Page 51 of Ragoru

“Survive. Put permanent record not dependent on your comms of all that I have told you and all that you witness. Perceive the knowledge and keep it safe…and survive.” He glanced over, a wry smile curving his lips as a trio of loud growls filled the space.

Thral stepped forward into the wreckage, the air around him thick with menace as he glared at the alien standing near her. Sabol and Vrishna joined him, their hackles raised. Thral glanced over at them as if assuring himself that they had his back and grinned at Avareth.

“You have fulfilled your debt to us. Now you will step away from our mate and leave,” Thral ordered with a vicious snap of his teeth.

Lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender, Avareth smiled brightly at the Ragoru and backed away.

“I do believe I have outstayed my welcome,” he agreed. He glanced over at Evie once more as he retreated. “Remember what I’ve said.”

He paused and laughed. “Oh, yes, and be happy. Without happiness, all that we do here is meaningless. No one species is meant to merely survive. And your happiness will drive your enemies mad.” He pulled something out of a concealed pocket and bent to set it gently on the ground. “Before I forget, Dr. Farris asked me to give you this. It is connected by direct line to his communication device. With a message to reporteverything,” he emphasized with another raspy laugh before straightening once more to his full height and resuming his backward retreat.

“Wait,” she called out to him, her fingers fumbling against her pocket. Drawing out the datacube, she held it out to him. “Can you see that this gets to Dr. Farris? It has some very important data on it.”

He nodded and waited as she broke away from her mates and stumbled over to a midpoint between them and set the cube gingerly on the ground before backing away again. He moved forward gracefully and bent, picking it up. Lifting it to eye level, his lips curved into a smile, and he tucked it into his clothes.

“I will see to it that it’s done,” he murmured.

Once he withdrew a safe enough distance that her triad was no longer growling at him, he gave them a short bow and disappeared into the darkness with a startling efficiency. She squinted to see if she could spot his retreating light when she was plucked up off her feet and hugged tightly to a broad chest.

Choking back a laugh, she patted Vrishna’s chest as he repeatedly brushed his muzzle against her face with unrestrained affection. Thral and Sabol followed suit as they crowded in on either side and scented her skin for any sign of harm. Evie ran her hands along jaws and over brows and ears as she tried to touch them all once and reassure them that she was fine.

“I’m okay, guys. I’m okay.”

They drew back reluctantly, her triad peering down at her uncertainly. Sabol glanced back in the direction that the Feriknikal had disappeared and heaved a sigh. Crossing the short distance to where the male had stood, he stopped and picked up the comm gingerly before heading back to her side and handing it to her. His gaze was curious as he watched her study the fancy comm. She couldn’t believe that Dr. Farris sent it for her. Solum had few comms with their own independent broadcast system built into it. Only a privileged few could afford them.

“Now what, rya?” Sabor inquired.

She licked her lips as she organized her thoughts. There was a lot that needed to be done. “Now, we find a place to make our home. And I think I have a good idea.”

Thral smile indulgently. “Your human dens that we found?”

She laughed openly with delight. “Yes, that little abandoned village will be perfect for what I have in mind, but first we need to go to the confinement area and gather all the Ragoru still there that we can find?”

Her mates gave her a suspicious look.

“Why?” Vrishna asked.

“Because, from what the Feriknikal said, we’re going to need each other and,” she added, holding up her hand before they could protest the fact that she listened to their captor, “I happen to agree with him. The Order can’t be trusted, and survival is going to mean depending on each other. And protecting the human mates that come up here. I know that the Feriknikal arranged for women to be selected, but there are some small towns and villages that border the edges of the habitable zone whom we can approach if we’re careful.”

Sabol gave her a sour look but relented. “I do not like it, but I agree. I do not trust these huntsmen either,” he grumbled, clearly recalling their encounter with the huntsman that had followed them from the mines. “They wish for our destruction. I will not have our rogs hunted nor you stolen from us, nor will I have their young hunted and mates taken from them either.” He glanced at his triad with a pained look. “Thereissafety in numbers.”

Vrishna grunted unhappily and nodded. “And a larger hunt to bring down large game,” he pointed out, to which Sabol nodded in agreement.

Thral’s heavy sigh blew over her head, ruffling her hair. “Very well. We shall help so that Ragoru will learn to live in this… village.”

She patted his chest as she restrained a smile at how pitiful his expression was as he looked to the other males for support. They grunted in turn and nodded, and Evie cleared her throat, deciding to kindly point out one small detail that they were overlooking.

“It’s not exactly like a human village. Our homes would be a lot closer together if it were. The houses are spread well apart so you will have a sense of territory still,” she pointed out with excitement.

“I still don’t like the idea of other males being so close,” Sabol growled but Thral gave him a sharp look and he relented. “But for our mate’s comfort and safety, I will tolerate it.”

This time she didn’t bother to hide her smile as she leaned forward from Vrishna’s embrace and wrapped an arm around his thick neck to pull him in close with a hug.

“Good. I think I’m beyond ready to call an end to this adventure and just go home,” she sighed. “But first the Ragoru.”

“They will not like it,” Thral warned as he scratched his scruff wearily. “But there will be those who see the advantages of it.”

“All we can do is offer the chance and give them the necessary information to make the best decision for themselves,” Evie agreed tiredly.

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