It was just past midday, with the twin suns cresting high in the sky when Zarriko’s tribe were leaving us. I was sad to hear that the two new girls, Colette and Leona had elected to be part of the exchange, wanting to experience some time at the other tribe. They’d tried to convince Delphi to go with them, but she didn’t want to leave her sister, Polly, now that they’ve been reunited. Plus, I kind of think she has the hots for the guy withthe broken wing, Jaxyn - and, since he can’t fly to the other tribe…
A few of our Craftsmales, a Hunter and a handful of Protectors have also decided to go back to Zarriko’s village, too. Although, I suspect a large part of that decision is to keep a close eye on Leona and Colette, as well as stay closer to the women already living with the other tribe. I’d like to be able to believe that their intentions are rooted in blending the two tribes together for a better relationship, but it’s still early days.
In exchange, we have welcomed a few of their members to stay. Ry and Tessa were apparently the first to volunteer. We also have a couple of their Healers and Elders who are fascinated with little Nova and Serena’s pregnancy, as well as their Second Spear and Gwen.
Those last two seem to come as a pair these days - even though the big, silent, brutish-looking guy is yet to get his heart-stars.
It doesn’t seem to matter to Gwen - she’s clearly taken by Jaryk. It makes me smile to myself to see them together - exactly like Zyntarr and I - none of the certainty of heart-stars, but it’s plain for everyone to see that they were made for each other.
The village feels a little empty now that the other tribe have gone. It makes me want to crawl into Zyntarr’s nest and snuggle with him even more. I’ve not seen him since this morning and it’s really thrown my heart into an embarrassing amount of longing.
It’s silly, really. If he’s not emerged to come looking for me - like I know he will - he’s obviously catching up on some much needed sleep. It’s the reason why I had to say no to Tyll when he asked that we go and see him to show him the terrible, lumpy clay pot he’d made this afternoon.
By the time early-evening arrives, I’m excited at the prospect of loading up a platter of food for my man. After all, he’s fed me countless times, and it’s not very often I get to return the favor.
When I finish helping to slice some fruits, I find myself a little unsure as I look at all the foods on display. It’s not quite a feast, but there’s more than usual to extend the feelings of welcome to those of Zarriko’s who stayed behind. Zyntarr always knows what to put on my plate, but he just tends to eat the very same things as I do. Is that because he genuinely likes those things, or just because he knows they’re my favorites?
It’s when my platter for two only holds a miserable-looking five slices of fruits and I’m pondering the merits of the different types of meats that Rynn approaches me. “Have you seen the reflection box?”
I must look even more confused than I feel, because it only takes Rynn a glance before he goes on.
“The new resource that you and Zyntarr bought back from the incident.”
I’m already shaking my head to answer his question, no, before I’ve fully worked out what he’s asking about. The Trixikka have come to call the medi-scanner a healing tool, and the blaster gun, a lightning weapon. So it makes sense that the reflection box is the little black cube flare - the one we used to project my image up into the sky for our rescue.
Rynn looks irritated, his skin-stars flaring up all over his body as his hand scrubs through his hair. “It is not in my hut. Are you sure you did not use it to show the younglings this day?”
“No, sorry, Rynn. I haven’t seen it since we gave it to you yesterday.”
His grunt is half-growl.
“Did… do you think Zarriko’s men took it?” I hope not. I’m not entirely sure how that would go down, to be honest. I’d hope it would be on the same good-natured level of a siblingstealing a toy and teasing that only they know where it is before they handed it back. But it could all just as easily go sideways and become the thing that turns this exchange into a hostage situation.
I really can’t tell.
“Do not speak of this to anyone,” Rynn says, flicking his tail. “Not until we are sure it is gone.”
He walks away eyeing people as he goes, like he’s trying to read expressions of guilt on their faces as if they’re the secret ‘flare thief’.
And then I’m left alone with the food selection again. In the end, I decide to pile the platter high, stopping just sort of being an indecent amount of food. There’s fruits, meats, vegetables and two small clay bowls of soup. I choose a mixture of things I know I like, as well as the stuff I’m not so sure on. Maybe this time, I’ll take more notice of the tastes that eek out those noises of appreciation he makes.
It’s then that I realize that Zyn makes those noises pretty loudly when his tongue is between my legs. I can feel the heat of my blush on my cheeks as I walk the platter of food all the way from the other side of the village back to Zyntarr’s hut.
I guess I should start thinking of it as my hut too. Our hut.Our home.
I smile widely as I approach the doorway, already picturing that powerful figure of his laid out on the nest - all wings, muscle, scars, and those beautiful mis-matched eyes that see me like no one else does.
“Zynt-”
There’s no one here.
I walk into the hut and touch a few of the life-stones, breathing life back into them so that they can illuminate the dark hut.
Where has he gone?I wonder, frowning as I stand there holding the platter, making sure to look at every shadow as if someone as large as Zyntarr had any hope at playing hide-and-seek in this tiny little hut.
When I move to place the food down on the nest, something glinting in the opalescent light from the stones catches my eye. It’s gold and delicate, resting on the soft, black feathers that Zyntarr used to pad out the nest. I hold the platter of food out - halted half-way on its journey down to the bed, because, there, next to the piece of gold shaped like a cuff, is the little cube that Yix had given us. The flare.
Why-
