Sensing his fear. That was a comforting thought. But really it embarrassed him more than anything. Belost wasn’t scared of much, or at least not outwardly so. Ever since the River Tyrant incident he’d done his best to avoid deep water whenever possible while keeping his newfound fear of it secret. After all his job didn’t go away just because he was scared. But it looked like Siphon could skip right passed his poker face and go straight to the source for that information.
“…maybe. I don’t think there’s going to be much getting me over that especially since you’ve already mentioned there’s predators in the water,” he’d already had all kinds of creatures come into his mind when he’d first heard the warning. Creatures with long jaws, lots of teeth, animals who would be called monsters by anything short of a zoologist. He’d seen pictures of all kinds and seen a unique one himself. And here he was on another planet he’d never seen with a species he’d never seen. There was sure to be something new lurking in the water just waiting for him. He glanced from Siphon and into the water, keeping his breathing steady thanks to quite a bit of practice.
Belost didn’t want to disappoint him with an outright refusal, though, so he changed to the subject that he definitely could do. “But those ships, yeah, I can tell you more about that. I traveled on one every year for a month or two when I was younger. Got to see different planets and ports and things like that. I liked it when I was a kid. Now I mostly live on one when I’m not being sent out on different planets- like I am now. Some of the ships are just big enough for one person like me to fit in. You don’t go very far in those. Some could fit two people. Then they go all the way up to being able to fit an entire city’s worth of people in them. That’s the kind I stay on. If they’re close enough to the planet then you can actually see them up in the sky. I came here on one of those smaller ships, though.”
The change in subject relaxed Belost, the waves of anxiety rolled off of him less, which caused Siphon to relax a little as well. He listened intently, trying to imagine the different kinds of star-faring-ships. He’d seen ships float on the water, but to float among the stars...
Green eyes flicked down to look at the long tail that was curled in the sand. The end of it lifted a few inches, then lay flat in the sand again.
It sounds impossible - amazing... I wish I could see it for myself.
There was a mild air of disappointment in his tone, that he knew he’d never be able to see it as he was. He needed water to survive, and therefore he was confined to it. His world, before now, had never felt so small. He had never felt so jealous of a creature with legs before, either.
The idea of it was nearly maddening. To know that there were those who could just.. leave their planet. The more Siphon thought about it, the more he wanted it. He could just leave this place, and perhaps find a place where he wouldn’t be shunned for what he was. A place he belonged.
Finally, broken out of his thoughts, he looked up to Belost again.
You should get some rest soon. Perhaps, in the morning, I can return and think of possible ways to help you..?
