Page 31 of Orange Lake
But he took pity on me and said, “Brynn, I know you are not from here. And I am not surprised this lumbering oaf did not explain things to you. Though I understand why he chose not to explain things. He thinks they are irrelevant.” He paused and we both looked at Zirc who had his stiff back turned to us. Zirc is not grumbling or even growling, Roqs felt it safe to continue.
“See the mounds of pillow there,” he pointed to the stack of lovely pillows near the windows. Now that I can see, it has a common shade or theme. Though it has the colors of blue, green or even orange, the most dominant color is the different shades of purple.
“Those are lovely pil -”
Roqs was suddenly kneeling before me and had his hand on my mouth. “Shh,” he hushed me.
Then I looked at Zirc when Roqs glanced at his direction. He is still as a statue but we can see his tail is agitated. I heard the low thump everytime it smacks into the sofa I’m sitting at. Then we heard a low rumble. Not exactly a growl. Yet.
Roqs looked at me. He looks as if he’s trying to communicate something with me through his eyes. I don’t know him that well to know what he’s trying to say but I can get the gist of things. No talking about the pillows and how good it looks like. Whose was it anyways?
Roqs made me scoot further into the sofa so he can sit beside me. But he looked wary of Zirc, trying to gauge if he will attack. Strange.
Coone was a silent spectator in all this. He can be really quiet if he wanted to. I only remembered he was in the room because he snorted. He probably thought this was all funny.
Roqs spared one last look Zirc’s way then he turned to me. “It’s not your normal pillow. When a manasty is born, his fathers groomed a special kind of pillow. It is made of feathers from birds local to the tribe. When a manasty reached puberty, he cuts his own hair and add to the collection of pillows. They are designed specifically to attract potential mates. It is also why we have very long hair. We can’t bring pillows anywhere we go so we maintain long hair. Long is about shoulder length. But for those who are more, let’s say, domesticated, they can make their hair longer.”
“But yours is short,” I stopped. Now it was Roq’s turn to blank out his facial features.
“Hmm,” Coone murmured, his two fingers beneath his chin. Considering me. “You ask the right questions Brynn. Who knows you might have the potential to be a spy?” He had a feral grin that made me want to take a step back if I was standing.
“That is enough Coone,” Zirc admonished. Instead of facing us, he is still standing looking out the windows. But the aura of menace was gone from him.
“I’m sorry,” I said. I realized I stepped into a cultural boundary. Though I am dying of curiosity, I do not want the questions directed at me.
Roqs sighed but took both my hands. “Nothing to be sorry about.” He was circling his thumbs on the back of my hand. I saw him did this on the crook of Zirc’s arm the other day when he was agitated about something.
“Anyways, when you see similar pillows that are not rock hard but are soft and silky, stay away from them. It is either your lover or someone’s lover will take offense and hurt you.”
Whose? I mouthed the words at Roqs.
He seemed game enough to answer me by mouthing his answer, Crix.
Oh, I mouthed back.
“Don’t misunderstand Brynn. Let’s just say, for your own benefit, do not go pouncing on someone else’s pillows when Zirc is around.”
I think I blushed from my neck up to the roots of my hair. No way. Zirc is jealous?
Roqs seemed fascinated by the change in my skin color. Though with some concern. He decided I don’t look ill enough so he stood up, taking me with him. “That’s about the gist of it Brynn. Be very careful.” His metallic grey eyes bore into mine.
I gulped. “Okay.” Whatever that means.
He clapped both his hands that made me jump. It sounded like thunder in the silence of the room. “Now, how about taking a bath?”
For feline species, the manasties are crazed about their personal grooming.
I saw Zirc’s shoulders relaxed a bit. Finally, he turned and looked at me then at Roqs. I can’t fathom his eyes but at least for now, the danger had passed.
Zirc looked at Coone, who is still sitting. “I want you to let others know what you told me. We need a plan to free those slaves.”
“What?”
“For real?”
Coone stood up, slowly. “But you do not care for such things, Zirc.”
“I do now.”
