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“Close your eyes.”
Sitting on the floor before the Ancient One Stephen was hesitant, yes, but he had learned to listen and do what the woman wanted when she used that tone of voice. Still, he looked at her for a moment and waited for her gentle smile and encouraging nod before he found it himself to do so.
“Put your hands on your thighs, palms up, and relax.”
Maybe some new meditation technique? It didn’t matter; in the end he would do as she’d told him. He tried to but the movement hurt and there was some sort of blockade that…
“Shhh. Here, let me help.” Warm hands, incredible strong and oh so gentle at the same time helped him to move his hands into the requested position. She held them for a while, waiting for damaged muscles and torn tendons to accept the new position. There was a sudden rush of warm and he could feel the tingle of magic on his skin and deeper down, right into his bones. “So much scarring. We have to work on your mobility,” she murmured. “It’s so limited, you’re going to have trouble with important movements. Don’t worry. It’ll get better.” There was a smile in her voice and Stephen just basked in the feeling for safety and contentment her touch awoke.
“Ready?”
“Ready for what?”
Laughter was the only response and then there was something incredible soft in his hands. Warm, fluffy, the softest thing he’d ever felt in his life. Even though he could barely feel anything nowadays he could feel this. Whatever it was, it was alive. There was a soft squeak and the Ancient One carefully helped him adjust his hold.
He opened his eyes by reflex and looked down to see… “A chinchilla?”
“Ah, you know them. Not many people do.” The Ancient One smiled at him and helped him to put his left hand on the top of the not so little rodent. “This one is the tamest we have. He likes to be petted and be with humans.”
The chinchilla didn’t seem to have any fear but stayed in Stephen’s loose hold and looked up at him with brown eyes so dark that they looked almost black. The incredible soft fur was grey and black on the back, white on the underside.
It was the cutest thing Stephen had seen in ages. Maybe ever. Definitely the softest being he’d ever been allowed to hold.
“A little bit of stimulation for your hands,” the Ancient One explained. “You had so much pain and misery, only artificial things and metal touching you. You need to be reminded how living, breathing beings feel.”
Stephen looked up at her with tears in his eyes. “Thank you,” he whispered and stroked the chinchilla as carefully as possible. It squeaked again and settled down, content to be petted.
The Ancient One poured tea for them both and watched them with a smile while she sipped hers.
Yes, Stephen was the right choice. His willingness and gentleness in handling the chinchilla just proved it once again. He just needed a little bit of help to become the person he was supposed to be and she still had a little bit of time left to set him on the right path.