limitations of time, but yes,” Toby replies with a haughty toss of his head.   “Surely there have been many moments where, were he a dangerous creature, Cypher could have harmed her already.”   “The thing is smart enough not to hurt her in front of me, that’s all. He would discover the weight of my hoofs.”   “Do you sleep?”   Toby hesitates.   “Surely you have noticed that he doesn’t.”   A frustrated stomp. “Biding his time.”   Cri rotates her head a few degrees, “Until she’s surrounded by even more allies?”   Toby doesn’t respond to that, sullen.   “Toby, you’re a very intelligent pegasus.”   This cheers him a little.   “And Marwa is a smart woman, herself.”   Vigorous nodding of agreement.   “Can you not trust her judgement?”   The nod freezes.   “I trust Marwa to the end of the sky.”   “Marwa trusts Cypher.”   He paws the ground with one hoof, frustrated.   “But, but-!”   Cri waits, a little amused behind her calm face.   “But my princess should have a retinue of beautiful, wonderful people! She should be attended by people who only shower her with gifts and praise. That one just takes all her time and doesn’t give her any-”   Across the campsite, Mirage’s laugh interrupts him. She’s doubled over, a hand clapped over her mouth, trying not to spill her second coffee. Saeldor is packing up tents ten feet away. Ta’lok is helping him. The only potential cause of her mirth is the human sitting across from her, elbow on knee and chin on fist, tired face wearing a self-satisfied smirk.   Cri has turned to follow the sound, too. When she turns to face the pegasus again, her voice has softened.   “I wouldn’t be so sure.”   Toby huffs through his nose.   “If he does hurt my princess, I’m still going to stomp him.”   Cri looks back toward the campfire. Ta’lok and Saeldor have finished wrapping up the tends and are calling the others to come grab their gear and head out. Mirage gets up first, and Cypher looks after her a moment, his smile faded, conflict tugging his expression downward before he manages to impose neutrality back over it.   “You know, Toby,” Cri says, getting up as well. The sadness in her tone draws the pegasus’ eye off his mistress.   “I think he’d let you.”