A Day in the Life of Wint

“Wait, what? Why?” Wint’s tail twitched sharply and her ears abruptly turned to face full forwards. Warshyka could tell that idea irritated her greatly.

“Because he’s in our care and if we don’t, he’ll die. Unless that’s not the case …”

“No, it is. I just don’t see how it’s our problem. We did our bit to save him. Almost died ourselves in the process. It’s not our fault the kid’s never had his shots. I certainly don’t see why I should have to go into debt for the next few years just to save him.” Wint paused briefly before adding a point, “And that’s even assuming they can save him. Because either way we’d still have to pay.”

Both Wint and Warshyka were surprised by a semi-familiar voice from the other side of Warshyka’s fighter. “Send me the bill.”

Wint spun around, tail straight, nose slightly in the air, ears perked while Warshyka instinctively straightened out to his full height to present a more imposing form. Both relaxed slightly as Barralaine walked around the oversized nose of Warshyka’s modified F-1080 fighter.

Warshyka was the first to speak up in forced common, “What-are-you-do-here?”

“Helping. Chuckling at the way you two argue. Offering employment. You know, the usual.”

Ignoring Barralaine’s attempt at humor, Wint cut to the chase. “Why would you cover the kid’s medical bills? What’s in it for you? And more importantly, what do you want from us for it?”

Feigning insult Barralaine put his hand to his heart. “I can’t just do something out of the goodness of my heart?”

Before Wint could respond Warshyka interjected with a series of growls, “He wants the kid for his abilities.”

“Fair enough,” Wint responded without translating. “Do you want the bill sent to you directly or is there a special inbox at the Vatican?”

“Furball!” Warshyka scolded.

Wint turned to look at her larger cousin. “What? You want the kid taken care of. I don’t want to pay for it. The Order wants to train the kid. And the kid wants to live. Who loses here?” Wint had trouble holding back a bemused, tiny toothed smile at her comment.

Warshyka growled, grabbed his hood and gloves off his welder and went back up the ladder to continue his work.

“What did he say?” Barralaine asked.

“Huh? Oh, no. That was actually just a growl.” Wint walked towards Barralaine and reached up to place a hand at the small of his back to steer him towards the other end of the landing pad. “So, you mentioned offering employment?” Her tail twitched slightly with excitement.