Chapter 50: Less and More
“Interesting, that one,” Trill commented once the guards had left them truly alone in his office. Tel barely heard the words, herself trying to quell the searing pain in her chest that existed despite the lack of injury. It vexed her to be so hurt over something so trivial. “But far too careless. I’m rather relieved that he wouldn’t be siring yours.”
“Of course,” she managed. The placid expression had returned, though it was difficult to maintain.
Trill leaned towards her, slipping a quill from his fur to twirl absently. Tel knew he would have possibly dozens on his person, and many of them could have been used even when Joseph had surprised him. Her blood-father not killing him on the spot was something she was worryingly relieved about, though she knew it was only because of his adherence with a contract that the Human still stands. “You have until your mark fades from him to find a Sheath, but i will send a group of yourself to assist.”
Her ear twitched. “You mean to send four Blades?”
He waved a paw. “They have not been tempered, their edge is still red from forging. They will follow their mistress before the Grand Hunter, but it should not breach the agreement.”
“I understand. Will that be all?”
He gave her a disinterested glance. “I obey my contracts, kit. Obey your own. Although it was cute of you to offer him such protections, there are many ways to skirt the edges of the forbidden.” He chuckled, a slight sadness to his eyes. “Though i suppose that makes you like her.”
He paused his twirling, the quill having disappeared within an instant. “Begone, kit. I have much to arrange before you and your quarry may leave. One of my informants suggests that Human of yours has quite the interesting proposal for us and i must speak to my Heads to make arrangements.”
She bowed deeply, her tail pinned to her spine in deference, before turning to exit. Her paw reached the door, pulling it quietly and closing it behind her. Joseph stood across the hallway, offering her a hollow smile. “Ready to go?”
Her chest tightened with the conflicting emotions as she nodded. A Lilhun approached and offered to lead them to their destination for the moon. She found herself absently moving to walk at her Human’s side, though Sahari made a point of standing between them the whole time.
Kahn’s residence had been completely cleaned of his previous possessions, leaving the den to be little more than some furniture and a roof above their heads not too far from the shuttle. Few Lilhuns walked these paths, many giving these dwellings a wide berth lest they incite the ire of the inhabitants. News of Kahn’s disposal had likely reached all within the settlement, only further incentivizing those around to avoid the new Grand Hunter. They knew Trill or his shadows would eliminate them just as easily if it meant adhering to an agreement.
Although it was not as large as their previous accommodations, it still offered multiple rooms for resting, as well as a personal lavatory. The doors had been upgraded from simple pelts to their wooden counterpart on hinges, much like the barracks of the den. Joseph started removing his equipment and took out some rations for the group, their escort leaving to retrieve Mi’low and her guard from where ever they found themselves at this time.
The Human allotted out their portions without a word, seemingly lost in thought. He had barely eaten anything at all before choosing a bed in which to rest and excusing himself with a request to spend the night by himself to think. Sahari took the moments alone with her to speak.
“Your game is finished, Tel.”
The Blade flicked an ear, an impassive expression was all she allowed. “I know not what you mean.”
The thud of the ex-Grand Huntress’ fist on the table and growled words were returned. “I have mind to end you. You have gone too far.”
Tel glanced at the fist with a flick of her eyes, grabbing more jerky to casually chew while she waited for Sahari to continue. When it became clear she expected some sort of response, she swallowed. “Yet i remain.”
“Because it would hurt him more than you already have if i were to dispose of you now.”
A flash of anger stirred within her, though it felt wrong to say it was directed towards the female in front of her. “You would lay cold before the sun if you were to try and you know it.”
Sahari snarled, withdrawing her paw to lean in her chair. “Perhaps, but i would ensure you may never bear.”
“You stand to gain from robbing me of such?” She let the directionless venom slip onto her tongue. “Would Joseph dance upon my form in joy while your body lay?”
Sahari pushed off the table, standing to walk to a room. “The only reason i do not wish to discover such is because of the wound i would impart upon him for harming you.” She stopped in front of the door of her chosen resting place. “He was mending. Using you to fill holes long since vacant. You have done far more harm to him than i could ever do to you. My only solace is that he need not fall victim to you again.”
Tel sat in silence when Sahari closed the door behind her, the soft clunk of wood signalling the end of her say. Blood pooled under Tel’s clenched fists onto the table as she exhaled slowly to control the maelstrom within her.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next sun was one of activity. They had much to discuss and organize before their trip back to the den, but Joseph seemed to be barely cognizant of what was happening and Sahari would not allow her near to help him. His eyes maintained a distant stare whenever no one was talking directly to him, and any attempts at such were met with a false smile and dismissive reassurances of his condition.
