Once she cleaned up Aercek’s wound, Keelie went about cooking the evening meal for us, after putting her hard-won flowers in a colorful cup of water in easy view.
Much to our surprise, she pulled a package of wild game from one of her coolers and seared the meat in a black metal pan she called“cast iron.”In truth, Aercek and I’ve decided this marvelous cooking utensil must come back with us when we return home. It created the perfect sear on our meat, and whatever spices she used blended perfectly to create a scrumptious experience.
After that, she used the berries we salvaged to make something called acobblerin another cast iron cooking pot she calls a“Dutch Oven.”Our species isn’t normally one for sweets, since we’re predominantly carnivorous predators, but Aercek and I ate until we gave ourselves a sour stomach. Thiscobbleris delicious.
Throughout the evening, I’ve managed to keep up a steady stream of conversation that’s put Keelie at ease in our presence. Her justifiable caution from earlier today is gone, but now the sun is setting, and Aercek and I need to make a decision.
Do we tell her she’s our mate, or do we further our efforts in establishing a baseline of platonic connection before entertaining any kind of romantic overtures?
Thankfully, Keelie isn’t unaffected by us. Her adorable blushes and delectable scent betray her thoughts as she putters about the campsite. She’s drawn to us but doesn’t know why. Ouranima teneturis reaching out to her, relaxing her to our presence even though we are an unknown. While Keelie is busy putting away her cooking utensils, I cut my eyes over at Ahstahl and smack him with the broadside of my tail, stifling a snicker when he bares his teeth at me. Ultimately, if all goes well, we’ll be a triad, thus individual decisions aren’t going to be the norm.
Aercek needs to get his tail out of a twist and make a move; either option is acceptable to me, as long as we make some sort of forward progress.
This indecision coming from him is the antithesis of his entire personality.
I managed a quick conversation with him earlier while Keelie left to take care of a personal matter, so he knows what I’m silently asking. Curling his lip at me, he shuffles his wings in an uncharacteristic show of nerves. It’s the only outward sign of discomfort he’s exhibited since waking up after his kerfuffle with the bear. What’s most important is that he makes no effort to stand, keeping his seat next to the blaze we started earlier in Keelie’s fire ring. After years together, I know that’s the best I’m going to get as far as a positive affirmation from Aercek.
Taking a deep breath, I steady my nerves. I have one shot to get this right, or else risk ruining any positive progress we’ve made with Keelie today.
“Little Keelie, would you be so kind as to come over here for a moment?”
Surprise flits across her flat, yet oddly beautiful face before she nods. Wiping her hands on a towel, she puts down the plateshe was cleaning and walks over to where Aercek and I are sitting. Stepping around our splayed legs, she settles herself in her canvas chair with a smile.
“What’s up, guys?”
Smiling at her fondly, I decide to delve into the topic like ripping a plasfilm off a partially healed wound.
“Do you recall earlier today when you asked what we’re doing here?”
Tilting her head, she looks between us, a small frown on her face, before she nods.
“Yes, I do, and now that I think about it, you introduced yourselves and explained what you are, but you didn’t tell me why you were able to quite literally save me just in the nick of time.”
Flicking my ears back and forth, I offer her a tentative smile. “Yes, well. That’s because Aercek and I’ve been following you for several days, trying to figure out how to tell you that you’re ouranima tenetur;our mate.”
Keelie’s jaw drops, her shock apparent.
“It was you two! Y’all were the ones skeeving me out, thinking I was being stalked by something, and it’s because I was!”
Shrinking into myself at her wording, I have to tell the truth.
“Yes, that was us. We have tech that allows us to cloak ourselves and become invisible to the naked eye. That’s how we were able to observe you without notice.” Gesturing to myself and my brilliant coloring, I add with a rueful snort. “It’s not as if I blend in well with our current surroundings.”
Aercek leans forward, a wicked look on his rugged face, and I know that whatever he’s about to say isn’t going to do us any favors.
“Since we are being honest and all, Ahsthal forgot to mention he saw you brazenly pleasuring yourself out in the open the first time he saw you.”
“Aercek!” The bottom falls out of my stomach, and dread fills me as I slowly turn my head towards our mate, her face a shade of red I didn’t know humans could achieve.
“You saw WHAT?!” Keelie’s outrage is clear, and she folds her arms across her chest in a defensive manner before glaring at me with eyes full of emotion.
Ignoring both of us, Aercek leans back against the tree with a smug look on his face.
“Don’t look at me in that tone of voice. Yes, I’m talking to you both. Details matter. So does honesty and full transparency.”
Keelie and I both look over at him and simultaneously shout. “Shut up, Aercek!”
Chapter 9
