40. Thivoll

40

Thivoll

I wake long before my little human, her weight on me a pleasant welcome to consciousness.

She is still naked, her nanothread reduced to a thin band around her waist. I don't want to disturb her, so I resist the urge to stroke my hand across her back or gather up her long mane.

To distract myself, I inspect the surrounding cave.

There is just enough ambient light from the opening that I can make out details. The ground is smooth, but not naturally, and there are shelving nooks carved out in the walls of the cave.

There are also a couple of receded chambers leading off of this main one that show tool marks and doorways with carved-in hooks at the top clearly meant to hold fabric drapes.

I'm relieved to see that there are two exits.

I highly doubt colonists would have bothered with the years of tedious carving it would have taken to do all this work without modern technology.

That means there was, or still is, in the unlikely chance the braceaaer didn't exterminate them, a sapient species here.

As far as I know this was one of the many planets that hadn't evolved to that point, but we have suspected for years that many of those situations were simply secret cases of genocide.

I suppose looking for native inhabitants will have to be added to our already too full task list. In the meantime, I can tell by the smell of it that this cave hasn't been occupied in many years.

Whoever they were, they must have either had a system of ropes or they were also arboreal because very few species could reach this cave. Or even know that it existed.

I'm not sure I would have even found it if I hadn't let the primitive part of me that wants to take over after using my venom have control.

Before I knew it, we were in a cave and I was covering my Ree.

My hands pull her tighter to me at the memory, and then I inwardly curse myself when the movement causes her to stir.

Then she is suddenly twitching in my arms. A moment later she slides off of me, sits bolt upright, and then has her arms folded behind her scratching at her back.

"Agh! Is your skin itching, Thivoll?'

"No. Are you well?"

She continues scratching, moving her hands all over her upper body. "I must've gotten into something. My neck and back are burning, but it isn't too bad."

Her movements suggest otherwise, and I shift my body so I can help her. After a few minutes, she speaks again.

"Alright, that feels better, thanks."

"Of course."

She looks around the cave, though in a way that suggests she can't actually see anything. "Are you sure something didn't bite me while we were sleeping?"

I take a closer look around. "It's possible, but there aren't many creatures in here and they don't seem interested in us."

She shudders, then leans back against me. "I don't like not being able to see."

I can't reach her bottom to pat it so I settle for running a hand through her mane.

"I'm sorry. Though I was just thinking that this is an excellent spot for your Silver. It looks like some sort of ancient dwelling and would be very difficult, if not impossible, for hunters to reach."

She hums, considering. "I'll trust your judgment. But I swear you scaled up the rock forever to get here last night. How would we get her chamber up the cliff?"

She makes a valid point.

"We'll need to come across a hunter with a long rope."

She nods then turns, so she's facing me. "May I lay on you again?"

I tip back on my side, and then reposition us so she is draped over me. She twitches again and so I use my scaled hands to help relieve her itching.

She lets out a relieved sigh. "I fell asleep before I could tell you how wonderful that was, Thivoll."

I purr. "It was lovely beyond words, my Ree. And I hope we can touch each other again soon, but for now I think we should do what we can to get your Silver here as soon as possible."

She groans. "I agree, though I admit I'm sick of constantly being on the move and terrified. I would rather stay in bed . . . not that we have one of those."

I pat her rear. "Let's find a stream to bathe in."

She nods and then stretches, making the most adorable squeaking sound. "You'll have to help me recover all the supplies. I wasn't thinking about them last night."

There are indeed packets and items scattered all around us.

My whiskers move forward at the sight of it, a clear sign of how wrapped up we were in each other.

"I was far more interested in being inside of you than doing inventory. "

She lets out her beautiful trill and I join her with my chuffing.

It doesn't take us long to gather up the items. I set some to the side but help her place the more essential items in the pouches she creates on her suit.

Then I grab her, taking a moment to squeeze her rear, hoping to be positioned behind it again soon, and we make our descent.

I run us a respectful distance away before we relieve ourselves, since it's best to be cautious. I will point out to her exactly how to get there just in case I'm not around.

I still feel ashamed at how reckless I have been. All caught up in the heady experience of pursuing her.

Not that I plan to ever leave her side long enough for her to tread out alone, but there's no need to make stupid mistakes because I feel over-confident.