Mi’low had asked to be informed about what happened and was given a reduced summary of the events, minus any particulars regarding the discussion with Trill. She eyed the group with a doubtful expression, much of her attention resting on the despondent male, but accepted it regardless.
Several agreements had been met during her absence, including metals, clay for their own forge, some captive animals for breeding purposes, and even a small group of servants to be gathered from packs with less than optimal food stores over the winter. Much of it would be delivered to their den along with some craftsmen to learn what they could.
Finally, alcohol, as well as the method to produce it, was gained in the trade, though the exuberant reaction the actress had been expecting from the Human was absent. Joseph merely offered a thin smile and words of gratitude for her contributions, even that being devoid of his usual touchy affections.
The four Blades were all younger females, though they each held the same temperament of subservience around the Grand Hunter. They had their orders to treat him as second to only herself, and she had imparted upon them the desire to only be conferred with when it came to matters of her specialization.
All said and done, the entire sun was spent arranging their own small caravan to transport but a small part of their gains onto two provided wagons. The animals should arrive with the first trade delivery, along with the bulk of the servants and some of the available craftsmen. For now, they would be transporting the metals, clay, and alcohol.
It was quickly clear that adding four members to their group, as well as two servants that they would retrieve at Loptr’s settlement, would slow them considerably. The journey back would be extended by several suns, a fact that seemed to weigh even heavier on her Human than she thought possible.
She approached him when Sahari was preoccupied with other matters, some part of her disdainful of the distance being forced upon her, but her attempts to play their game ended abruptly.
Joseph held her at length with a paw to her shoulder, his smile warm yet his eyes seeming like cracked glass as he gazed at her. “You don’t need to keep it up. I’m not going to kick you out for this. Let’s just focus on getting home, then you can...” He drew his lips thin. “Then you can choose what you want to do moving forward.”
He patted her shoulder twice, though it was more of a dismissal than a reassurance. She found herself reaching out to him as he walked away, her paw meeting empty air behind him before being slowly returned to her side. Her stomach churned and chest tightened as he entered the assigned residence for their final moon at the settlement. They would be leaving at first light and needed as much rest as they could manage.
That moon was a troublesome one for her, sleep proving ever elusive. The building was well made, the insulation would make even the coldest moon tolerable, yet she found herself assigned to her own room and pining for something to alleviate the sensations within her.
Many moons had been spent hiding within muck or underground to await an opportunity, long suns in arctic conditions with little else than her equipment for company. Even with all her experiences, she couldn’t escape the pervasive sting.
It felt so cold.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
He awoke, dressed, and took care of miscellaneous tasks before even the morning light fell upon their building. Sleep was something he was getting in spurts, the nightmares haunting him before he could settle into anything truly restful.
He had time to think it over, he wasn’t mad that Tel marked him. His initial reaction to finding out that she had was some sense of fulfillment. Validation for his affections growing past mere strikes of lust. Some reassurance that he wasn’t doing something shameful.
Finding out that it was all an act, some ploy to achieve a goal... That hurt, but he couldn’t fault her for that either. He didn’t know if he would have openly agreed to being marked to buy the freedom for her to choose her own partner before getting to know her so well, but he would have accepted that she deserved the option. So, no. He wasn’t mad at her at all, if he was honest. She did what needed to be done to ensure she wouldn’t end up in some gilded cage to await whatever life would force on her.
The only thing he hated was himself.
He hated that he had fallen for her despite having someone waiting at home, even if said person waiting had indirectly given him her blessing on the matter. Pan seemed somewhat excited about it, if anything, and he would be lying if he said he hadn’t considered Tel that way at least once before the trip. The tipping point for him might very well have been how gently she held his hand when he was missing home. When she put aside their game to offer him the smallest of comforts. When she gazed at him like he was the answer to some deep seated question, and one she was forever grateful for.
He hated that he fell into it as deep as he did, part of him excited to return home to his family and get official confirmation for Tel to be apart of his closest circle. Having their game be more genuine and less restrained, her playful antics being directed at more than a whim. Fleeting thoughts of embracing her like he did Pan, feelings of more than carnal desire tracing their touch.
He hated that he thought she felt the same, even if it was coloured by her mischievous tendencies.
