"Tell him if he keeps looking at you like that I'll rip his head off."
44
Ree
I smack Thivoll on the shoulder, but I can't really disagree with him.
"I don't appreciate it when people look at me like that, Kuret. And Thivoll is thinking violent thoughts."
He looks over to Thivoll, runs his hands along the glowing patterns on each cheek, causing them to ripple a lighter green, and then wipes both hands down his chest.
From the look on his face, I assume it's an apologetic gesture.
"Is he your chosen donor? I assumed you were not compatible. Aren't you too young?"
He shakes himself and keeps talking, not allowing me to answer his questions. "It is my error and a wound to my honor."
Donor? What an odd way to talk about being with someone.
We haven't exactly defined our odd relationship, but Kuret doesn't need to know that.
"He is my, uh . . . donor? But no honor has been wounded. How about we take care of that one to your stomach? I will show you how to use the genali tools so you can heal any later wounds."
He flicks one of his fingers across the top of his other hand, then sits back against the tree.
From the context, I assume it signals agreement. I hope so, at least. I move forward, keeping my hands well away from my body to decrease any misunderstandings.
I highly doubt he hasn't hidden weapons somewhere in all of that armor.
As I kneel in front of him, he pulls at hooks of sinew at his sides, releasing the front part of his breastplate. From the way the skin is pulled tight over the sharp planes of his face, it must be very painful.
"May I help?"
He stills, the skin on his brow lowering. He doesn't have eyebrows, but the movement is human enough that I think I've insulted him somehow.
Thivoll settles in close, his fur puffed out so much he looks like he's been electrocuted. I glance back to Kuret.
"Was that a violent question?"
I blink at 'violent' coming out of my mouth instead of 'rude.' I wonder what that says about his culture.
"It is an insult."
"My honor is lowered. I am a healer. I meant no insult."
"As you said, no honor is lost. We are different, but you are not offering violence. You may help."
I smile at him before I can think better of it, but he simply smiles back at me, the sharp points of his many teeth pushing little divots down into a thick bottom lip that's so dark gray it's almost black.
His mouth is much wider than a human's. His jaw doesn't come to a point, but arcs forward in a half circle. His cheek bones jut out and run under his large eyes at a sharp angle from his almost nonexistent nose up into his thick black hair.
There is a ribbed structure where a nose would be, but from movement rustling his braids in the same rhythm his chest falls, I would guess his nostrils are near the spiked structures that are in a similar location as human ears.
I move my hands slowly toward the other side of his breastplate. My hands are trembling despite my bravado.
He's huge. Not as bulky as Thivoll, but still nearly twice my height. He looks like he could break me in half and judging by his language and armor; he is well-versed in using force.
I unhook the loops despite my fear.
