Late night shift

[alex]

Bryn was kind of surprised by Sinbad’s question. She enjoyed this humorous chat with Sinbad and did not want to break it. “Well…he talks to me in his mind. We kind-of exchange each other’s thoughts.”

[Sinbad]

There were quite some questions relating to that popping up in his mind, but Sinbad bit them back, because they were heading into directions that would have stirred him away from a rather relaxed and cheerful conversation and for now he felt no need for another in depth discussion. They usually made him feel vulnerable. Instead, he just gave a short nod.

"Oh well, I think I´ll cut him a slack this time." he said, coming back to his earlier joke of roasting the hawk, sounding as if he had just decided something extremely generous.

[alex]

Bryn smiled. "Good. I'm sure Dermott will be thankful for that." She then looked up at the top of the mast where Dermott was resting. She had not seen him there before. But then again, she had not looked for him. How long had he been up there? She had no clue. Dermott was looking at them as if he was listening to their conversation. She chuckled. “Dermott says thank you. He also says that you have threatened that to him before.”

[Sinbad]

Sinbad turned his head a little and looked up to where the hawk sat. Even though he could not understand what he was saying ... or however this sort of communication was called ... he had learned to understand him in some way or the other. He was usually able to tell when Dermott wanted him to follow him or when he was upset about something - there his understanding stopped, but it was enough. He also remembered what Maeve had said somewhen during the early days on board. ´Dermott doesn´t like you much.´ He smirked slightly at the memory.

"We have our history of threats and insults it seems." he said, turning his head back towards the brunette next to him.

[alex]

She raised her eyebrow and turned to him. “Oh really, care to share?”

[Sinbad]

It wasn´t the first time he heard her ask that very question and Sinbad chuckled lightly, even though the reason for his chuckle might not be as clear to Bryn as it was to him.
"Well, I can´t understand anything of what he´s saying." he said with a slight shrug, leaning back a little. "so, our communication... and insults are somewhat limited. I call him chicken, he squeals."

[alex]

She thought about what Sinbad said. She looked at him again, taken aback. "Chicken. You call him chicken," speaking in a half-joking tone. "And when was the last time you called him that?"

[Sinbad]

"I don´t know." Sinbad replied. "A while back." A long while. More than a year to be precise. "And just in good humour as he probably knows."

[alex]

"Hmmm. In good humor. Were you much more humorous long ago when Maeve was still here?"

[Sinbad]

They had been talking about Maeve earlier that day. A careful, indirect conversation with just as careful wording. The name had not been mentioned.
Sinbad felt something inside him cramp a little. He had not heard that name for more than a year. Had thought it, countless times, but had not uttered it. No one here had. For him it felt like the breaking of some strange sort of taboo. And he wasn´t yet sure whether he liked that. It made him uneasy. All this showed in a slight frown that appeard on his face. "Maybe I was." he said, some sort of wary expression in his eyes. He was about to ask her what all these questions about Maeve were all about and yes, he knew she didn´t mean to tease him with it, still he knew that he was not willing to let himself cornered again.

[alex]

This made Bryn raise an eyebrow. "Maybe?" She noticed the changes in Sinbad's facial expressions. She felt his sudden uneasiness and sought to lighten the mood again. But before saying anything, she returned to stare out into the sea. "Well, to tell you the truth, I kind-of like this humorous Sinbad over the more serious Sinbad. Kind-of reminds me of a boy." She turned to look at Sinbad, hoping that the last line did not upset him further.

[Sinbad]

"I´m not sure if the ´boy´ is meant as a compliment." Sinbad replied, his eyebrows still raised, but his irritation not real anymore, just fake. He wasn´t sure if she noticed though. Then his body relaxed unnoticably. "I like this Sinbad better, too." he added.

[alex]

Bryn bit back her lip and glanced at the floor. “Oh, sorry about the boy compliment.” She looked back at Sinbad, a smile on her face, and chuckled. “I am glad that you are in a good mood, tonight. And yes I am glad you like humorous Sinbad. Nothing like some good humor.”

[Dermott]

Dermott had stayed silently on the mainmast for a long while. He needed to rest, and had been in a sort of limbo for the whole day, observing the happenings on the ship as if he was watching them from a great distance.

It has been a pretty intense morning, with all those strange visions, whose effects were still echoing in every feather of his tiny body. Then come Firouz’s fire sticks, and Sinbad evident inner conflict which had been tested by Bryn first and Doubar later.

He lost the perception of time until he sensed his witch friend’s familiar presence in a corner of his mind, realizing suddenly how much he had been in this sleepwalking state. The voices of the waves were reaching the ship under a cloudless starry sky, and their captain was at his night shift at the tiller, just joined by the sorceress. The hawk tried to feel awake again. It wasn’t the moment to sleep, with the dark forces probably trying to reach the Nomad.

After his sister disappearance he swore to do all what he could to help the crew in those circumstances. So he scolded himself for not being able to be more vigilant, and silently thanked Bryn for waking him up.

Then he begin to pay attention to the chat between the two of them, and when he heard about the dumb beast joke he couldn’t help to feel amused. How long their captain didn’t talk and play in such a joyful tone? There was something different now, as if he was finally able to think and talk about “her” with a more light heart.

“This is a good step to begin with” thought the bird.

Then he return his attention to his friends. This was so like the old good times.

[Sinbad]

Not for the first time Sinbad noticed what a calm and gentle person Bryn was. She would usually retreat easily, not be offensive, just like now. He had meant to joke, he thought with an inward smile.

"Well said." he agreed, the smile now showing on his face. "and I hope you don´t take it personal when that inconsiderate captain of yours is grumpy now and then." It was an apology. An indirect one. Sort of. But he guessed she would take the hint.