A door opened as he was checking the rations they arranged for as part of their trade, Tel’s door opening slowly as she exited her room. He offered her the warmest smile he could to show that he didn’t fault her for her actions, though he knew ‘warm’ would probably be a bit of a stretch in his current state. Regardless, he wore it as best he could.
She flinched when she seen it, averting her eyes after a moment. It stung to be dismissed so blatantly, but he understood. It could be uncomfortable to deal with people who felt more for you than you felt for them. An ex holding lingering attachments could make things awkward, so he figured it was something similar.
A slightly more genuine smile spread when he realized he had fully accepted that he had fallen for her, as selfish as it turned out to be. Something that he knew to be taboo growing up had been, for just a moment, laid in his lap, yet it took until its removal for him to really notice.
He walked over to her as she sat at the table, her ears lower than normal, her tail failing to move much at all. He laid some water and some extra jerky out for her in hopes to raise her low spirits, her paw reaching out and grabbing his hand as he went to withdraw and return to his packing. His heart felt lighter at the contact, but he struggled to press down the emotion. He wouldn’t push it onto her anymore, now that he knew it was all fake.
He tried to wear a supportive smile for her. “What’s up?”
Tel’s grip tightened, her eyes refusing to meet his. She opened her mouth to speak when Sahari exited her own room, Tel’s paw quickly releasing his as she instead grabbed for her water.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“I hope the moon treated you well, Joseph,” the black-furred female greeted while taking a seat closer to where he was working. He didn’t miss the gaze that locked onto Tel as she walked past her.
He scratched at the back of his neck, his expression faltering as the lingering warmth gave way to ambient temperatures. “Bit of a rough night, but i think exhausting myself walking the whole way back will make things easier.” He forced a dry chuckle, Sahari scrunching her brows lower in doubt. It always felt like she had an inkling of how he was feeling, though it wasn’t as pervasive as Pan’s innate understanding.
“Yes, I would hope so as well. We are awaiting the four servants as well as Mi’low, then we should be ready to depart.”
“Where is she anyway?” He glanced at the room they had set aside for her, but the door remained as it was when they did so.
Sahari scoffed. “Likely enjoying her pick of bed before returning.”
He balked slightly at the assertion. “I... I see.” He returned to scratching at his neck. He wasn’t sure how to feel about someone who seemed keen on sleeping with him running around doing the same to whoever, but at the same time, it wasn’t his problem. Whatever made her happy, he supposed. Not something he would be doing, but it also wasn’t him doing it.
He furrowed his brows. “Isn’t that fairly normal for you guys? You’re pretty open about sex.”
The ex-Grand Huntress tightened her expression. “We are supposed to be guarding you. There is time for leisure elsewhere.”
Joseph nodded heavily. That made sense. He scratched at his chin absently. “Kinda surprised i haven’t heard of you taking the chance when we were home.”
She shrugged. “I feel no desire to bed Jax, even before he was marked by Harrow.” She gave him a weak wink. “I have stated that you may request me if desired.”
He snorted, knowing that she was trying her best to emulate the orange-furred female to lift his spirits. “You’re drop-dead gorgeous, Sahari, but i think I’ll have to decline. I can think of at least one person who would be pretty annoyed with me if i said yes.”
She laughed, her overall posture relaxing quite a bit. “A shame, surely. I would not like to incite our Paw.”
He smiled. Pan wasn’t who he was talking about, but he was pretty sure she also wouldn’t be too stoked to hear that he had broken their promise for something like this. It wasn’t likely that there would be any actual issues, but he wanted to avoid hurting her feelings, however temporary that might be.
Tel, however, shrunk when Pan was brought up, her tail curling around herself as she made a point to focus only on the food before her. She finished her portion of the meal by the time Joseph had set out Sahari’s, quickly disappearing into her room to gear up and leaving without so much as saying where she was going.
Sahari noticed his pained expression as she left. “You will be with your loved ones soon.”
He tried to lighten his expression, but the attempt fell flat. All he could manage was a stiff nod as he tried not to mentally add Tel to that descriptor. He felt like there were needles driving under his skin as he did so anyway.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
They set out a while ago, the wagons currently pulled by two people each. Sahari offered to help with the first shift, Tel silently disappearing into the foliage to keep an eye out for any wildlife. The taxation group they had arrived with decided to come with them, mostly for the added security their numbers would provide. Mi’low and her guard were pulling a wagon together, though the High Huntress’ smaller stature and the amount of stuff they were bringing had limited the speed they could go. Even with the extra help, they would reach Loptr’s settlement sometime in the late evening.
