When the Savrix exiled all the shifters, I thought I’d be lost to my loneliness forever, but over time our outcast dekes became closer than brothers. We’d all lost someone to the stiffness and we’d all lost an entire dekes, but thankfully the immense loneliness I had feared never came. Sadness and grief over my loss swept through me, but I never had to suffer alone.
“I’m so sorry.” Julie looked at me with true concern in her eyes. I was touched. Here I was holding a female, which was forbidden, and she was showing me compassion. Even if I was punished by the other dekes for touching Julie, I’d do it all over again. The memory of her sweet warmth and beautiful smile would carry me for all my days. I would never regretholding her and keeping her safe.
Julie yawned and I decided it was time for rest. “Come lay down and tell me your worries.”
With a contented sigh she laid down on my chest and it took everything within me not to smile as if I’d won another great prize. I did not want to seem too eager for Julie’s touch. So I kept my hands at my sides and not wrapped around her like I wished.
I was her protector only. She hadn’t indicated she wanted anything more from me than protection and possibly friendship.
“Are there snakes on this planet?”
“Snakes? Yes, but the poisonous ones live on the ground under the rocks and fallen leaves. If you see a snake in a tree it is perfectly harmless.”
Julie shivered, “I don’t want to seeanysnakes.”
“I will protect you from the snakes,” I promised, and I meant it. I would not let a single beast on this planet touch my Julie. I may have just met her, but I already knew she was special. There was a force beyond us both that drew us together.
A bird screeched overhead which caused Julie to ask, “Are there any birds here that would see me as prey?”
“Here in this part of the forest, no.”
I chose not to tell Julie of the small birds with beaks filled with rows of sharp teeth that flocked together to hunt prey, each of them taking one bite at a time until the poor creature they had swarmed was nothing but bone. Thankfully they didn’t stray too far from the tar pits, which was why we never went nearone.
“Are there any diseases I should be worried about other than the stiffness?”
“You do not need to worry about the stiffness. It swept through the dekes so quickly that it disappeared with the last of the afflicted. There are no other diseases that we’ve encountered here.”
“Okay,” Julie said softly as she turned and laid her cheek on my chest. “That’s all the questions I have.”
Julie settled against me with her cheek to my chest. She fell asleep much faster tonight, which pleased me to no end. Perhaps she was warming up to me already.
Chapter 5
Julie
I smiled to myself as I woke up on a soft, warm chest. I could get used to this. The air was cool against my face, but smelled fresh like only a forest could.
I looked up and immediately grew tense when I caught Orsu frowning at the ground below us.
“What is it?”
“Jagwas, they have surrounded our tree.”
My heart rate quickened and my palms grew sweaty.We’re going to die in this tree. We’re never getting out of here. My thoughts immediately started to spiral and I quickly lost control over my breath that was coming in short rapid pants.
“Julie,” Orsu's voice was filled with concern as he uttered my name. “Come, let us breathe together.”
Orsu sat up and pressed my back to his chest. He placed a comforting hand over my heart and slowly breathed in and out.
“Breathe with me, Julie. All will be well. You will see.”
I highly doubted that, but I still did my best to breathe deep with Orsu instead of hyperventilate on my own.
He took my hand in his and rubbed his thumb along my skin. Up and down, up and down. I focused on that small movement and let the rest of the world fade away.
Slowly my breathing started to calm and all that was left in my head were thoughts of Orsu’s thumb on my hand and the heat radiating from his chest to my back.
“Well done, Julie. Now we will walk among the trees.”
