Even so, I am already mentally planning to dig up a few more of the not-potato for her tomorrow. “What did you eat back in your human land?”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, wow. Gosh, a little bit of everything, I suppose. Noodles, rice, burgers, pizza. All kinds of stuff. So many different types of food.” She gives me a little smile. “You know what I miss the most, though? Breakfast.”
“Break-fast?” This sounds familiar, and then I realize what she speaks of. “Ah, the morning meal?”
“Yes! I would kill right now for a big batch of scrambled eggs.” She clasps her hands in front of her heart. “Maybe some pancakes and toast with butter, but definitely eggs.”
“Eggs?” The thought makes me queasy. “You eat eggs?”
“God, yes.” Stay-see closes her eyes in bliss at the thought. “A big, steaming pile of scrambled eggs was my favorite.”
And humans think we are strange. “Did you eat the shell?”
“What? No.” She opens her eyes and laughs, giving me a puzzled look. “With all the weird stuff you guys eat, don’t tell me you don’t eat eggs?” Her brows go down. “Though, come to think of it, I haven’t seen you eat many eggs. What’s up with that?”
“They are unborn young.”
“You sound so shocked. I’m pretty sure we’ve eaten young dvisti before.”
“Hunters try to take the kills that will not affect the herd overall. I would not rob a mother of nursing young, nor would I steal an egg. What if there are less animals to hunt in the next year if I do so?”
She laughs again, clearly amused by my reluctance. “That’s kind of sweet, I suppose. But no, we have animals—chickens, mostly—that are kept just to lay eggs. They lay an egg every day and people go and gather them.”
I am shocked. “You keep the animal captive and steal its young every day?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds, truly.” Stay-see giggles again and reaches over and pinches my cheek as if I am a kit. “It’s cute that this is your line in the sand. You eat your meat raw and you eat everything on the animal. Why is an egg different?”
“Because it is,” I say stubbornly. It just feels…wrong. Especially now that I have a kit of my own.
“Well, I am going to find an egg-layer or two on this planet at some point and then we are going to have scrambled eggs out the wazoo.” She tucks her head against my shoulder and puts her arms around my waist, snuggling close. I am so surprised by this that I do not move for fear that she will get up and leave. “There are creatures that lay eggs here, aren’t there?”
“Sky-claw,” I say, gently placing my hand on her shoulder. “And scythe-beaks. And some of the creatures that live in the great salt lake.”
“Well, shoot. I don’t want to see any sky-claw. And we’re not going near the ocean. What about scythe-beak nests? Where do they make their homes?”
“On the sides of cliffs.” She’s so warm as she curls against me. Her hand rests on my belly, and I want it to go lower. Now I am thinking of what she did last night when she pulled off my loincloth and caressed me with her hands and mouth.
“Mmm. I guess it’s too much to hope for a few eggs, then.” She sighs. “It was nice to think about, though.”
“I will get you eggs the next time I go hunting,” I vow. “Once you and Pacy are settled in the new cave-home.”
“No.” Stay-see pats my stomach. “I don’t want you to do that. If they’re up on cliffs it could be dangerous. We’ll just skip it.”
“Shall I get you other kits to eat for your early meal?”
She giggles. “You make it sound like I’m a monster devouring the young.” She raises her hand and makes a mock-claw. “Rawr. Though I don’t know why I’m the fearsome one. You’re the one with fangs.” She reaches up and pokes one of them with a fingertip.
I do not move. I do not breathe. Her hand is too close to my mouth, and she feels warm and soft and lovely against me. I want to stay like this forever.
She studies me, and her fingers move from my teeth to my lips. She traces them gently, and then licks her own lips. “You don’t remember kissing, do you?”
I shake my head. “What is it?”
“Mouth on mouth?”
Ah. I have seen the others push their mouths against their human mates and thought it was a strange gesture. “Do you want to do that?”
“You don’t sound all that interested.” She seems amused.
