Idrus stared out at the blue-gray sky. The clouds rolled back and spill water from the heavens. He’d seen heavy rains like these now and then, but this time was out of the ordinary.

In a way it was fitting, because he felt equally as torn in two. His gaze shifted as it always did, to the courtyard below, and the quiet Summoner who brushed the sloths there.

Months had passed since Nala last said a word to him. That was equally the same amount of time as Nala had shared his moss bed.

The queen’s very vocal disgust with Nala had piqued everyone’s curiosity, though Citel didn’t dare go into great detail. She couldn’t; Idrus had had enough. So Levelers ignored her, leaving her disapproval for a mystery no one cared to solve. But Nala...other Summoners stayed clear of Nala, and Nala had taken the queen’s words to heart. She no longer allowed even Indel’s affection. And Idrus, having wasted three cycles already, hoping to bring Nala to him again, now kept to his first stage. There was no point in forcing a change again with no yield. Day in day out, Idrus feared he’d awaken to find Nala gone, but the quiet Summoner stayed.

Nala worked as if she was at her farm; taking care of the animals and the garden without anyone’s prompting. She slept on the hay there as well.

Idrus had long since given up trying to talk to her, Nala never responded.

Today he thought to try again but it was less than appealing. His movements lethargic, due to his bulky exoskeleton, Idrus walked out of his nest.

Citel was fit and ready to put the eggs to rest. She had a bountiful amount. That was good because Idrus refused to stay in any room she’d entered.

Tradition dictated that he should be present when the eggs came, but he decided to see to Nala once more. At least his Summoner was eating now, and that was a comfort because she’d gone days without food some months after Citel conceived.

It had taken only one attempt. For that Idrus was thankful.

As he walked, his bodyguards scurried behind him. He traveled down the stone steps rather than crawl along the walls which was faster. He’d had those steps designed specifically with Nala in mind, he wanted to walk them.

When he finally ventured out in the rain, the sight of Sessel, a large harala leaf as her only shelter, calling to Nala, surprised him.

“You’ll get washed away in this rain, Summoner. At least come into the structure for a time!”

Nala kept at her work, steadfast and silent.

For a moment, Idrus feared Sessel’s temper would get the better of her. Instead of letting out a shriek, however, Sessel put something on the ground, well out of the rain, and hurried away.

Idrus wore no covering as he marched out to see what it was. Wrapped in a leaf much like the one Sessel used to guard herself against the rain, was a sarel loaf.

The sweet was popular among the young. It made Idrus smile somewhat. He decided to take it and put it aside somewhere safe where Nala could find it on her own.

Today, instead of trying to talk, or demand a response, Idrus decided to follow Nala’s routine. It would be some hours still before Citel was ready, and he was in no way eager to see her.

When Nala began brushing one of the eight sloths there, Idrus followed suit, careful not to squeeze the brush too hard lest it break.

The beasts didn’t like Idrus much, he didn’t blame them. Levelers preferred inos, big ones with armor similar to their own. When they rode, it would complement them in a fight rather than meander about as sloths often did.

Sloths were good for farming. They were slow and laborious but needed little food and rarely temperamental. Whatever the reason, these sloths didn’t find much to like about Idrus.

He kept on, shadowing Nala, brushing the ones the Summoner had just done. It wasn’t that he thought Nala did a poor job, it was simply that he had no real knowledge of sloths and could only copy.

The rain beating down on the matted roof above them, they worked on until each sloth had turned on its spot, lay down, and slept.

Nala was good with them.

When Nala sat down on a stool, washed her hands with the water there, then her face, Idrus felt it safe to speak.

Using the Earther tongue in this stage was hard, but he made the effort.

“Blast this...rain. Be sure you...keep safe and warm.”

Nala doused her upper body, then her face once more, but gave no response.

Idrus washed her for some time then took some of the clean water from the back of the shed and brought it to Nala’s feet.

He expected the Summoner to even kick him away when he began to run his claws along Nala’s legs, removing the small gnats there that often clung to whoever cared for the sloths.

“I’ve heard of jealousy. I’ve never experienced it until now, because I envy that these creatures can be close to you while you will not let me near.”

A glance at Nala to find her looking away, stole Idrus’s drive.

“Won’t you say but a word to me, Summoner? And I miss your surly chatter so.”

Silence.

Under this covering, away from all others, even the rain didn’t seem as awful. If not for the taboo of it, Idrus considered sleeping out here with the sloths as well. It would pressure Nala, and perhaps even given the queen more fuel for any arguments she wished to make. So Idrus slept alone. From here he could spy his own nest and wondered briefly if Nala ever looked up at it.

When the gnats were all gone, Idrus took Nala by the hand and they stood.

Nala was agreeable at least, although quiet. Today she even glanced at Idrus a time or two, while before she would have kept to her task without stopping.

Today was a momentous day, and it had to be more than just luck because here Idrus stood with Nala, and the Summoner didn’t push him away.

A gentle grip on Nala’s hand, Idrus led Nala through the rain. One crack of thunder from the heavens and he tightened his hold.

Even though the claws pierced the Summoner’s skin, she made no sound. They went down into the catacombs until voices made them stop. Nala pressed herself against the wall and Idrus waited.

She wasn’t coming further but at least she’d managed this much.

Idrus went down without her, though he looked back often to see if she would follow. He had no such luck but Nala seemed content to just remain there.

The stone chamber wrapped in a circular path. Once Nala was gone from view, Idrus shook the moisture from his scales and lurched toward the lagoon. Female Summoners and Levelers alike surrounded the water’s edge. That meant Citel was submerged.

