Page 101 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
“Hey, lady, what’s the matter?” He crouched to rest his freehand atop her head. “Wake up, now. It’s only a dream.”
He rattled on until she finally roused, her whimpers cuttingoff with a snarl.
When she lifted her head to bare her teeth, he ducked low tonuzzle her jaw. “Sorry to wake you, lady, but you were having a bad dream. Youneed anything? I can get your friends or a healer. Or a drink of water. Or wecould keep you company until you fall asleep.”
Thewemust have caught her attention. She angled herhead to get a better look.
“This is Gregor. He’s not mine exactly, though I helpedraise his daddy.” Scooting back to make it easier for her to see, Ginkgo loftedone of the pocket crystals he carried for nightlights.
Copper eyes blinked in their glow.
“Well, now,” he said. “Aren’t you a beauty?”
Straightening so he could reach, he fondled her ears in theway he knew felt awesome. Her nose bumped his belly, a good reminder of howvulnerable he was, but Ginkgo smiled. It was best to let a wolf—or dog—knowthat they had the upper hand. She could easily push him back. Or with a singlesnap, he’d be a goner.
Instead, she lowered her head to butt his hip, allowing hisrough caresses. He explained about his years running with the Elderbough packand sang his pack nickname. His wolvish wasn’t great, but it earned him anamused huff.
She nipped his ear.
“Curious, are you? That’s fine. Everyone is.” Ginkgo wiggledhis ears at her. “I’m half fox, which explains the ears. And the tail, for thatmatter. How about you? If you don’t mind my asking, you look like a wolf, butthat doesn’t mean you aren’t part of the dog clan.”
She snuffled him, then Gregor.
“Guess it’s not fair to ask questions you can’t answer.Wolf?” he tried.
Her ears flattened.
“Dog?”
Her tail flashed an affirmative.
“Guess that means you’re related to Glint?” At her softgrowl, Ginkgo revised his assumptions. “Right. Sorry. With your coloring, you’dbe related to Radiance Starmark.”
The Kith’s posture remained neutral, which could indicate asnub.
Ginkgo decided to go all in. Sitting between her forepaws,he leaned back into the thick ruff of fur covering her chest. “Y’know what? Howabout we hang out with you until morning? It’d do Gregor good to get a feel fora canine. We would have bundled him off for Harmonious to cuddle, but this tripcame up, and that dog’s schedule is always ridiculous.”
More ear nipping. But a quick lick reassured him.
“If I hang around long enough, will someone come by who cancover your half of the introductions?” He resettled Gregor and reached up totouch her muzzle. “Bet you have a beautiful name.”
She crooned a few notes.
“Did you say …frost? Wait. I take it back. If Iguess wrong, you’ll be insulted, and my shaky grasp of wolvish nuance will ruinour friendship right from the start.”
A tongue bathed his cheek.
“I wonder why you’re here, of all places. I know she-wolveswho withdrew into their dens for the last few weeks before whelping.” Ginkgoasked, “Is it getting close to your time?”
She whined.
“Hey, it’ll be fine. Better than fine. Pups are almost ascute as kits.” He chuckled. “That’s what my dad used to call me when I was justa squirt. It might have been the only joke he ever made. Or just his version ofan endearment. Kit was short forkitsune, which is a kind of fox spirit fromfolklore.”
Ginkgo rambled on with no real purpose except to distract herfrom her troubles.
“Any chance you were brought in to strengthen bloodlines?”
That earned him another nipped ear.
