I can't see Thivoll. He is too far away, and it's too dark, but I hear the muffled sounds of some sort of altercation.
I dig my fingernails into the branch I'm clenching so hard my fingers hurt, holding my breath so I don't miss any nuance or small sound. I don't hear any screaming, so I assume he hasn't used his venom and then the sounds stop.
My heart beats faster, since I have no way to tell who won.
I have a hard time making out anything over the pounding in my ears, but I listen as closely as I can for any clue. Any sign that Thivoll is still alive.
As the minutes drag on, the pain in my heart grows and I panic. Not because I can't get out of this tree although that's not exactlya pleasant thought, but because the thought of losing him so soon after meeting is wrenching.
When I hear his claws digging into the bark below me I let out a giant breath.
By the time his face pops up next to my perch, my panic has turned into anger. And I lash out, even while knowing it's not fair.
I bare my teeth at him so he knows I'm serious. "I hate when you leave me like that. Hate it!"
His whiskers droop. "I thought your smilemeant you were happy?"
That makes me even more upset, even though I know his confusion is valid. "Ugh! I am mad, Thivoll, not happy. Mad! What if you were hurt? How would I have known? Or climbed down to even find out? You left me trapped here!"
The skin around his mouth goes from lilac to violet. "I'm safe."
"But I couldn't see. Couldn't know. I was scared!"
He finishes climbing up to the branch and instead of replying he pulls me up and against his chest with one of his arms, the other anchoring us.
He simply squeezes me against him and purrs.
I stay rigid for a few moments and then I huff out a breath, letting my anger out with it. The aftermath of fear rushes in, with its telltale chest ache, and tears spring to my eyes.
I reposition myself so my arms are around his chest, the once odd shape of it feeling just right.
He takes a pause in his purring. "I'm sorry."
I swallow a lump in my throat. "I am too. You didn't deserve my anger."
He squeezes me a little tighter. "Most anger comes from fear, my Ree. And you are right, I shouldn't leave you in a place you can't escape. I was reckless and overconfident."
The tightness in my chest eases, not only because of the apology, but from a flood of relief. I hope we won't be revisiting this issue.
"Was it another genali?"
He lets out a breath. "Yes. I have another med kit and some rations stowed away in some tree roots. The rest wasn't suited for us and so I destroyed it."
I nod, feeling self-conscious now and stiff. "Let's keep looking for a good hiding spot."
He moves away from me, but doesn't descend. "Will you kissme, sweet one?"
The corners of my mouth lift, the invitation helping ease the tension between us. "Gladly."
I grab onto his wide muzzle on each side as he lowers his face. I look deep into his gold and orange eyes, the sight of them no longer feeling strange. The rough skin around his eyes loses some of the tension it was holding as I sweep my hands up and intertwine my fingers in the spaces left between his whiskers.
My eyes fill again when I think of how fast his face has become so precious to me.
I picture how his whiskers move forward, and his golden eyes sparkle when he's teasing me. The hooded side-eyed looks he gives me when he's talking about something erotic. The violet flush he gets around his lips when he's embarrassed.
I lean forward, gently pulling his head lower, and press my lips midway up his broad, flat, blue nasal plate. I make sure all of those thoughts are plain on my face as I do it. My hands are gentle, but firm.
Then I rest my forehead against where I kissed, and close my eyes.