Pockets of air formed and rose to the top, breaking again and again. A lifetime passed before they finally stopped. The water calm; they waited.

Idrus expected to see her surface but she never did.

Sessel watched from afar with the other Levelers in attendance. “She should arise,” the aged Leveler said.

Nodding his head, Idrus agreed. The queen was the last person he ever wanted to help, but he dove in anyway.

Levelers were excellent swimmers. Summoners should have been as well. Whatever the reason, she did not surface.

He searched the now murky gray water for any signs of life. If not for a claw scratching against his faceplate, he might have passed her by completely.

Holding her close to him, he swam up and helped her catch hold of the edge. To his surprise, something brushed his leg. Another did as well. He reached down to feel one more orb before it fell.

“Sessel, she still lays!”

Sessel’s eyes grew wide as she asked, “Are you certain?”

Idrus dragged her to rest her naked upper body on the ground.

“Yes. Bring the Summoners. They must tend to her. I will see that the eggs arrive safely at the bottom.”

Sessel rushed to fan several stunned Summoners toward their queen. Idrus sunk into the water again, gathering up each soft orb he felt in the water. He couldn’t remember the numbers of just how many there were.

When he was sure all were secure, he swam back up. Citel was gone.

“Her hearts were fervent. They’ve taken her to rest. You should go and thank her for the bounty. There were many bubbles.”

Idrus avoided Sessel’s gaze. Instead, he swam down to check on the eggs yet again. He took his time in surfacing once more.

No doubt Sessel would scold him, and he was ready.

Instead of Sessel, he found Nala crouching down, staring at the water.

Idrus’s hearts leapt at the sight of her. “Hello, Na’am. Have you come to see the eggs? There are so many.”

He was gentle as he reached for Nala’s hands in hopes of pulling her in.

“Come. Come see.”

“I cannot swim,” Nala muttered, taking her hands back.

She hadn’t said a word in months. Idrus nearly jumped from the water to embrace her. In this form that would prove painful, so he willed himself to remain where he was.

“Do you want to see?” he asked, the Earther’s language leaving his voice hoarse.

Nala opened and closed her mouth several times before shaking her head.

“I...I don’t want to impose.”

It wasn’t a no, so Idrus suck down in the water and gathered up the first egg he could find. Holding it in both hands, he returned but kept it in the water as he brought it close.

“It has to stay below the surface, but you can hold it. Come.”

Nala’s grey eyes widened, wonder written on her face as she touched the water then pulled her hand back.

“Is it really all right?”

“It’s all right, it’s all right!” Idrus exclaimed. “It was a good bounty. Put your hands in the water. It’s safe.”

Kneeling on the floor, Nala did as she was told. Idrus allowed the egg to fall into his Summoner’s hands.

Nala gasped. “It’s so soft.”

“Of course. Aren’t all eggs? Even our inos put eggs in the water,” Idrus said, hoping to keep Nala talking.

In time, Nala shook her head. “The sloth’s eggs are hard. I...I thought all were like that. Is it really all right to hold it?”

Idrus studied her, his hearts missing their rhythm as he took hold of Nala’s hands and eased closer. “It’s all right. We made these, all three of us. Of course it’s all right to hold them. They are as much yours as they are mine.” Voice level, he insisted, “They are yours.”

The awe in Nala’s expression faded little by little until she wore a frown. “Take it back. Please.”

Letting out a sigh, Idrus received the egg once more. He brought it back down again, surfacing with the expectation of seeing Nala gone.

Though his Summoner was some distance from the water, she remained there, her back against the stone of the wall.

Months had passed since Nala even looked at Idrus directly much less spoke to him. Idrus wanted to be patient.

His worry won out, and he climbed onto the ground. He made sure to keep his distance as he asked, “How do you feel?”

Nala watched the black dirt below their feet, using her claw to scratch out patterns.

“May I come closer to you?” Idrus asked. In the silence that followed, Idrus ambled to his feet and approached.

This time Nala didn’t pull away when Idrus held her hands.

Bringing Nala’s fingers to his own chest, Idrus waited.

“Can you feel that? Despite my armor, can you feel it?” When he didn’t get an answer, he brought Nala’s left hand to his chest as well. “And do you feel that one. How uneven I am. You haven’t left and I wake up each day fearing that you might.”

Nala slipped from his grip yet again as she muttered, “I long to have your arms around me, but that isn’t a possibility now.”

Idrus found few things to be as awful as Nala’s disposition. Without saying another word, he darted for the water and dove in. At one time shifting through the stages gave Idrus no trouble, but lately it became harder and harder. Today he’d need the help of the water to sooth his aching body and force the change.

When he resurfaced, only a small fraction of his tough scaled remained. He exited but was forced to crouch down and wait for the other scales to fall off before he could approach as Idsel.

His footing unsteady, he padded over to Nala and sat at her side.

Nala slipped under Idsel’s arm, hugging him around the waist.

Idsel let out a sigh and dragged their bodies close. He barely gave it a second thought as he rooted up Nala’s robe and reached under to tug at her tail.

His Summoner brushed his hand away.

The action surprised Idsel but he deiced to trust his knowledge of Nala’s body rather than the unfamiliar behavior.

Nala reacted similarly on the second attempt, albeit weaker. By the third, however, she eased closer instead.

Idsel longed to bring Nala back up to the nest. The eggs would keep and he had no interest in seeing Citel again. He decided to rest there for a moment before making the attempt. So long as Citel was too weak to come back, it would all right to hide away in here for a little while.

A pop sounded and then another. Idsel would have ignored it but Nala’s gasp drove him to look. Eggs took several days to hatch; all the ones he’s ever seen had. But there they were, gray bodies floating up to the surface.