Page 16 of Tharn's Hunt
I huff. Clearly, I must demonstrate. I crouch abruptly, claws retracting.
"I’ll lick you now," I announce. Uselessly, because she only blinks at me. Which is why I need to do this. "Open."
When I gesture firmly at her thighs, her eyes do an alarming bulging thing.
"EXCUSE ME?!"
Ain’s wrath. I’m sure her exclamation just burst a vessel in my ears.
She scrambles backward so fast her elbow cracks against stone.
"Oh my God, no. NO. Whatever the hell you're thinking—stop."
The shiny weapon is back in her grip, jabbing the air between us.
I tilt my head.Is she not producing water there? Perhaps if I reveal my member, hers will produce water, and I can lick?—
"I WILL STAB YOU IN THE EYE."
The vocalizations, though strained, don’t miss their mark. She points her weapon at me, close enough that it’s directly in line with my right eye.
Why is she rejecting this?
Strange female. Does she truly mean to pierce my eye?Rok did not mention this as a possibility.
I pause, reassessing.
Perhaps I cannot go about it like this. Perhaps she needs to understand that belonging to me will be good. I will feed her and shelter her. I will make sure no harm comes to her in the dust.
“Relax, female. I will not harm you.”
It’s clear she doesn’t hear even a shadowy imprint of my thoughts. Even with my directing them straight at her. Her weapon remains raised, and she rubs at her wrist with a hiss, her fingers coming away smeared red.
Dust and bones.
I’ve hunted injured prey before. But this? This tiny, bleeding female glaring at me like I’m the threat when she can barely keep her eyes open?
This feels…wrong.
This is harder than tracking a sand serpent through the plains. At least then I know what to do. Track. Hunt. Kill. Simple. This... this is not simple. My claws dig into my thighs. Hunters don’t apologize. Don’t fret over scratches. But…I hurtafemale. This miraculous, precious thing. And the way her scent sours with pain only feeds the guilt. I must fix this. Somehow.
I snatch my waterskin and toss it at her feet.
She jumps, then squints at me.
What does Rok do with Jus-teen again? Right, he has this new thing of baring his teeth at her, but not in a snarling way. Females do not like it when you snarl at them.
So I bare my teeth at Jah-kee, careful not to snarl.
She pales.
Dust. Wrong expression.
I try again, forcing my features into something softer.
She eyes me like I’ve grown a second head.
"Nope. Nope. Still terrifying." She weakly waves the shiny weapon. "Cave’s big enough for two, okay? You stay over there, I’ll stay here, and we’ll have a staring contest until you’re ready to take me to my sister."