The whole group moved with little in the way of conversation, though he wasn’t doing much to change that. He was off in his own head, barely paying enough attention to navigate the terrain. Every few thoughts shifted back to his ethereal cook, the female only being visible for brief moments between the trees.
The four that Trill had assigned to him seemed to be cut from a similar cloth, each having the same scent of peppermint attached to their bodies and disappearing as they kept the perimeter. He knew he should probably ask some questions regarding all the pieces during that discussion that he didn’t understand, but right now his mind could barely focus on what he should be doing next.
The origins and skill sets of a few people that he already knew would be keeping an eye on things was far from the top of his priorities. Even if they did coat themselves with the same blue plant. They checked in on occasion to report sightings of this animal or that fallen tree, so at least they were doing as he asked, but he couldn’t help but associate the smell with someone he would rather be close to.
This was going to be a difficult trip for more reasons than one.
Sahari swapped out for one of the tax group, stretching her shoulders as she took wider strides to catch up to him. “You will burn the forest with your gaze, Joseph.”
He jolted a little at the unexpected voice, his face growing a little red as he forcibly tore his eyes from absently looking for Tel. “Ah, yeah. Sorry.”
She stared at him for a long moment from the corner of her eye. “I know you grew to care for her, but you must allow such feelings to fade. She does not reciprocate. She only used you.”
His chest tightened, his face following suit. “I know.”
“Then why do you look at her so?”
He closed his eyes to shake his head. “I just came to a realization at a bad time.”
“And you do not despise her?”
“I probably should, on some level, but i can’t bring myself to. If you needed to mark me so that you could live your life the way you wanted to, I’d probably tell you to shut up and bite me.” He chuckled, though it came out quietly. “No. I can’t be mad at her for that. I just wish i knew going into this whole thing.”
Sahari huffed. “Yes, i would imagine knowing we were to meet a dangerous male like her blood-father would be appreciated.”
Joseph hummed for a moment, absently flicking his eyes to movement in the trees. The slight hope died when it was just one of the new servants. “I can see the logic there, in a way.”
“Oh?”
He shrugged. “I’ve met parents who are about as bat-shit. If they were mine, i wouldn’t want people to know. It’s possible she was hoping to avoid him for the trip when that red guy came along and drew a crowd. Hard to stay incognito when you have a mess like that going on.”
Sahari chewed on his words for a while, quietly walking next to him as they passed a landmark to designate that they would arrive at their destination in a few hours. “You are not angry about all of her secrets?”
Joseph slowed in his walk as the caravan settled down for a break, rations distributed throughout to quench the building thirsts. “I’m annoyed,” he replied without much emotion behind it. “I’m tired of being lied to, of having the details obscured. You guys can keep things to yourself, I’m not asking for you to spill every thought or anything, but if it’s going to have an impact on me or the pack, I want to know.”
Sahari picked a fallen tree nearby and sat down, Joseph standing next to her and digging through his pack for water.
“Everyone has things they’d rather remain buried. It could be an unsettling memory or thoughts on a topic that are just better not brought up. Here.” He held out a water-skin for her, she accepted and took a large drink while he spoke. “But if i keep finding things out well past the point that i can do something about it, then it’s going to cause problems. Tel... Tel just doesn’t trust me, i guess. I would have gladly played into whatever she needed, even before i...”
He found himself looking to the sky, clouds passing by slowly. He blinked away building moisture.
“What’s done is done. We’ll get back home and she can do whatever she wants. If she wants to visit or move to other packs, she can. I’ll get this out of my system.”
He concluded his thoughts with a smile, though he knew he was lying through his teeth. A smell of peppermint perked his mood before swiftly crashing further than before. He was getting sick of being unable to go more than twenty minutes without that particular interaction. It was worse that he felt so relieved and comfortable for the split second before he remembered that he would likely never feel the warmth his skin remembers to accompany it.
One of the servants dropped from a tree to request reign to hunt some of the smaller game scattered around. Joseph just nodded his assent and sat next to Sahari until the group was ready to continue.
He didn’t feel like mentioning the thoughtful expression the black-furred female was wearing all the while.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
“Three... Two... One... Push!” Harrow grunted as she put her legs fully into the ground to free the old cart that Mi’low’s pack had dragged to their den of a log it had caught on. It had taken the better part of a sun to build new wheels to replace the ones that had broken during their initial journey and expand the original design. If there had been ample snow, she might have equipped skis on it to facilitate easier travel, but since the ground was clear of such, it was wheels.
