Page 51 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

The fire crackles, flames leaping to the sky as a log settles in a shower of embers. The meat is rich and salty, the small crisp apples tart enough to offer a delicious contrast.

Not long after my last bite, Wisp wakes from her catnap and joins the other kittens in a wrestle match. Then they leap back onto me again, demanding play.

“Naomi has human eyesight.” Wranth frowns down at the tiny faces. “She cannot chase you through the forest.”

Their chorus of disappointed awws echo in air.

In a flash, Wranth leaps to his feet, throwing his arms wide and growls, “But I can!”

With delighted shrieks, they race for the trees, Wranth following, arms held out in front of him like the Frankenstein monster.

“Well, I didnotexpect that.” Shadow leans harder against me, getting me to scratch his chin again.

“Humph,” Zephyr snorts. “Shows what you know. He always has a soft spot for younglings. Does this in every village we visit.I don’t think anyone played with him enough when he was that age.”

Oh. My heart pinches as I add this to what Wranth said earlier about being the only orc orphan in all of Alarria. I can’t imagine how lonely he must have been, since I grew up with two loving parents in a small town full of friends.

The kittens race back out of the trees, flashing huge smiles. “We did it!” “Yippee!” “We won!” “We’re the best!”

That last is said as Wisp flings herself at me, climbing back up into her spot on my chest. The others pile across my legs, little sides heaving as they catch their breath.

“I have lost.” Wranth steps from behind a tree and drops his arms. “You are safe in the light of the fire.”

Another chorus of “We won!” rings out, and they squirm with excitement.

I look down at those huge green eyes and get an idea. “I can’t see in the dark like you can, but if you want, I can tell you a story.”

“Yes!”

“Okay, once there was a big, bad troll, who owned a bridge…”

“What’s a troll?”

“It’s like an ogre,” Wranth says, sitting beside me.

“Ewww.” Wisp wiggles closer. “Tell usallabout the stinky ogre.”

I laugh and continue, creating a new version of Billy Goats Gruff using the Faerie creatures suggested by Wranth. I get really into it, giving each character a different voice, and soon find myself surrounded by a ring of glittering eyes as the adult cats come closer, too.

When I finish, the kittens demand more, but a yawn catches me by surprise, and my hand flies up to cover it.

“You must rest,” Wranth says, scooping kittens off my lap and laying them gently on the moss-covered ground.

Another yawn stretches my jaw, and I nod.

Moonlight offers us a room in the den for the night. The ceiling of the first cave is high enough that Wranth can stand, but everything branching off it is a tunnel. Wranth gives me the glow stone so I can follow Shadow down one. Then he brings up the rear with all our bedding.

Shadow leads us to a small cave carved out of dry rock, the floor softened by a thick layer of dried pine needles. Wranth spreads his furs across the narrow space as I wrap my damp hair protectively in my satin dress, taking extra care because I wasn’t able to condition it after getting it wet. At least air drying is gentle.

A deep rumble echoes from the cave opening in a rising and falling rhythm that’s mesmerizing.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“It’s the harmonizing,” Shadow says. “It brings the cat sith together at the end of each day, reminding us that we are one and this is our home. I must go join in. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Before he’s even turned away, he starts to purr, his closer sound blending with the rest.

Wranth pulls me down beside him, tucks me close, and pulls a fur over me.

---