"They have great intelligence, they probably are figuring it all out already, we know only military tours and non-professional dances."
"We've convinced the other humans" Heather argued.
"They weren't living with us. Noon does not trust them." Nomonda said referring to Sarah. Heather nodded.
"I saw her reaching for her sword on too many an occasion, so I know. If anything, it's too obvious. Talk to her or I'll talk to her."
Both Nomonda and Qondile turned away. Heather sighed.
"That wasn't all was it?" Heather asked.
"You're awfully close with Matthias" Qondile said softly.
Heather frowned. "He's interesting. I mean did you hear half of what was said on the first day? It's been fascinating all the way through.
Nomonda threw up her hands. "The one story was about how they met, their courtship rituals are awful, what's with roses? Why does no one get hurt? But you seem to be accepting it with gratitude"
"Careful, Dawn" Heather hissed.
"I apologise but Day and myself worry about you. We've known you since we were children, and this is different to anything we've ever seen. Even the way you performed-" she stopped; they could hear the others coming.
Heather stood and walked further away followed by Nomonda and Qondile.
"What was wrong with my performance, I thought I did well" Heather argued.
They both shrugged.
"Your performance was good, but you were playing to Matthias. I followed your eyes."
"You insult me," Heather hissed.
"You insult us by believing that we, the ones who've been at your side for longer than Twilight has been alive can't see." Qondile said angrily.
"Don't start showing your age now, I have no need for old Black Air Raiders, I'd hate to have you killed." Heather scoffed.
Qondile laughed. "I'm sure you would, no one would be able to do it right though, you'd have to do it yourself, worse off you'd lose."
Qondile stabbed her in the ribs and the three of them burst out laughing.
"Fine you have me, I'd die for you but I'm unwilling to talk to you openly? It's ridiculous." She sighed. "I really, really like him. He's soft, pink, short and pudgy, like all the other humans but I can't believe how much I like him. I want to pick him up, put him over my shoulder and fly away."
Heather sat down and dug her fingers into the soil, pulling it up and letting it run through her fingers.
She looked up at Qondile and Nomonda. Qondile looked appalled, Nomonda bemused, standing behind Heather and pulling her up.
"It's madness, you've never fought him, he's never so much as swung at you. Only words."
"No one would touch me, I've too dangerous a reputation. Which never seemed to be a problem. I mean if you aren't man enough to deal with my reputation you could never deal with me. But now. I only feel a fool. Childlike in my inexperience. I was a child! He used his words and…" flustered, she blushed. "It's just in the way he uses his words! He doesn't let me win or use force against him. He's like his own Black Air Raider and I'm nothing more than a human"
"But he's supposed to at least make it close. Or it means you run the risk of being a slave."
Heather turned to face Nomonda and got a deadpan face back.
Nomonda shrugged, "With his words, not his muscles, of course."