The cart rocked as it impacted the ground, the swiftness in which they set upon the repairs meant that they had little time to work on any sort of suspension to absorb shocks such as this. They were learning the path as they went though, so hopefully the return would be much smoother.
The excursion was expected to take two suns, all in all. They left the den early and expected to return on the next with the engine in tow. She had created many smaller tools she would need based on the blueprint with ironwood, though some of the more fine work that would typically require a mechanical touch would have to be painstakingly done by paw.
This came with the added benefit of giving Jax and Harrow some time to themselves without needing to worry about watching the ever-burning fire they always had one project or another tempering around at all hours. They could arrive at the shuttle, get to work on it, have their fun and rest within it, and load everything up to leave at first light. Maybe see if Joseph left anything particularly interesting or if it would be a viable hunting base once their demands grew.
“Must you?” Jax called over his shoulder as Harrow took a break by sitting on it. She giggled, the silver band on her tail almost glinting off light as it swayed in her amusement.
“I need practise!”
Jax sighed, not stopping as he pushed the bar at the front. “Practise riding a cart?”
Harrow hummed thoughtfully, a playful smirk playing at her lips. “Well, part of that.”
He frowned. “Practise... Oh.” His face grew to one of a grin when he caught the insinuation, a chuckle escaping him. Harrow followed suit as she laid back to watch the clouds while her legs rested.
“How do you think Joe is?”
Her mate considered it, mostly unbothered by her added weight to his task. “I would say he should return in a few suns, assuming all went well.”
“Yeah. I want to show him what I’ve been working on.” She covered part of her vision with her arm as the sun breached the otherwise thick cover of trees. “I need his input on the retraction mechanism.”
“Are you sure you do not wish to offer yourself once again?” Jax replied, a teasing lilt to his voice.
She rolled to her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows and resting her head on her paws. “Need help already, Jax? Too much for you alone?”
He snorted, the return unexpected. “Perhaps i should hone my skills as well.”
She giggled, allowing herself to lay flat and soak in the sun with a small excitement that Pan would be able to compete her custom vest sooner rather than later. She was excited for the protections it would offer from the light, as well as allowing her to store more of her recently developed tools within her pockets. Plus, the reason she mentioned to the seamstress had seemed to have started a new effort to design fetching clothing for herself, though that particular goal had been assigned a lower priority.
“We have arrived.” Jax called after another hour or so, Harrow having dozed on the cart. She sat up, catching view of a very boxy shuttle that seemed to be maybe a fifth the size of one she would have expected to see on even the smallest Lilhun craft. It was designed for a small number of occupants, so that was understandable, but the rectangular shape still seemed off.
He pulled the cart up to the back end of the site, near where the blueprints would say the engines would be located. Harrow hopped off, giving Jax a thankful kiss for doing most of the work and letting her nap before taking out some smaller tools to work off the plating separating her from the pieces she was here to get.
It took a few hours to work off the various layers of atmospheric armour and dense electrical to reach the electrolysis engine, the hydrogen burner laying underneath and connected by thick tubing. The engine was fed into the on-board recycler, and likely explained the main reason the internal support system had failed in the way Joe described to them when he recounted his first suns on the planet.
She could tell that the sudden ejection had not given the system proper time to switch off of its primary mode, thus filling the cabin with more oxygen than usual as it lacked the proper channel. The imbalance would make it so that he was likely suffering from oxygen toxicity.
It was quite fortunate that he escaped when he did. Much longer in that would have killed him outright, if not merely crippled him in a multitude of ways.
Harrow smiled to herself as she confirmed they would be able to remove everything they needed in minimal time the next sun. Jax had built a small fire and was cooking some of the local rock-worms for them to eat nearby, the warm glow replacing the diminishing light above.
“Finished?” He called as she approached, wiping off the dirt from her pants. She smirked, knowing he had been passively watching her the entire time, if only to admire the view when she had to get on her knees to access the more troublesome parts.
“We should be able to leave early, i have everything ready to remove.”
Jax nodded, handing over her portion as he bit into his own. “Then we are able to retire soon, no?”
She laughed, giving him a wink. “Someone’s excited.”
“Of course,” he affirmed with feigned hurt. “Surely i am not the only one anticipating our moon.”
