My face flushes to be caught out and I realize I don't want to keep things from her, anyway.
Even if I might not like what comes next.
"I think there's a prey species nearby. But they smell angry."
"Well, I'm feeling that too right about now, so how about we go greet them?"
I growl again, but start moving that way.
A few more steps and a shift in the wind and I smell a genali as well. I place my fists and paws more carefully and keep my ears swiveling.
"A slime, too," I tell her.
"Good thing I reloaded thisgod-awful gun."
Fear skitters down my spine right along with a flash of memory that takes me back to that Thela-cursed bush. I doubt I will ever be able to forget that day or the panic sizzling through me as the genali raised his gun in response.
I shouldn't have said anything.
I should likely just let them battle it out, but as much as I would like to keep Ree completely out of all of this, I can't just stand by while they attack another victim, regardless of how dangerous they may be.
The best thing to do now is to creep in and take a look, so that's what I do.
I move slowly and carefully, keeping my rounded ears perked in front of me, with the occasional sweep backwards to check my full surroundings.
It doesn't take long before I hear the squelching sound of the genali. I learned from my mistake last time. This time I pull Ree into my arms and move to scale a tree.
She gives me a narrowed-eye look, but doesn't protest.
43
Thivoll
I settle us on the branch of a tree to wait. Not long after, a slime comes into view, though just barely.
They aren't coming this way and we can only make out intermittent glimpses of gray flesh through the underbrush.
Ree pokes me to get my attention and then points at the hunter. I shake my head. She points at her gun. I shake my head harder.
She holds her arms wide and looks up. I don't know what the gesture means. Well, except that she probably doesn't enjoy being told no, but she can't do anything about it and I am feeling like a genius for trapping her up here.
I realize what that means with a jolt.
I look close for signs of listlessness, but she is just staring intently over toward the genali. A quick glance lets me know they've paused to look around. Thankfully, not in our direction.
She must not feel trapped. I let out a long breath, then quickly suck it back in when something springs from a bush near the genali with an undulating cry.
I only glimpse long black mane and dark gray skin before they both disappear.
The sounds of a quick, but brutal struggle follow. The slime's scream is easy to recognize after so many times of hearing it and purr rumbles in my chest in response.
One less hunter. One less threat.
From the sawing sounds, I assume the prey is cutting through the slime's pack.
Low muttering in a foreign language follows it.
A small gasp from Ree is the only warning I get before she speaks to it. There's not nearly enough time to shift around and throw a hand over her mouth, unfortunately.
