I don't tell her this, though. It's better to show than to tell, after all.
"When you're ready, we should discuss how to proceed."
I feel her nod. "To be honest, the only way I can likely help Silver is to stitch her wounds closed. Anything else would require equipment that wouldn't work here even if we found it."
"Hopefully that will be enough of a boost to her nanite healing so she is stable before her chamber stops functioning."
She grunts. "I assume that should be among any basic medical supplies a hunter would carry, right?"
I nod, the movement becoming more natural. "Yes. It's unfortunate the genali I killed yesterday didn't have basic kits on them. They were reckless in their attempts to recover you, it seems."
"From comments made on the ship I think losing my harem group will probably get them killed, Thivoll. I bet they were panicking, plus they probably thought they would just be dealing with a loose naked human or two. Not you."
She breaks off into a lower version of her trill, the spacing and tone suggesting a sort of dark humor I can certainly appreciate.
"Hunters won't be nearly as easy to kill," I warn her. "I behaved recklessly when I realized they were slavers. We will need to be more strategic. I cannot allow you to be hurt again."
"I know it would be safer for me to remain in a tree, Thivoll, but I would be completely trapped. That scares me more than being with you."
I growl, not liking the sound of her being in danger, but I do understand her point.
"I would never trap you. But I would feel more comfortable if you remained hidden. At least until we gather some tactical gear and weapons."
She trills. "Oh, I know I'm no fighter. I just don't want to be separated."
I feel something in my chest loosen to hear her say she doesn't plan to fight. "Let's climb down and get something to eat."
I pat her rear, and she moves away from me to give me room to rise. I shake out my mane, then grab her for a quick descent.
I don't bother hiding my marks on the tree.
There's no reason to return here and it will hopefully waste a hunter's time trying, and failing, to track us.
24
Ree
Thivoll doesn't give me any time to overthink our descent. I'm still distracted by the way his fur is flopping around from him shaking it out when he grabs me and we quickly descend.
I make my way to a nearby bush, and assume Thivoll is doing the same. I avoid thinking about how much I really miss modern conveniences so I don't end up whining.
It's never a good look.
When I come back, Thivoll is on all fours. His hands stretched out far in front of him, his butt is up in the air, his head is thrown back, and he's yawning hugely. I thought his teeth looked menacing before, but now I realize he has three of the razor sharp ebony rows that resemble shark teeth with a somewhat similar jagged triangle.
I blink at the sight of it, but the rest of his pose is so comically feline that I can't help but smile as I walk toward him. He looksover at me and slightly recoils, which makes me remember that to him I'm being threatening.
The idea of barely over five feet me making such a giant, incredibly dangerous alien recoil with my small little white teeth, sets me off laughing.
The way his whiskers droop, which I'm beginning to associate with him being confused, makes me laugh even more.
"I'm sorry, Thivoll. I keep forgetting what a smile looks like to you, but you have to admit that I'm not particularly scary, right?"
"My dam was smaller than me long before I was grown, she doesn't have venom, just like any female manticorid, but she is one of the fiercest beings I've ever known. It isn't always about might. Presence is more important and you have an intensity about you."
The way he says it makes my heart warm. "I've been in a leadership role at my emergency room for a year now. Maybe that's where it comes from."
"I know little about humans but what I did research suggests you are very young for a leadership role."
