The long-legged fiend caught up to me and tapped me in the arm.
“Told you so,” he smiled and I wacked him on the other leg.
“Take that you walking tree!”
Drovo fell before me and I liked the sight of him on his knees way too much. His head came to the perfect height for certain activities. I shouldn’t be thinking of him that way, I really shouldn’t.
He wore an unreadable expression that looked like a mix of longing and desire. We both just stared ateach other for a long moment before Jax ran between us and tapped both of Drovo’s arms.
The dryad shifter feigned his death in the most dramatic way possible, throwing himself to the ground as if the younger sirret and truly dealt him a fatal blow.
Jax and I both let out more peels of laughter at Drovo’s antics. Jax’s laugh was surprisingly deep for one his age. It was a low rumble that nearly reverberated through the ground. It made me wonder what his voice would have been like if he could use it.
“Hey! That’s against the rules!” Gabby protested as Tarak lifted her off the ground and into his arms.
“I am the Savrix. I make my own rules.” The leader of our dekes smiled and then kissed Gabby soundly and her protests quickly turned to little moans of pleasure.
Julie caught my eye as she weaved in and out through the opposing team, and I held my breath as she made her way closer and closer to the orange flag.
“I don’t think so!” Orsu bellowed as he lightly tapped both her legs, but she wasn’t giving up without a fight. She crawled toward the flag with all her might, but then Rhaz tapped both arms, marking her as out.
She rolled onto her back and sighed. “It was worth a shot.”
“You were very brave my mate,” Orsu smiled as he helped her up. “Even I wouldn’t have dared to charge into battle against so many foes.”
“It’s not a real battle,” she blushed at his compliment.
“You were brave, all the same, my little mate.”
“Someone stop him! He’s almost to our flag!” Taylor cried out, and I turned to see Lumod with his long red hair blowing in the wind like a shampoo commercial, bolting toward our flag that was waving proudly in the wind.
Talia and Sozu both leapt in front of him. The two of them worked as a team to tap all four of his limbs in record time.
“Let’s go!” Talia yelled. She held up her hand and Sozu met her with a firm high five.
Because the focus had been on Lumod, no one seemed to notice that Sarah had gotten past nearly every member of the orange team. It’s always the quiet ones that are the sneakiest.
Rhaz caught sight of Sarah, however, and I thought for sure he’d intercept her. But Jax was quick to step in front of the young teenager, preventing his friend and mentor from taking her out. Rhaz stopped short and Sarah was able to get the coveted item.
“I did it!” Sarah shouted as she jumped up and down. “I got the flag!”
Jax smiled at her as if her victory was his own.
“Nice move, Jax,” Rhaz patted the young sirret’s shoulder. “I think you’re about ready to go out hunting on your own.”
Jax’s eyes grew wide with surprise and he hugged Rhaz tight.
“Well, it’s not up to me,” the badger shifted laughed. “But if you think you’re ready, I can speak with your sire and Tarak on your behalf.”
Jax nodded his head aggressively, barely holding back his joy.
“Best two out of three!” Tarak announced, and we all cheered.
“Let the battle begin again!” Gabby shouted.
Chapter 6
Drovo
