46. Drasuk

46

Drasuk

Kira introduces me and then they talk about incomprehensible things for a while longer, and not because I don't understand the language.

"I only know a few words of Drakonid," Thivoll admits.

Typical.

"We can't keep speaking in a language he doesn't understand," Ree replies. "It's rude."

I like the manticorid's choice in mate. Not as alluring as Kira, but far more thoughtful.

Kira snorts out a breath weighed down with disgust, instantly providing a perfect example. "His language is ridiculously literal. You talk in circles all day."

My tail twitches at her continual insistence that my language is at fault.

She seems to find any possible way to disguise her message, so it's little wonder she doesn't understand the beauty of words matching their meaning.

I let them keep talking it over for a while, preferring them to choose my own language, but I can't add my thoughts without letting them know I can speak Manticorid.

The venom-beast should put some work in. Find some grit that extends beyond science, art, or whatever other soft career he had and learn my language. Far fewer miscommunications that way.

Well, as long as Kira never speaks again.

After a while, I get sick of their looping attempts to balance fairness with expedience and speak.

"I see the 'master race' is still looking down on servitors and not bothering to learn anything about them."

Everyone freezes, and I let out a rumble of satisfaction and humor at how stupid they all look as they gape at me.

The manticorid recovers first. "I do admit I don't speak Drakonid. Otherwise, I know as much as anyone can about your species. You don't reveal much."

"And invite more opportunistic predators to reap the benefits of your genetic tampering?"

His hide twitches at that verbal swipe, but he doesn't extend his claws.

Instead, he keeps talking in that annoyingly calm, sincere voice of his. "I would never think of you as a servitor, Drasuk."

I cough out my disbelief.

He continues speaking, ignoring my temper. "If I may inquire, why did you learn my language?"

The whole species is ridiculously ill-informed, it seems.

"Every Maj'Ra learns it. All of us know that one day you will stop being so obsessed with your Thela-cursed tails that you'll wake up to see the threat surrounding us."

It's immensely satisfying to see his whiskers twitch when I mention their ancient deity. Technically only the master race is allowed to use its name so flippantly, even though they long since stopped believing in it.

I continue, pleased to have made him uncomfortable. "We've known for millennia that we'll have to recombine our people. Or die out completely. That surety infuses every tenet the Maj'Ras are taught."

His whiskers drop down to his chest for a brief moment before lifting again, this time quivering. When he speaks, his voice matches the same excitement.

"We are stirring again, honored Maj'Ra. Abstainers were steadily losing their place in Session when I was taken."

I have never heard sweeter words, but I'm still unimpressed with every stupid one of the venom-dolts. "We will never accept a lesser role than an equal ally."

"I would stripe the hide of any fool who suggested otherwise."

A grunt escapes before I can contain it. I might decide to like this one.

Possibly.

"You two are fucking adorable," Kira breaks in.

When I look at her she has her tiny hands folded along her cheek, her head cocked to the side, and her eyes widened. Something tells me it's an insult.

A glance over to Ree, who's covering her face as her body twitches in apparent mirth, and it's confirmed.

Suddenly Kira throws out her arms to the side like something has shocked her.

I dart my eyes around, pulling in long breaths and listening for whatever threat she identified.

Nothing presents itself.

"Wait. Hold on, now, my people."

Even in Manticorid she sounds like she's trying to confuse everyone around her. I let out a grunt and stop scanning for nonexistent threats.

"Stop being such a fucking asshole, Drasuk. What? What? Yes!"

I open my mouth to point out that no one is bleeding so I was being anything but rude, but she just keeps talking.

"What the hell? Prick. Dick. Shut up. Screw you. Yes! Everything translates perfectly in Manticorid. Thank Zeus and his fucking sister-wife Hera . Thank you!"

She starts gyrating around, lets out an oorah while punching a stick arm up in the air, then suddenly stills and puts a deadly serious expression on her face.

"Fuck it, we are definitely choosing this as our language. It's decided."

I huff out a breath, not even bothering to ask about a species who mate bonds with their sisters.

I don't want to know.

"All because you are obsessed with fornication? Typical Kira reasoning."

"Every fucking thing fucking translates. Oh. My. Deity." She ceases flailing for a moment. "Ok, fine. Not that one, but I kinda like it."

Then she's back to flailing. "Fuuuuuuck yes! Oorah !"

I can't help it. My spines are shifting to betray my amusement.

I never really believed I would ever make use of the Manticorid I learned in my youth. I figured they would just die out as they clung to their ridiculous beliefs. That it would be a wasted skill I'd never have to worry too much about because I would be dead right along with them.

And as much as it irks me to abandon my native language for the tongue of such a short-sighted species, I have to admit I love seeing her happy like this.

Or at least I assume her gyrations mean happiness.

It becomes less and less obvious what the goal of all this is the longer she throws her limbs around. Now she has her head down, her hands on her knees, and is shaking her rear up and down. Ree is letting out trills and hopping around next to her, her long hair whipping around in her fervor.

There is no clear pattern to any of it.

I feel my spikes shifting as a reflection of my discomfort. When I look over at Thivoll, his whiskers are nearly flat against his chest, so he won't be any help unraveling the mystery of this strange ritual.

We exchange a look and I know he's thinking the same thing.

Humans are completely insane.

Thivoll's rough voice breaks in. "Is this the one you said grew up with a knife in her hand, Ree? I'm confused."

"Hush, Superkitty ," Ree tells him in a breathless voice. "Just dance with us already."

He lets out a chuff at the same time a surprised rumble escapes my lips. They call this dancing?

I look over at the Thivoll and he shows me his teeth. After a startled blink, I realize he is mimicking the humans. It's terrifying.

And not because of his teeth, but because I am now surrounded by utter insanity. Then he proves it by bounding toward them. Next, he's twisting around in the air, kicking up his feet like a hatchling, batting his hands out to catch Ree's twirling hair.

I might have miscalculated, I realize.

That does look like fun.

Before I let myself think about it too much, I'm tipping forward and pouncing. The sound of Kira's laughter as I make the ground shake with my antics soothes something in me I didn't even know needed it.