There, on the biggest Trixikka nest I’ve ever seen is a woman. She’s pale and fragile-looking with dark hair framing her face. Beside her, sat on the ground but with his torso leaning on the side of the nest, his head bowed forward, resting on the woman’s stomach is a large, sleeping Trixikka man, his huge wings rising up and down at his back as he breathes deeply while he slumbers.
Skye stifles a giggle at the sight, smothering it with her hand before she composes herself. “Is his head heavy? Do you want me to wake him?”
The woman sighs and shakes her head. “He won’t leave my side. This is the first time I’ve seen him get any rest.” She rolls her eyes before her focus moves to me, a questioning look on her face.
“Oh, this is Polly!” Skye whispers excitedly, doing quiet little happy-claps as she introduces me. “Jaryk brought her back fromthe other tribe.” She turns to me and says, “this is Sophia, she’s just woken up from a coma to find out that Big Zee is her man,” like it was the most normal sentence to speak into existence. But then again… that’s kind of what happened to me, so…
“… Big Zee?”
Sophia gestures to the huge guy who’s currently draped over her. “High Spear Zarriko,” she clarifies. “One minute I’m closing my eyes, thinking that the jungle is going to be the death of me, but not really caring because I wasbeyondexhausted. And the next, there’s this guy with his chest all lit up telling me I’m his.” She shrugs and shakes her head.
Zarriko makes a single sleepy snoring sound and nuzzles his head into Sophia’s belly.
The three of us grin at each other at that, and I watch as Sophia’s hand gently strokes through Zarriko’s dark hair. “He won’t let me feed myself or wash my own hair. He’s driving me crazy.”
“Sounds like a nice problem to have.” The words are out of my mouth before my brain can catch up with myself. I hadn’t meant to voice that out loud. “I mean…” I can feel my cheeks flame with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, that was insensitive.” I don’t know what this girl’s feelings are about all of this. “I just mean that it’s nice that his-” gesturing to my chest, my fingers make pinchy-flashy gestures, “you know… it just confirms for sure that he’s your guy.”
I can feel Skye’s eyes on me and when I turn to look at her, I can tell she’s trying to piece together a puzzle.
I sigh. What have I got to lose? “I… I volunteered to come to this tribe because there’s a guy back at the other one-”
“I knew it!” Skye exclaims. “Did he come on too strong?”
“He convinced me that we were meant to be together,” I say, holding back the scoff at the back of my throat. “But his… you know,” I do the hand-flashy-gesture all over again, “neverappeared. I’m pretty sure he’s meant for a different girl. The one he snuck out to go and meet with in the middle of the night.”
“He did what?!” Sophia squeaks, jolting ‘Big Zee’ out of his sleep. He sits bolt upright with a snort, grabbing a dagger from his belt lightning-quick.
“Hey!” Skye says, her hands up in surrender. “It’s just us.”
Zarriko grunts, the wild look in his eye starting to recede once he sees it really is just two women in front of him. “I wager that you are still a threat,” he says, jutting out his chin toward Skye. “I have not forgotten the time you snuck my Sophia out while I was getting her nourishment.” Zarriko puts his dagger back in its sheath, but he still looks pissed.
Skye huffs. “She needed some fresh air and someone else to talk to besides therivetingconversation you’re providing.”
Zarriko grunts again, dismissing us to look down at Sophia. “You have not eaten much this day, shall I send for-”
“Oh, for God’s sake, just get on the bed,” she says, looking exasperated with her arms open wide, inviting him to come lay down with her.
Zarriko seems to stop breathing.
Sophia rolls her eyes and I can sense Skye beside me, trying to contain her laughter. “Just-” Sophia reaches for him, “-get up here and sleep properly already.”
“With you?” Zarriko asks, like he can hardly believe what is happening. “You will stay in the nest with me?”
“Yes. Just… no funny business.”
Skye and I watch as Zarriko awkwardly lays down beside Sophia like he’s afraid one wrong move will cause her to disappear.
“When you wake up, you can feed me whatever you want.”
“Be careful with that offer,” Skye giggles beside me. “Because these guys are -” she holds her hands out, indicating an ungodly length between them as she nods her head.
“A jaw-ache,” I provide, biting my lip to keep from laughing.
Skye’s grin is impossibly wide. “Exactly.”
“Ok, I think you’ve outstayed your welcome.” Sophia says, manually rearranging Zarriko’s limbs around her and resting her head on his chest, ready for their nap-time cuddles. She’s acting all put out about it, but her guy looks shocked that she’s even letting him lay down next to her so this feels like something that’s been a long time coming for him. “It was nice meeting you Polly,” she says dismissively. “I’m sure Zarriko will greet you properly when he’s had more than a few minutes of sleep at a time.”
Zarriko himself doesn’t even look up as he grunts in agreement. He’s far too preoccupied with gingerly wrapping his arms around Sophia to care too much about me.
