Every few days or so he would search with his mind, sweep silently through Mother's belly for the life growing within. It still wasn't ready yet, still forming into something that would surely be as divinely beautiful as he and his sister. But it was taking so long, so very long. He kept trying though. And as time passed, as Mother's sides grew larger and larger, he felt like the moment was coming. Soon, finally soon.
His search gradually went from every few days, to every few hours, every few minutes. He was becoming consumed in his curiosity, often so still and distracted, often not hearing when someone spoke to him as he focused his mind in seeking it out. It would be soon now, though, he could feel it.
And sometimes, he would settle his conscious self there, as though curled and comfortable and waiting. Always waiting. It was hard not to press, not to nudge and pry and try to find that awareness. But he was learning patience, a hard lesson, and resigned himself to his brief naps in there as outwardly he often lay curled with Kylin or Mother, or even Reilly or Father.
Sometimes, he'd return to find himself in the middle of something like chewing, the food gone all gross and mushy in his mouth. Or his breath fanning against the water with a dazed look in his eyes and his mouth still dry. Or he would wake to be staring at absolutely anything, absolutely nothing, wake to Kylin's urgent, worried touch pressing into him, trying to find him and bring him back with his wing draped so naturally over her as he held her pinned to his side.
With time, he grew more attached to his mother's side.
It would be soon, he didn't want to miss it. He had to be there.
And finally, finally, there was more than the endless quiet. Finally, he could sense her -her!- discomfort, her longing and her ache. Her newly-discovered loneliness. And as she reached out, he was there, settled around her and with her where he more often could be found as of late despite how it exhausted him and forced him to nap and rest more and more. He almost thought he was still sleeping, his body in one place and his mind in the other, when he felt that imploring little brush across his mind as he'd so many times done to her.
I'm here, he thought softly to her, confident and quiet with a wistful smile in his still-sleepy voice.
I'm here.
I'm Kharon.
He forced an image of his face to his sluggish mind and pressed it to her. He felt it flicker and die, and wasn't sure how much she would have been able to see of it.
Hmm, he mused in sleepy amusement. He hadn't really tried images before, but it felt like it would work with practice. And a little more rest. I'll try that again soon. I think I've pushed myself too hard lately, he sighed.
Are you comfortable?
