'Well, this is a turn of events.' Ajax greeted his new caretaker as Syri reached up and stroked his muzzle.
'It most certainly is.' Syri responded to the vorst as he pretended to greet Ajax for the first time. "Hi there, Ajax. How ya doing? I'm Syri, and I will be your new caretaker. Please be nice to me and don't kick me too much." The zeta released a sheepish laugh toward the end.
'What are you doing here, Zeta?' Ajax nudged the zeta affectionately as Syri continued to stroke his nuzzle.
'I am paying my debt to your prince.'
'Is that so?'
'Yes. I would appreciate it if you would help me keep it secret from the prince. He does not know I work at the stables. It would only burden him should he find out.'
'I see. Have no worries; your secret is safe with me. I will aid you in remaining hidden from the prince.' The vorst smelled the top of Syri's head, extracting a small laugh from the ticklish zeta.
'Thank you, Ajax.'
Kip smiled softly as he watched the vorst and zeta greet each other. "He likes you," the beta commented as he and the zeta exited the stall.
"Really?" Syri asked with a knowing smile.
"Mm," Kip sounded with a nod. "The vorsts are really picky about who they like. It is good that Ajax took a liking to you." Syri silently nodded in response as the two regrouped with the others.
"How'd it go?" Bevy inquired as she sat on a stool and munched on a carrot.
"Very well," Kip answered as he gave a pat on Syri's back before going to lean against the wall next to Calix. "How's Tryst doing?"
Calix took a bite out of the apple he was holding before answering, "He's good. Getting his energy back. I'm sure he'll be all rowdy again by dusk."
"That's good," Kip responded as he took the apple from Calix's hand and took a generous bite. The original owner of the apple chuckled and rolled his eyes as the grey-eyed helped himself to the ripe fruit.
"You may not want to finish that," Ibbi warned Kip as he entered from the awning area.
"What?" Kip inquired as he scrunched his brows.
"You may want to save your appetite," the omega said before adding, "Lili is here."
Kip's eyes immediately lit up at the mention of the epsilon's name. "Lili is here?" The grey-eyed tossed the apple aimlessly toward the green-eyed as he immediately stood straight and headed for the awning. Calix fumbled with the nearly-finished apple as the beta rushed out.
Ibbi shook his head as he watched the grey-eyed leave. "That's all it takes: her name. Eye yai yai," the omega exclaimed under his breath as he crouched down into a squat and began drawing shapes into the soft dirt with a stick he had snatched from the ground somewhere outside.
"That boy is whipped," Bevy commented as she, too, shook her head. Calix remained silent as he gazed at the apple in his hand. Curious Syri poked his head out into the awning to see a petite female smiling up at the beta. She had long lilac hair and light silver eyes that shone whenever she looked up at the heart-eyed beta. "Her name is Lili," Bevy informed Syri as she came to stand beside the zeta. "She is the apprentice to the royal scientist and is noble born."
Syri's eyes widened at the alpha's last sentence. Bevy noticed the zeta's reaction and said, "You wouldn't have known, right? She dresses like us and comes to hang out with us. She is our friend and drinks with us. She truly is a gem."
"She's beautiful," the zeta commented as he gazed at the radiant epsilon. Her lilac hair flowed in the wind and framed her attractive body perfectly while her eyes shined like the stars against the night sky.
"Ae. That she is," Bevy agreed as she, too, admired the beautiful female. "And she has her eyes set on that one," the alpha added with a gesture to the beta smiling down at the epsilon who had just offered Kip a box containing an assorted meal.
'So, she is your present love...' Syri smiled softly as he watched the two love birds for a few more moments before Bevy called out, "Oi, Lili!! What about us? Wanna leave some love for your friends?"
Calix and Ibbi stifled a laugh as they heard the alpha's call. The silver-eyed female covered her mouth as she turned and laughed cutely. The beta followed the epsilon into the stables as the apprentice greeted the morning team. "Oh, I see there is a new addition. Hello there," the epsilon greeted kindly as she spotted the zeta. Everything about the apprentice was elegant and feminine. She emitted grace with every move and word.
Syri bowed as he greeted the epsilon. "I'm Lili," the apprentice said as she inclined her head toward the zeta. "Syri," the pink-haired responded politely. "Nice to meet you, Syri," the epsilon returned as she turned to Kip and asked, "Could you help me with something?" Kip nodded and urged the epsilon to continue. Lili pursed her lips before explaining, "My mentor wants a new desk in his study, but he is too old to exchange the two, and I am not strong enough. I was wondering if you would be available to help?"
"Of course!" Kip responded quickly, much to Lili's excitement and his teammates' horror. "Do you have to flirt with all of us here?" Bevy asked before faking a silent gag. Syri tried his hardest to not laugh at Bevy's frankness but noticed the other beta's silence throughout the whole ado. Calix had turned his gaze to the ground after kindly greeting Lili and hardly looked up as the epsilon and grey-eyed beta were lovey-dovy.
The omega continued to draw in the dirt as the other members began to joke around. Soon, Kip was leaving with Lili, and Calix was walking down the corridor to the right to make sure Tryst had enough hay and water. Bevy let out a light sigh as she watched the beta disappear down the row of stalls before following him, leaving Syri and Ibbi in the main corridor of the stables.