Page 65 of Rok's Captive
Jus-teen has retreated to the far side of the cave, where the shadows are thickest, away from the shaft of Ain’s light that pierces through the cave’s opening. She leans against the cool stone wall, eyes closed more often than open, her breathing shallow but controlled.
A daughter of Ain, hiding from Ain’s gaze. It makes no sense, yet I have learned to accept that little about this strange female follows the patterns I understand.
I remain near the cave entrance, keeping watch for dangers that might approach. The shadowmaws will not return—not after I left their pack decimated in the dust—but there are other threats. Dust serpents that can sense movement from beneath the sand. Sandfins that follow the scent of blood. And always, the rival clans, who would see a lone Drakav and his…companion…as easy targets.
My gaze shifts to her again.
Her vocalizations are soft, strained, the tone revealing her discomfort. “This is ridiculous,” she says, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. “Just a stupid headache. I should be stronger than this.”
I watch her struggle to sit up straighter, wincing again as the motion seems to intensify whatever pain grips her.
“We should be moving,” she continues, gesturing weakly toward the cave entrance. “Finding water. Finding my sister. Not…sitting here because my head feels like it’s going to explode.”
She sighs, her shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry, Rok. I’m slowing us down. Just…give me a little longer, okay? Then we can go.”
I move toward her, plucking another fire bloom leaf from the crevice where they grow. These particular blooms are nearly depleted—we have taken much from them for our healing—but they will recover in time. The dust provides for those who respect its ways.
Carefully, I use a claw to strip away the tiny spines that line the leaf’s edges, removing anything that might harm her delicate skin. When it is safe, I offer it to her, crouching beside her with the leaf extended on my palm.
She looks at it, then at me, a small baring of her teeth despite her obvious discomfort. I bare mine back in this custom we’ve developed.
“More of your wonder plant?” she vocalizes, taking it from my hand. “I guess it can’t hurt.”
She takes a few bites, chewing slowly, grimacing at the bitter taste but forcing herself to swallow. After several mouthfuls, she sets the remainder aside and lies down, curling on her side, one arm braced beneath her head.
“Just for a moment,” she murmurs, her eyes already closing. “Just…need to rest…”
I watch her as she drifts into a light sleep, her breathing evening out, some of the tension easing from her face. The fire bloom will help, though perhaps not as quickly as it does for a Drakav. Her body is different, processes things differently. But it should provide some relief, some restoration.
And yet, as I watch over her, I become aware of something strange within myself. A sensation I cannot name, cannot identify from all my cycles of experience in the dust. Despite having consumed many fire bloom leaves to speed my own healing, there is something…off. Something altered in my system.
I do not know what.
My gaze returns to Jus-teen, drawn to her, as it has been since the moment I found her in the dust.
Everything has changed since finding her. Xiraxis has shifted, rearranged itself around her presence. And now that she has shared water with me…
Dust.
She shared water with me in the most peculiar way. Her lips against mine, a touch I had never felt before, soft yet firm, warm yet unlike any warmth I have known.
My claw rises to my lips, tracing the outline where she touched me. A shadow memory of contact that my body refuses to forget. Her tongue touching my mouth with just a taste of her water from within—but it was enough to send my systems into disarray. The glow beneath my skin had pulsed wildly, uncontrollably, lighting the cave as if all three moons shone at once. Even now, solmarks later, the memory causes the glow to flicker and surge.
I do not know why I can no longer control my glow. Worse, I do not know why she decided to share water in such a manner. It is not a thing we Drakav do.
I only know that I want her to do it again.
I want to feel it again.
But I worry for her, for how much water she has left to spare. She lost so much from her eyes—those strange, clear drops that fell like precious moisture wasted. I still do not understand why her body does these things, why it doesn’t perform the most basic function of any desert creature: conserve water at all costs.
Either way, it does not matter. I will find more water for her. That is what a hunter does—provides for those under his protection. And that means I will have to leave the safety of the cave, venture out into the dust where the water-bearing plants grow deep.
I rise from my crouch, moving toward the cave entrance. Ain is past her zenith now, beginning her slow descent toward the horizon. I can move quickly, gather what we need, and return before the worst dangers of dusk begin to stir.
I glance back at Jus-teen, still resting in the shadows. She should be safe here. This was once a resting cave. One me and my brothers used. We smeared the scent of sandfins near the entrance. A scent that still lingers. No other creatures will come near.
But…
