35. Thivoll

35

Thivoll

The sound of her singing was beautiful, but I'm ready to converse with her again and relieved when I see the male leave the clearing.

He seemed harmless, but I doubt the genali would've brought him here if his species wasn't capable of violence.

I feel better with him away from her.

I walk away from the clearing as I ask her to update me. The novelty of the interaction and the beauty of the language was just what I needed to help shake off the last of my dread and anger from earlier.

"Did he agree to go look for your friend or did he simply leave?"

I barely contain a growl when I hear her take another gasping breath from the pain caused by the nanites.

"Yes, he will protect her, and I hope she doesn't hate me for it but I told him he would be stuck with her forever."

I chuff. Leave it to my Ree to not only convince the male to do what she wants, but to make sure her friend has a dedicated protector.

"You did well. He looked in far better spirits when he left."

"Thanks, Thivoll. I was afraid he would kill himself and I just felt bad for him, but I will admit I also used him and his grief toward my own ends."

She has a good heart, but spends too much time questioning her actions. Not to mention too much time putting herself in danger.

I veer away from that thought and back to the topic at hand.

"Did you lie to him?"

"No. But I didn't tell the whole truth."

I push my whiskers forward.

She never wants to concede and I love it. "Can anyone ever tell the whole truth?"

She growls at me. "Stop being so reasonable, Fluff Face."

"We both know my face is distinctly lacking in fluff."

"Fine. How about Fluff Ass? Fluff Tail? Fluff Brain? Oh, I like that one."

I chuff in response.

"I can keep going," she tells me in a needling tone.

Her tone turns serious again. "Are we alright, Thivoll? Are you still angry?"

"No, I'm not. But I'm still scared."

"I know. I regret that. I'm scared, too."

"I'd prefer if some of that fear translated into caution."

"I'll try," she tells me in a small voice.

I know it's the best I'll get from her, so I break the tension by returning to our conversation.

From the look of that male, I think he could use his own little human to scare the life right back into him, but I know better than to tell her that.

"So he knows how to use the chamber controls?"

"Dammit," she bites out. "I didn't explain it. But, wait . . . that could be a good thing."

I almost don't want to break her out of her delusions, but I have too much fun prodding her so I do it anyway.

"He looked pretty determined. You were too successful convincing him. Maybe next time make the secret prize inside the package seem less tantalizing."

I can't help but let out a quickly cut off chuff that ruins the serious tone I had maintained.

She lets out a growl of frustration, but with an edge to it let me know it's directed at me not the situation. I think I like that sound just as much as her trill.

My whiskers move forward and a purr starts in my chest.

"You really are a Fluff Brain. Thivoll . . . are you pulling my tail now?"

I growl at myself for getting us back to that again, but know I completely deserve her bringing it up.

"That's enough of that. We need to move your Silver as soon as possible. Far too many tail-pulling teases. One more and I'm going to climb you straight up a tree, use my claws to take off that inconvenient suit and use my tail to punish you on your . . . Where would humans normally be punished?"

She sounds out of breath when she responds. "On my ass. You hit me with your tail on my ass."

Not what I would've expected.

Human parents must be especially harsh if they hit the area you should be comforting.

I shake my mane, focusing back on the important point I was trying to make. "Right. I will hit you on your rear with my tail."

I feel her squeeze her legs and grind into my back. After a few moments of silence, she speaks.

"What? That's it?"

Her voice sounds accusatory.

I purr, her impertinence and movements exciting me. "What else should I do?"

"I don't know," she draws out in a long moan of frustration.

"I just want you to touch me and for us to stop dancing around this. You're killing me, Thivoll!"

A thrill passes through me as I realize she wants me to decide.

Manticorid women are notoriously demanding and prescriptive in rut. The idea of flipping that role makes me want to tear the bark off the nearest tree in my haste and push myself between her legs.

The ones that keep right on squeezing me as she rolls her hips against my back.

Now I'm the one growling in frustration and it's not lost on me I was the one that led us here with my poking.

"Hold on tight. It's time we dealt with our responsibilities so I can wrap my tail around your neck and find out how you taste."