CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE（Untitled）Naomi

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Naomi

Wranth growls and insists I wear his dry shirt, taking the one I used to blot my hair for himself. “I’ve ridden in the rain many times,” he says. “This is nothing.”

It’s not nothing . It’s really sweet and caring. Under all that grump lies a heart of purest gold.

He blocks my body with his as I dress. It’s full dark, but the pixies provide a lot of light, and I’m pretty sure all the fae can see better in low light than I can.

Not that anyone’s going to see much. As soon as I stand, his borrowed shirt falls around me like a dress, covering me to mid-thigh. I pull on my jeans, super glad they’re an old pair gone velvety soft from several washings, because R.I.P. my panties. Even if they weren’t dripping wet from the pixie dunking, both leg holes were ripped open on the sides. Same with my bra.

When I’m done, Wranth dresses quickly but casually enough that I can tell he’s comfortable in his nudity. Which makes sense, because he mentioned orcs have communal baths.

“How are we getting back to the den?” I ask.

“Can you take us?” Wranth steps close.

“I don’t know.” I worry at my lower lip. “I brought us here as an instinctual thing, a wish my magic acted on without full conscious thought.”

“Then wish to be back there.”

“Don’t forget us!” the pixie shrieks. “You promised us Pizza World!”

“We’re not going to Pizza World, not yet. We’re going to the cat sith den for tonight.” I glances at Wranth. “And then we’re going to an orc village.”

“Moon Blade Village,” he clarifies.

“Yes! We have heard of this place. We will find you!” She lets out a high whistle and points off into the woods.

The other pixies break into two groups, pick up my torn undies, and fly away in a glowing stream of light, leaving the clearing around the pond dark.

A flash of a smile, barely seen in the starlight, and Shadow says, “See you there.”

I’m left alone with Wranth. I take a moment, soaking in the atmosphere of this magical place—the splash of the waterfall, the soft breeze on my skin, the scent of leather and pine and male. Stars wink in the dark-purple sky overhead.

Then my arms go around him, and I picture the den. My crystal warms on my chest, and magic sizzles through me with a slight burn. We pop into place, right where we stood when we left the cat sith den earlier. I give a soft gasp, but it’s enough for Wranth’s keen hearing.

“What is it?”

“I guess my magic’s not fully recovered yet. That hurt a little.”

“You will not use your magic again until you rest for the night.”

“Yes, Mr. Bossy Pants,” I tease. It’s kind of nice to have him fussing over me.

Moonlight’s voice comes from behind us. “Our visitors have returned.”

“Stay here,” Wranth says. He steps away from me, lost to the darkness. Something rustles, and a soft golden light fills the clearing as he holds up a glowing crystal.

I startle a little. We’re surrounded by cat sith, their smoke gray fur blending into the darkness. In only a few moments, Shadow appears and walks over to where two rabbits lie on the ground. “We hunted for you.”

“Thank you!”

“Yes, thank you,” Wranth says, but I can tell it bothers him to be beholden to anyone.

He starts to work, setting a fire and getting it going.

Mist walks over to him. “I must get back to Moon Blade Village. Is there any message I should carry?”

“I would have you carry several, if you will.” His intent gaze lands on me. “Tell Dravarr and the others in the village of my bride, and that we hope to return there in the morning or as soon as we can.”

She dips her head in agreement.

“We also need any knowledge the dragons might have about her magic.”

“Yes, please,” I say, excited at the thought of research.

“And finally, if you could let King Aldronn know to return to Moon Blade Village,” Wranth says. “He will want to be part of the talks. His party was heading to Raven Steel Village when I left them.”

Mist calls over a couple of the other adult cats and gives them these last two messages to carry, then turns her green eyes on me. “I will see you in Moon Blade Village tomorrow.” Her wide smile hangs in the air as the rest of her disappears, finally fading from view.

Wranth grunts and adds more fuel to the fire, fanning the flames. I take over, feeding it the smaller twigs he brings me so he can go and clean the rabbits.

The remaining cats watch everything we do, fascinated. When I ask why, Shadow says, “When you open the doors of Faerie, we’ll be able to take on our elfin forms. None of us know how to live like that after three hundred years of isolation.”

“Huh.” I add a couple of larger branches.

Several high voices ring through the air. “New people! New people at the den!”

I spin.

Tumbling masses of fur, each no bigger than one of Wranth’s hands, speed across the ground, flickering in and out of sight as they run.

“Kittens!” I throw out my arms a second before they reach me, and the tiny cats leap onto my lap, the one in front climbing my chest.

They’re a swirling flurry of hair and competing voices mixed with excited mewls.

“Hello!” “No, me!” “Hi!” “I’m first!”

When they finally come to a stop, they all become fully solid, and I can see their little smooshed kitten faces with absolutely huge green eyes.

“I’m Wisp.” The kitten who’s climbed my chest stares at me from only a few inches away, bunny nose wiggling as she sniffs my chin. “What are you?”

“I’m a human.”

“You’ll have to forgive my granddaughter,” Moonlight says.

A sandpaper tongue tickles my chin in the lightest of licks, and I laugh and scratch the kitten’s fluffy cheeks. “Nothing to forgive.”

“Me!” “Me!” “Me!” The rest squirm over my lap, trying to climb and knock Wisp from her perch.

She hunkers down and makes herself twice as heavy, a sweet little purr vibrating through her.

Delight bubbles in my chest as I try to pet all of them, my fingers sinking into the silkiest baby fur.

