Ah-Lanah is looking at Tessa's gifts with wide eyes and parted lips like the female had just gifted her one of the moons.
"A gift from the Goddesses," Rynn murmurs reverently beside me. I do not know when he had left his mate's side and gotten close to me, all my focus had been on my mate.
Tessa throws him a look. "It's not a gift if whoever is behind that floaty ball demands payment. Do you know how many of your guys I had to sweet talk into handing over either stones or semen?"
Before I can affirm that it is the Goddesses 'behind that floaty ball' and ask what in the Temple's name does she mean to even question it, Tessa turns back to Ah-Lanah with a big smile on her face. "There's a button on this end," she says, demonstrating with a thumb over one sharply straight end of the silver stick in her hand, "and you sort of jab your skin like an epi pen, I think."
Ah-Lanah takes the strange Goddess-given silver sticks with an awe-cast look on her face like everything that Tessa had just said made any sense at all. I think of the gift I mean to offer to her this night, when we are tucked away together in her hut, and I wonder if it is not enough. Should I be bargaining with the Temple too? Should I be exchanging seed and stone in order to provide better care for my mate?
I'm lost in the jungles of my thoughts as Ah-Lanah receives more gifts - what they all are, I can not recall. I only know that my mate coos over each item with gratitude and is sure to thank each gift-bearer with an embrace. Soon, it is time to be seated for foods. I, myself have hunted three frizikki for this occasion and am proud of the sheer amount and variety of nourishment my tribe can offer in honor of my mate and her youngling. I hope she can see that neither of them will ever know hunger.
Off to the side, I see one of our Elders sketching the scene before him using burnt night-tree wood and thin, stretched hide. I smile to think that the very first 'baby shower' to ever occur on Trixikka lands will soon be etched onto the walls of the Eyrie Caves. And it is all because of my mate.
Watching her, I admire how her figure has changed in order to give new life to the tribe. She is the most alluring, magnificent, and infuriating creatures I have ever encountered. And I would not change a single thing.
The foods are consumed in good cheer and soon, the relaxed atmosphere allows some of my males to forget themselves, it seems.
"Tell us true, females," Hyrryk, a young, foolhardy male grins, "human young are nourished by suckling on your..." he gestures in front of himself with both hands as though holding a huge pair of female chest-curves, "... teeeets?" The way that he's staring at my Ah-Lanah's lovely swollen teats sparks the ember of a growl from deep within the pit of my chest. I do not like it. Not one bit. My tail flicks in agitation behind me and the feathers on my wings ruffle.
Some of the females giggle lightly, seeming to encourage more questions from the fool. "And... are all teeets the same? Do they all nourish younglings?" he asks, eyes now roaming all the chests of the females.
My Ah-Lanah huffs and folds her arms, but it's Serena who counters the young Protector when she pointedly asks. "I don't know. Are all Trixikka cocks the same?"
Chaz-Titi raises her hand like a youngling trying to get an Elder's attention. "Oh!I can answer that one, Your Highest Spear-y-ness," she says, good-naturedly mocking my High Spearess with an exaggerated bow. She points at three of Zarriko's males who are with us this day, and says, "I took a pole-poll of'thirteen-inch','girthy'and'cockzilla'over there, and I can confirm that their twinkly bits all twinkle a little differently."
Skye nudges Chaz-Titi with her elbow but seems as though she is trying to contain laughter. Bea is smothering her amusement behind her hands. My eyes are on Hyrryk, though. The fool blinks, his temples sparking with skin-stars before his cheeks heat. It seems he has realized his error but I will not allow such a direct question about my mate's body. Her chest-curves are her own - and, on the occasions she allows me to feel their softness with my hands and mouth, I do not take such an act for granted. "You forgot yourself,Hyrryk," I snarl, my tail flicking violently behind me. "See that it does not happen again."
"Mav, it's ok," Ah-Lanah says softly, laying a hand on my forearm. "He was just curious."
He could have saved his curiosity for a private 'dropping session' instead of asking such a thing in front of the whole tribe. Or he could have asked Tessa, who seems to have the most knowledge on human medicine and care.
Or he could have simply held his tongue.
I'm about to say so, my focus still fixed on the young male - a young male who is now looking at me with wide, remorseful eyes. But a sudden, dark landing nearby followed by commotion from all around has me up on my feet and taking a defensive stance in front of my mate, dagger unsheathed from my thigh and ready for bloodshed should it come to that.
The idiot inexperienced Protectors are too late to take up their spears. There is shouting in the scramble and it is hard to discern what in the name of Tribe and Temple is going on. "Protect the females!" I bellow to anyone who would heed my call. Rynn is by my side in an instant, all the females gathered behind us.
When the dark shape rises, I'm not sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or hiss a curse.
"Well, isn't this a nice gathering?" Tryk asks, his lop-sided grin in place despite the numerous spear-tips pointed at him.
I cannot help it - my eyes find his hollow, lifelessly shadowed skin-stars. Marked as 'other'. Marked as wrong. He does not belong here. My tail flicks and I do not relax the defensive stance I have taken up in front of my female.
"High Spear," Tryk bows to Rynn first before jutting his chin behind us and bowing again. "Honored females." I do not miss the way his eyes scan over each of our females before his gaze lands on Chaz-Titi. I remember what he'd said about her - how he's watched her in the shadows of the jungle. How he'd advised me to keep a closer eye on her - like he knew anything about females at all. He tilts his head and eyes her frame from crown to toe, as though assessing for weakness. Is this from concern or hunger?
I do not know what game this fucking Shadow-Wing thinks he is playing.
"Tryk," Rynn barks before throwing me a look. I know exactly what that look is saying because if I were in Rynn's place, I would be giving the exact same look to my Second Spear.
What the fuck were your Protectors doing to allow an intruder?!
"Why have you come?" Rynn continues. "You delivered your brother's Temple offerings just this three days ago, so I do not see a reason for you to be here. You overstep, Shadow-Wing."
My eyes find Tryk's lame-winged brother, Jaxyn, standing a little way off, but with a spear in hand despite his lack of training. He has the heart of a warrior, I will give him that - to pick up a spear against his own blood, Shadow-Wing or not.
The sly grin slides right off of Tryk's face. "I am here because I feel it would be best you call back your Eastern Search parties."
Rynn stiffens beside me. "And why is that any of your concern?"
