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The week ended before Troe knew it. Luckily Savnorafeta was content to follow along when he did his research and if the pup minded being dragged through computer stores and the like he never voiced it.
The time to leave for home came and Troe hadn't set eyes on Nyera since their run-in in the hotel lobby. He went to board the ship that would take them home and when he saw Nyera he waved with a smile. She returned both the smile and the wave hesitantly which caused Anshoku, who was dancing along beside her, to stop and turn her head. The little filly started to bound towards Troe and Sav but stopped suddenly and danced back over to her bond.
Nyera and Anshoku boarded the ship, leaving Troe frowning after them. Acting shy was one thing, but she was outright avoiding him now! Sav nudged his hand as if he could sense his perturbation over the situation and Troe rubbed the pup's head affectionately. "Well, I guess they don't want to talk to us, Sav, so onto the ship we go! Hopefully Nyera will get past this silent treatment, because we do have to work together."
Sav didn't respond, but a mischeivous glint in his eye made Troe a trifle nervous.
The trip back was uneventful. Nyera stayed away from Troe and to make matters more comfortable Troe stayed away from Nyera. Sav slipped away from him now and again, but Troe figured there wasn't much damage he could do in the passenger lock so he didn't worry about it. The pup always came back in good spirits and no one ever complained about him causing havoc, so Troe put it from his mind.
When they got back to Kilandaia their ship landed in the first Goprin city, which was about as far from the Lodge as they could get. Troe groaned audibly as he, Nyera, and the dragonets disembarked and he realized where they were. Nyera gave him an amused look, but said nothing.
Impressed that she had acknowledge him at all he decided to press his luck. "Looks like we've got a long trek to get home."
"Think so?" was all she said. She might have said more, he couldn't be sure but Anshoku went clamboring down the stairs and tripped, tumbling the rest of the way to fall in a bundle of long legs at the bottom of the stairway. Nyera rushed to her side and helped the little filly up.
"Are you okay, Ansho?" she asked, worry in her voice.
"I'm- fine!" said Anshoku shaking herself briskly and then looking around as if she'd quite forgotten the fall. "So this is Kilandaia?"
Sav luckily was much more coordinated on the stairs, having paws instead of hooves, and he and Troe made it down to join their companions without incident. Once the two had joined them and the humans had picked up their luggage, Nyera and Anshoku headed for the nearest exit to the city and Troe, surprised by how long the young woman's stride was, especially carrying such heavy luggage, hurried to catch up and fall into stride with her. He smiled in amusement and watched her out of the corner of his eye as they strode along, the dragonets scampering to keep up.
"Going to walk like that all the way back to the Lodge?"
She snorted and gave him a sidelong glance. "Not planning on it."
She nodded her head to the approaching exit then and he turned to look and was surprised (and rather pleased!) to see a Goprin waiting there. It was Naoryn himself, who, rumor had it, was the significant other of Mykha. How that was even possible Troe didn't know, but he wasn't about to ask. The huge Goprin was lying in the grass with his tail flicking irritably behind him and the two humans increased their pace. Naoryn didn't like cities and the last thing they wanted was for him to be irritable all the way back to the Lodge as he was obviously their transport!
"Welcome back," he rumbled in that great deep voice of his and Troe nodded his head in thanks.
"Thanks for meeting us, Naoryn! I'm sure Mykha wouldn't want us dragging all her new equipment through the snow all the way up the hill!" Nyera smiled at the Goprin who nodded his head. Troe would never understand what the upbeat Mykha saw in such a dour fellow, and he muttered as much to Nyera. Nyera looked surprised for a moment then whispered back, "I've never actually joined them, but I know people who've gone skiing with the pair. Naoryn's apparently much different when you get him in Mykha's company and away from civilization."
By then Naoryn had secured their things on his back and was waiting patiently for them to mount up. The dragonets caused a small problem as Anshoku couldn't very well clambor up his side like the humans could, and she fluttered her wings so hard in an attempt to 'help' that passing her up became quite a struggle! Eventually though both dragonets were seated with their humans and they were off, the Goprin's long leaping stride carrying them swiftly toward the Lodge and home.
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