[i]'~The sun shines bright through the halls, flooding the cold stone with it's warming rays. Chall lets out a long sigh, the day never ending. Through the small window of his cluttered room the sound of laughter come unbidden. His rises, layers of dust falling from the old tomb in his fingers. Blinded by the light he closes his eyes as he approaches the window. When at last he reaches, his feet unhindered by the clutter, his body moving of it's own accord around the mess. His eyes open and he looks down upon the outer courtyard. There, running playfully with a pack of children at his heels is his brother. A smile threatens to pull his lips tight, but Chall is too busy. He must finish this text before the next meeting with his master. His eyes return to the dust old room.

~~~

Blazing overhead, the heat of the sun warms him thoroughly as he walks across the grounds. Laughter comes from somewhere out of sight. He continues on, his eyes on the grassy floor beneath him. He has no time, he must get where he's going. Passing into the stone hall his brows furrow in confusion. There is still grass beneath his feet. Soft and plush, it continues on in both directions. The smell is far too fresh, something is. . .There, his eyes snap up as the laughter once again reaches his ears. The hall ends not ten feet ahead, opening into a great hall. But something is wrong, the hall if filled with flowers, trees, his brother hanging from one of the lower branches. His laughter sounds far away, his smile blurry. Chall is frozen he can not move. He longs to move on, to do what he needs to, however the sight holds him fast. He can't. . . .~[/i]

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

With a gasp Chall awakens, the sound of his harsh breathing all he can hear. His eyes dart about the room, but just as he begins to panic at the unfamiliar surrounding his memory comes back to him and his tense muscles relax. The dream fades quickly as he recalls the recent events and with a sigh his tail comes up and brushes his damp cheek. [i]'That's right, I am staying with a stranger. . . .His name. . .'[/i] He pauses for a moment then smiles faintly as he realizes they never exchanged names. The sound of singing from behind the door causes him to glance at it, tilting his head to the side. However the habit of humans singing to themselves is one he's grown accustom too and he soon loses interest. The chirping of birds and various other animal noises draw his attention to the small window off to the side of the bed. The throbbing pain in his shoulder pulls a groan out of him as he scoots carefully out of bed towards the window. Before standing though he notices that there is a lump under the blanket.

[i]'What the?'[/i] Turning so he can use his good arm he shifts the blanket aside. The bundle of cloth confuses him for a few seconds, then he recalls what the man had said about heating stones. [i]'He really is a kind man. And quiet. I didn't even notice him bring them in. . . .'[/i] His faint smile makes an appearance once again for a few seconds, then the pain in his arm makes him wince. Shuffling slowly to the window he undoes the latch and lets it swing open. His eyes remain sharp as he surveys the area for any living thing that may take interest is him. The window looks towards the town, far in the distance down a tall hill. The hill itself is occupied by a few small hens, some flowers, and a butterfly riding the faint morning breeze.

Chall takes in the signs of life with a gentle feeling in his chest, the sight of it all relaxing him further. [i]'It is nice here. I hope to be moving on soon, but this is not a bad place to be for a while'[/i] Bringing up his right hand he pierces the pad of his index finger with a fang. Making sure there's enough blood on his finger, he drops his hand down to the sill and closes his eyes. He calls to the wind, his finger on the outside of the sill drawing a simple sigl, and with a sharp breath he finishes his spell. Opening his eyes once more he brings his finger to his mouth and licks away the excess blood. [i]'Now if anyone approaches, the wind will let me know. Well, as long as I have access to it'[/i] Looking over his shoulder he tilts his head with a contemplative look on his face. [i]'I wonder if he would mind me leaving this open. . . .'[/i]

After a few deep breaths of fresh air Chall pulls the window mostly closed and turns towards the door. Moving carefully around the small room, dodging the sparse furnishings, he slips out into the small alcove, leaving the door open a few inches. The smell of food reaches him and he inhales the scent deeply. [i]'Ah, food. . .'[/i] His stomach turns over, giving out an audible gurgling sound. The cat from the night before pauses in it's trek across the living area at the sound and looks to Chall with a curious flick of the tail. The young mage responds in kind and after a moment the feline continues her stroll. [i]'It doesn't know what to make of me yet. I wonder how old it is. . . .'[/i] With nearly silent footfalls Chall makes his way gingerly into the living area, his nose pulling his attention to the food laidened table. His ears twitch as the sound of the man's singing now reaches them unhindered by doors and walls.

In the warm light of day the interior of the small building is far more inviting and he can feel himself smiling lightly as he catches the older male's eye. His ears snap around to the sound of a large beast outside the door but after a few seconds he deems it non-threatening. [i]'Sounds like a horse, or a cow. Though why it is so close to the residence, I would not begin to guess'[/i] His smile fades slightly as he looks once more to the food and his stomach growls once again. A faint flush finds it's way to his cheeks and his tail lashes back and forth in embarrassment. [i]'Though it is no wonder. I am use to full meals at the palace, the past few weeks have been less than satisfactory as far as meals go, and last night all I had was some herbal tea for supper'[/i] His eyes rove over the two place settings and he looks once more to his host, the flush still tinging his cheeks. “I would not wish to assume anything, but my I inquire as to if one of those places set for me?” His tail stills as he speaks, pressed gently against the floor and stiff as he waits for a response.