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Kyx nudged her. “You are concerned, rya?”
She smiled at the pet name he’d recently bestowed upon her. He was tight-lipped about the meaning of it but assured her it was a term of affection, which she readily accepted. She found it to be sweet. Arie shrugged helplessly.
“I am, a little. I’m worried about the huntsman finding us because I slow you down, but I’m also worried about the sort of predators and insects that make the forests their home and feeding ground at night.”
He nodded knowingly. “Being out at night is not the best option, and if we had more solutions to choose from, I’d definitely recommend we go with another idea. In fact, I wouldn’t even have to say anything, because if there was a better choice, Rager would already be on top of it,” he said with a soft, chuffing laugh. “I don’t know many males who are as focused on details as he is. But that is what makes my brother exceptional.”
“Besides, I saw what you were doing to Warol when I came in” Kyx commented cheerfully as he trailed his fingers down her back, lightly miming her scratching, “and the sooner we get you to a safer location, the sooner I can take the time to find all your secret spots.”
Heat washed through her nether region and she flushed. She knew he didn’t mean it that way—at least she didn’t think he did—but by the gods and Mother of all, why did that strike her as so hot? He breathed in deeply and chuffed, doubtlessly noticing her unmistakable arousal in her fragrance. She felt her cheeks burn even brighter.
He was going to be the death of her with his careless flirting.
She gave him a disapproving look and pushed to her feet. He didn’t bother to move other than to roll to his back and smile up at her with his upper arms tucked beneath his head, his belly turned toward her with a silent invitation warming his eyes. Arie was possessed with a sudden longing to run her fingers along the suede-like fur of his belly, abs, and chest. Although she often stroked the soft fur along their arms or backs, and through the long mane of hair flowing from their heads, she’d never dared to touch them there. It was too intimate. Even when they carried her, her face and hands were often buried in the fur of their shoulders.
Her finger itched with curiosity, but she ignored it. Instead, she smiled playfully.
“Come on, lazy. Let’s get packing.”
Kyx looked aghast. “Lazy? Did you not see the way I nearly fell into the den? I ran far at top speeds!”
“And you caught your breath and were acting ornery in under ten minutes,” she said with a laugh.
His eyes sparkled with amusement. “Well, okay, that’s a fair argument,” he conceded as he sprung to his feet. Arie shook her head with silent laughter as she began to pack her bag, but was stopped short when she was hauled back against a solid warmth. He leaned forward, his breath teasing her ear as he whispered, “But never say I didn’t offer.”
The absence of his warmth behind her was abrupt, but it did nothing to calm the rapid beating of her heart. Warol turned to look at her from the entrance, a small frown pulling his brow low, but then he turned his head slightly so that he tracked Kyx’s movement through the burrow. All four eyes were narrowed on the male, but when he returned his attention to her, his face relaxed with the sort of sedate, half-pleased expression she’d learned to recognize as Warol at his most content. Stepping to her side, he bent to assist her with packing her bag.
She bit her lip and smiled when, upon finishing, he coughed and gruffly handed it to her. His ears lay back and his tail was flattened against his muscular thigh, demonstrating every ounce of his discomfort with his suddenly gallant behavior. Even his hands seemed to twitch. For some reason, that made the gesture seem all the sweeter to her. She imagined that if he had the ability to blush like a human, he’d be beet red. Not only that, but not once since he awakened from his fever-sleep had he reverted to complaining about her, or disdainfully calling her ‘the human.’ Instead, he was making himself vulnerable to her and she found herself trusting in him and leaning on him more in turn.
“Thank you, Warol,” she whispered. He was still slightly crouched down from helping her with her bag, so she took the opportunity to stand on her toes and brush her lips against the soft suede of his cheek. The contact was brief, but something within her took notice, and she wasn’t the only one. When she pulled back, she saw the wide-eyed look with which he regarded her, one hand raising slowly to his face.
“What kind of tasting was that, and what purpose does it serve?” he asked with a husky voice as a shiver ran through his body.
Arie stifled a giggle. “I wasn’t tasting you. That is called a kiss. It is an expression of affection for many kinds of occasions and needs. I was thanking you.”
“You thank many males this way?” he asked, a scowl darkening his features.
“Well, no, there hasn’t been any occasion until now that has warranted it,” she said. “I hope you did not find it too objectionable.”
He seemed to think about it for a moment, and then shook his head, his features softening and his mouth curving in a smile.
“No, it was…pleasant. I would welcome such expressions.” He then paused and growled, “As long as you do not share them too freely with everyone.”
Arie raised her eyebrows at him. “Can I share them with Kyx and Rager?”
She didn’t plan on doing a lot of kissing. Bestowing a kiss on Warol had been an impulse. She doubted that she would have the nerve to repeat it, much less feel free to kiss the others. Warol’s brow furrowed as he appeared to consider the matter seriously.
“Our triad shares everything. I think I would be comfortable and welcome such sharing of affection among all of us—but no one else. If any other approaches you for this kiss, I would wish that you never share it with them.”
“I don’t anticipate that being a problem, since there is only us together out here,” she agreed.
Warol shrugged, an expression they appeared to be picking up from her. “There are often other triads that we cross paths with, although we don’t often come into contact with each other. We prefer it that way, especially as some of the triads are less than savory. But it can happen.”
Swallowing nervously, she asked, “Is there a chance that we will run into any?”
He rubbed one hand through his scruff. “There is a good chance of it now that we are about to move into the Northern Forest. There are several Ragoru territories that border it, and they often travel through the neutral zone on their hunts. If they see a sign of us near their territory, they may come to investigate.”
Arie wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered. She definitely didn’t want that to happen. She liked the triad she was with, but didn’t know how she would feel around other Ragoru, or how they would feel about her, a human, in turn.