Harrow hummed questioningly, leaning forward and pulling her top to tease her mate. “You’ll need to work for it.”
She yelped when he grinned and bolted from his seat at her, the noise shifting to laughter as she ran away. The chase was short, his longer legs and more active lifestyle allowing her to only place a small challenge, but it ended with him picking her up by her rear and biting at her fur playfully, Harrow giggling all the while.
“I haven’t eaten yet!” She complained between breaths, though the actual fight in her was quickly changing to a more agreeable stance on the matter as his hold on her grew more firm.
“I just so happened to have captured some desert for myself,” he growled into her ear, nipping at it as they made their way to the shuttle door. She put up a fight for show, having no intention of turning down such an invitation, especially with how excited he had gotten her.
“Oh no! I’m going to be devoured by a beast!” The sweetness to her voice increased as he took a playful bite at her, his paw gripping the base of her tail.
“It will be but a taste.”
“I hope not,” she returned, letting her claws dig into his shoulders as she gave him a kiss. He placed her against the door, using the support to strip her of her top and fix his hold. She protested weakly, enjoying the assertive display but having too much fun complaining all the while. She knew that there would be nothing to complain about soon, so she would get her fun while she could before he had his.
He fumbled with the mechanical lock, using vague instructions Joe had left for them, and eventually managed to swing it out between the deep lustful osculation they shared. They stumbled into the well lit room, the door banging closed behind them as Jax tossed the accumulated clothing to the floor.
The male spotted the counter-top, making his way over to it and placing Harrow atop it to remove her pants, the female almost shrieking between laughs at the forceful method as he made to make good on his threat. He raised himself to pull her into a deep kiss, their breaths heavy and both looking forward to a moon of concupiscence.
“Who are you!? Leave!”
Harrow stiffened at the unknown voice, Jax spining to look at whoever had spoken.
A smaller female was peeking from behind a door at the end, her fur dripping onto the floor. Jax stood between his mate and the unknown one, partly to save her modesty, partly to be her bulwark if required.
“We are Heads of the male whom owns this shuttle. Identify yourself.”
The female hid slightly more behind the door, Harrow peeked around Jax to see that she had a rarer blue fur, the deep colour only a few tints brighter than black. “This shuttle was abandoned. We live here now. Please leave.”
The curious orange-furred female couldn’t help but notice the plural. “We?”
The new Lilhun looked fearful as Jax slowly flanked to get a better angle to see into the room she was hiding in, tossing Harrow her clothing as he did. “Please leave. I don’t want you to hurt them.”
Jax raised a brow, obviously struggling to see any appreciable amount, likely due to his limited vision. “We have no plans to harm anyone who does not intend to harm us, but you are currently inhabiting property that is not your own.”
Harrow thought it would be a good idea to add a softer voice to diffuse the situation once she had quickly made herself presentable. “We’re not going to do anything, but we don’t have anywhere else to stay for the moon. We were planning on resting in here. If it’s alright with you, could we perhaps share it for now? We could ask our Grand Hunter about your residence?”
The female tried to make herself smaller behind the door. “Please don’t tell anyone we’re here. They’ll chase us down again.”
“Who?”
“My old pack.”
Jax raised his paws to show he wasn’t holding any weapons as he took a few steps closer. “Why would they pursue you?”
The female averted her gaze, closing the door to but a sliver. “You’ll hurt them.”
Harrow walked up to Jax, patting him on the stomach while keeping her voice chipper. “This guy got his ass handed to him by an alien almost my size and now they’re friends. He knows better than to try his claws against someone who doesn’t deserve it.”
Jax smirked at Harrow for the comment, the latter sticking her tongue out at him like Joe did on occasion whenever she made a particularly awful joke. The female seemed to consider her words. “Promise you won’t try to hurt them once you see?”
Harrow punched Jax before he could say something snarky. “Yes, we promise. Our pack is full of weird.”
She didn’t seem to know what to think of that comment, but closed the door for a moment, soft clacks sounding out along with muffled speech. Harrow’s ear twitched, Jax exchanging a look with her.
The door opened, the female wearing a towel for decency and cautiously covering most of the distance between them and the door. Two large figures walked out behind her, one red, one blue. The female seemed on a hair trigger to throw herself in front of them if Jax made any moves, but the thing that made her jump was Harrow yelling in excitement.
“Hey! More Atmo! Violet’s going to bounce off the walls!”