36. P̶ O̶ W̶ E̶ R̶ :̶ D̶r̶e̶a̶m̶s̶ | Blacksdale

CHAPTER VII

"Addison?"

Addison didn't move.

"Addison."

Addison remained still.

Tián put a hand on her hips and sighed, shaking her head. Then she glanced at Xiao Lang, who was perched on her other arm. "Xiao. Wake him up," she ordered.

Xiao Lang chittered eagerly and flapped his wings, fluttering toward Addison—who lay flat on his back with his arms splayed out in the stream—and landed on the boy's chest before screeching loudly and beating Addison's face with his wings.

"Ack! Ow! Hey!" Addison spluttered, swiping at the wings as he was jolted out of his dream-sleep. He sat up, still spitting feathers out of his mouth as his wet hair fell over his face. He reached up and parted the curtain of hair, blinking at Tián as she smirked down at him. "Oh! Uh... Tián!" he stammered, turning red and scrambling to his feet. "I—um—hi?"

"Hey." Tián motioned to Addison with her free hand, raising an eyebrow. "You okay?"

"...Yeah! Of course!" Addison replied quickly after a moment's hesitation, wringing out his hair, clothes, and scarf repeatedly. "Why, why, why wouldn't I be?"

Tián frowned. She removed her hand from her hip and approached the fox-boy, folding her arms across her chest. "Addi, I saw what happened," she said quietly. "With... with Dove. I know it was hard for you—"

"I'm fine," Addison interrupted with a forced laugh, backing up a few steps with his hands upraised. "I'm totally fine, Ti. Let's just—let's train, okay?"

Tián kept her gaze fixed on Addison, her expression unreadable.

Then jerked her head at the stone in the middle of the stream. "Balance," she commanded.

"Sure thing! Easy." Addison hopped onto the stone with feigned eagerness, placing his right foot on the side of his left leg and pressing his hands together.

"Eyes closed," Tián ordered.

"Gotchya. No problem." Addison closed both eyes, inhaled, and exhaled. "Piece of cake."

Tián nodded slowly and backed away from Addison, watching him carefully.

Addison remained calm and composed for a few moments.

Then...

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"Oh, c'mon, Stripes..."

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Addison furrowed his brow.

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"Now he's getting it..."

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A bead of sweat ran down Addison's forehead, mingling with the droplets of water from his hair. His leg began to tremble, his balance faltering.

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"When it mattered, you ran..."

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The word "no" formed on Addison's lips, but no sound came out. He gritted his teeth with the strain of staying upright.

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