After the meal, he gathered up the dishes, stacked them neatly, and set them in the basket to be taken for washing. Then he returned to my side, close enough to touch, but careful not to crowd me. He rested a hand on my upper back, the weight of it gentle but impossible to ignore.
I closed my eyes and let myself lean into the warmth, just for a second. When I opened them again, he was watching me, expression unreadable but not unkind. I realized, then, that he was waiting. Waiting for me to get up, because, duh, he had things to do and I had to tag along.
I stood, and he dropped his hand. I swallowed, already missing the contact, and turned around to give him a smile. I knew I was being a big sap, falling so hard, so fast, but why the hell not? My being here was proof enough that one shouldn’t take anything for granted and that life turned on a dime.
He returned it, slow and sure, then with a soft chuff, wrapped his tail around my waist and drew me in. “Rah-bee,” he rasped, running his knuckle down my cheek. Then he stepped back and went back into his bedroom. I followed to find him rummaging in a small chest, pulling out strips of leather cord and a small lap throw, looking version of the blankets on the bed. I saw the throw had ragged edges, and the blanket itself looked worn. He flicked his claws out and began slicing wide strips from it. When he finished, he gestured for me to sit, by pointing at the floor in front of him. I did and he grabbed my ankle and began winding a strip around my foot, over my ankle, and up my calf. He then secured it with crisscrossing bits of cord. Ah…foot protection and leggings sort of, all in one. I lifted my other foot up for him obligingly. Once he was finished, he stood up, a long piece of the cord in his hand. He held his other hand out to help me up, and once I was on my own two feet, he used that length as a sort of tie belt around my waist. I wasn’t going to win any fashion prizes, but at least now I looked somewhat more presentable. In fact, looking down at my legs, I was sort of reminded of Luke Skywalker, back in his Tatooine days.
He wasn’t finished yet, though. Another length of the cloth he used to fashion a new sling for my arm. He really was a big sweetheart. Such a good heart and in one sexy package too. It was no wonder I’d gone straight from instant crush and started speeding merrily along to planning a happy ever after with his fine, furry butt.
16
GRIGHRI
I’d managed to restrain myself last night. I’d slept on the same large pallet, but other than making certain he was comfortable and cared for, I had done nothing else. I couldn’t, not without him understanding this wasn’t merely some dalliance, perhaps fueled by the exotic nature of his furless, stripeless body. He was my mate, and since he didn’t seem to recognize it after being well exposed to my scent, my mission to teach him our language became even more important, as how else could I get across to him that he was my forever, and I was his? He was mine to love, cherish, provide for, and protect.
After wrapping his feet after seeing how scraped up they got on the stone ledges we walked, I fashioned him a belt so my shirt didn’t billow so much, making him look even smaller and more frail than he truly was. I needed to get him some clothing of his own, which disgruntled me some as I liked seeing him in my shirt, covered in my scent. I was being unnecessarily territorial, and I knew it, shame filling me as I remembered how I reacted to innocent members of my community after first smelling the mate match scent upon him, once the overriding stench from the dead metal grak and the Sky Demons was off of him.
I held my hand out to him, and he took it. His hand felt so small within my own, the bones so fragile, I wondered what his world had been like. Did they not have dangerous predators, and that was why he possessed no claws? Perhaps it was also always warm, hence why he was furless. Food must also be easy to get, as his skin was so soft and smooth, unworn by callouses. As I led him out of our home, I was torn between fury at the Sky Demons stealing him and bringing him to such an unsuitable place and gratefulness, because if they hadn’t, I would not have found my mate. I could only believe that fate had deemed me able to keep him safe, happy, and well, which caused me to feel no small amount of pride.
“Whar ruh wee gohing?” he asked me, the scant fur above his eye ridges coming down towards each other adorably.
I patted his arm gently in reassurance, surmising that he was curious as to where we were going. “We are going to the market,” I replied, and he stared at me uncomprehendingly.
He let out a sad little sound. “Ah khant understahnd yoo soe ahwill hev tu wayt hand see ah gess.”
We were getting curious looks as we walked, people openly staring at him with frank curiosity. I could hear snatches of conversation as discussions over my finding and returning with him and the hunters going back out yesterday to check out the dead metal grak fueled the morning gossip. I walked us as swiftly as Rah-bee could easily manage, eager to get our shopping excursion over. Soon, we were in the large common area of our settlement. Here, wooden stalls filled the central space, brimming with wares. I knew where I wanted to go first - to Hrapargh, the bookseller.
“Eetz uh bahzahr!”
His looks of wide-eyed amazement were adorable. If his people had no markets, how did they trade goods?
“Greetings, Grighri,” Mragella, the meat pie seller, called out to me as we passed. She inclined her head towards Rah-bee. “I heard you’d found an off-worlder, stolen by the Sky Demons.” She smiled indulgently at him, as one would a child. Rah-bee was sniffing the air appreciatively. “The first batch is about to come out of the oven. I’ll set you two aside, hmm?” I gave her a curt nod. “Yes, thank you. I am sure my mate will enjoy one of your pies as much as I.” Her eyes widened. “Mate? That is wonderful news indeed. I did not know the gods could pair us with those not of our own kind.”
“Neither did I, but the scent does not lie. ”No, it doesn’t.,” she agreed soberly. “Have you told Grishk?”
I shook my head. “Until the stench left on him by the Sky Demons was washed away, I could not scent him.”
She nodded sagely. “I’d heard you’d taken him to the baths, and your reaction makes a lot of sense now.”
I winced, knowing what she wasn't telling me. By now, speculation was no doubt rife and she’d actually gotten my attention in order to confirm the suspicions of everyone who’d heard about my behavior there.
“You should go speak to Grishk before returning home,” she said firmly. “Don’t worry, I will keep your pies warm for you.”
“I will,” I agreed, my heart heavy at the thought.
What if the chief disapproved? This would be the first mating of its kind in the history of our people, and perhaps its strangeness would repel him. Or maybe he would insist we journey to the Great Speaking Chamber, where the Speakers of our various people could make the lights dance to call upon the Sky Gods, who would answer. Would the Sky Gods come to take my Rah-bee away, as he was not of this world? If they did, I knew, I must follow, as Rah-bee was mine. The thought left me sad, as all I knew of was here, but that would no longer be enough, not without Rah-bee.
“We shall return for the pies,” I informed her and she gave me a small smile as I reached into my pouch to give her one of my chits, one with a grakal carved upon it, which would allow her to go to the butcher and exchange it for an appropriately sized portion of the meat I brought in.
“Keep your chit,” she said, waving it away. “Consider this a welcoming gift for your mate.”
I dipped my head in thanks, tugging Rah-bee away from her shop.
“Whuht wuz cukingh? Eet smehld soe guhd!”
I stopped, bending down and nuzzled his cheek, causing him to giggle.
“Tihkulz!”