The others settle somewhat as I give each of them attention, but Wisp refuses to share her prime spot, the claws of all four feet latched onto Wranth’s shirt, her hind ones digging into my stomach each time another kitten jumps on her back.

“Stop it!” She hisses over her shoulder. “I won. The human’s mine.”

“No, she’s mine.” Shadow stalks over to sit beside me, leaning into my shoulder to stare down the kittens. “I’m simply letting you borrow her.”

They freeze for a moment, but only a moment. The three of them tumble off my lap to jump on him, demanding attention. They go down in one big ball of fur. Shadow’s much-larger paws bat playfully without using claws, while the little ones don’t seem to have that kind of control yet, tiny needles digging into his thick fur.

Wisp snuggles closer, tucking her little head under my chin so her tiny breaths tickle my neck. She continues to purr as I hold her close with one arm.

Oh. My heart gives a little pang of bittersweetness. I never got to have pets growing up because Dad’s allergic. This little ball of fluff and her instant trust are precious.

I continue to hold her while Wranth cooks dinner. She falls asleep, even though all of the adult cath sith ring the fire, discussing how strange it is to cook meat. They ask a continuous stream of questions about being a “biped,” everything from food and clothes to how to go to the bathroom on only two legs.

“It’s pretty easy if you have a penis,” I say, grinning over at Wranth. “Or so I’ve heard.”

He grunts but doesn’t disagree, handing me a plate full of cut-up meat and small apples, already cored and sliced.

It means I can balance it on my lap and eat one handed, spearing up bite-sized pieces with my fork.

Wisp gives a sleepy little sigh and burrows her forehead into my neck.

“Thank you.” I meet his dark eyes, knowing he prepared my food so I wouldn’t need to put the kitten down.

He grunts again, but that little half smile quirks up on the left. God, I love that smile!

The fire crackles, flames leaping to the sky as a log settles in a shower of embers. The meat is rich and salty, the small crisp apples tart enough to offer a delicious contrast.

Not long after my last bite, Wisp wakes from her catnap and joins the other kittens in a wrestle match. Then they leap back onto me again, demanding play.

“Naomi has human eyesight.” Wranth frowns down at the tiny faces. “She cannot chase you through the forest.”

Their chorus of disappointed awws echo in air.

In a flash, Wranth leaps to his feet, throwing his arms wide and growls, “But I can!”

With delighted shrieks, they race for the trees, Wranth following, arms held out in front of him like the Frankenstein monster.

“Well, I did not expect that.” Shadow leans harder against me, getting me to scratch his chin again.

“Humph,” Zephyr snorts. “Shows what you know. He always has a soft spot for younglings. Does this in every village we visit. I don’t think anyone played with him enough when he was that age.”

Oh . My heart pinches as I add this to what Wranth said earlier about being the only orc orphan in all of Alarria. I can’t imagine how lonely he must have been, since I grew up with two loving parents in a small town full of friends.

The kittens race back out of the trees, flashing huge smiles. “We did it!” “Yippee!” “We won!” “We’re the best!”

That last is said as Wisp flings herself at me, climbing back up into her spot on my chest. The others pile across my legs, little sides heaving as they catch their breath.

“I have lost.” Wranth steps from behind a tree and drops his arms. “You are safe in the light of the fire.”

Another chorus of “We won!” rings out, and they squirm with excitement.

I look down at those huge green eyes and get an idea. “I can’t see in the dark like you can, but if you want, I can tell you a story.”

“Yes!”

“Okay, once there was a big, bad troll, who owned a bridge…”

“What’s a troll?”

“It’s like an ogre,” Wranth says, sitting beside me.

“Ewww.” Wisp wiggles closer. “Tell us all about the stinky ogre.”

I laugh and continue, creating a new version of Billy Goats Gruff using the Faerie creatures suggested by Wranth. I get really into it, giving each character a different voice, and soon find myself surrounded by a ring of glittering eyes as the adult cats come closer, too.

When I finish, the kittens demand more, but a yawn catches me by surprise, and my hand flies up to cover it.

“You must rest,” Wranth says, scooping kittens off my lap and laying them gently on the moss-covered ground.

Another yawn stretches my jaw, and I nod.

Moonlight offers us a room in the den for the night. The ceiling of the first cave is high enough that Wranth can stand, but everything branching off it is a tunnel. Wranth gives me the glow stone so I can follow Shadow down one. Then he brings up the rear with all our bedding.

Shadow leads us to a small cave carved out of dry rock, the floor softened by a thick layer of dried pine needles. Wranth spreads his furs across the narrow space as I wrap my damp hair protectively in my satin dress, taking extra care because I wasn’t able to condition it after getting it wet. At least air drying is gentle.

A deep rumble echoes from the cave opening in a rising and falling rhythm that’s mesmerizing.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“It’s the harmonizing,” Shadow says. “It brings the cat sith together at the end of each day, reminding us that we are one and this is our home. I must go join in. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Before he’s even turned away, he starts to purr, his closer sound blending with the rest.

Wranth pulls me down beside him, tucks me close, and pulls a fur over me.

I snuggle into his warmth as his arm wraps around me.

The sound of the entire pack of cats purring echoes through the cave system, creating melodies that speak of home, of rest.

I fight to stay awake, so we can talk about all the things we need to do in the morning, but the soothing sound and Wranth’s warmth lull me to sleep.

The last thing I know is his soft kiss on my forehead. “Good night, my bride.”