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Now it was his mother’s turn to look perplexed. “Kyx, I don’t understand.”
He flattened his ears nervously. His mother had never wanted him to go anywhere near humans. She had stressed that many humans were cruel, and she didn’t want him to risk forming attachments to anyone of her species.
“Mother, she is human,” he blurted out. “We found her alone in the woods. I want her to be my mate, but she doesn’t know the way of Ragoru mating and I don’t know how to go about approaching her.”
His mother paled and swayed slightly on her feet in shock. With rapid reflexes, Korash and Mishar grabbed her at the same time to steady their mate. Her mouth opened and she shook her head in denial.
“Kyx, why? You are a fine male. There is no reason you couldn’t get a good Ragoru female.”
“There is one reason,” he said. “My lead is darker than even Father Korash. Every female we met during the summer season rejected him on sight.”
Emala lowered herself back unto the furs and looked at him helplessly. “Why would you align yourself to a triad such as that? You know I love your father, but you also know—they’ve told you—how difficult it is. With your coloring you could have been accepted in some of the finest, strongest triads.”
Kyx rubbed a hand over his face with a sigh. He’d dreaded this conversation for revolutions, ever since he joined with Warol and Rager. His mother wouldn’t understand his choice when she’d always been pleased to tell him how his fine features would help him find a comfortable life far easier than any of the other young that she bore. A look of disappointment pulled the corners of her mouth down. He looked helplessly at his fathers, but they were clearing, leaving the matter for him to repair. They’d tried to warn him what she’d expected of him. Finally, he settled beside and wrapped all four of his arms loosely around her small frame as he leaned his forehead against hers.
“Mother, I chose my triad because they are good males. You always said that my heart would know best, and it did. Same with Arie. I know you don’t trust other humans, and I know that is not what you wanted for me, but Mother, she is good and kind. I want her like I’ve never wanted anything else. She is far better than any Ragoru female I’ve met.”
She drew in a shaky breath and smiled thinly at him. “I won’t pretend to understand, Kyx. What do you need, son?”
“Our triad’s second, Warol, became injured and we have been in one of my favorite caves of my youth on the western edge of our territory. There is little game there, as you know. I need some meat to take back, more furs, and provisions so that we can rest comfortably for a few more days until we are ready to move on.”
“And this human? Tell me of her.”
It took longer than he liked, especially since she or one of his fathers interrupted with questions, but he told everything from the moment that they met her until their arrival there. His mother’s expression didn’t change much, but it gradually thawed and looked a bit less hostile to his relationship with the human female. But she still made it clear that she did not approve.
“I suppose there’s nothing to be done for it now,” she said. His heart dropped at her words, but he watched her hopefully as she stood and began to gather up furs from a spare storage chest that Vordri had painstakingly crafted for her.
“Mishar, check our food stores and bring what they’ll need. I’m going to go into the pantry and get some of the harvest I’ve prepared.”
All three males grimaced with their mate’s back turned to them. Ragoru mostly ate meat, sometimes supplemented with fruit. None of them cared much for the foods his mother insisted on preparing. Not even Kyx could stomach it, yet he wished he’d paid better attention. Perhaps knowing such things would make it easier to woo Arie if he had a way of letting her know she could have a comfortable life with their triad. That was, of course, if Rager and Warol would accept her as such. Neither male had given him any indication that they thought of her that way, their late-night activities excluded.
With his mother absent from the room, he turned to Korash. His father was busying himself binding up the bundle of furs for easier transportation but spared him a glance and sighed.
“Kyx, you always managed to find trouble even as a rog. Would it have been too difficult to at least try to follow the path your mother wished for you?”
“I thought she wanted me happy.”
Korash set the bundle down at his feet and frowned.
“She does want you to be happy. She suffered much among the humans before my triad found her and took her within our den. She didn’t want you to be trapped with anyone like those who’d abused her.”
“You believe Mother is exceptional among humans, though, right? Would you trade her for a female Ragoru if one came to your door?”
His father stiffened, anger hardening his face. “Of course not. Do not even insinuate that any female is better than your mother.”
“Then do not suggest that any female is better for me than mine,” he growled. Something like recognition lit in his father’s eyes and the male let out a deep breath and laughed.
“You are right, Kyx. None of us can judge.”
“You found Mother abused and cast aside, and I tell you that Arie suffered similarly. Perhaps not the same hardships, but those would have come soon enough if we hadn’t found her. Knowing her as I do now, I wouldn’t surrender her for anything.”
“You really feel so strongly?” his mother’s soft voice came to him from the other side of the room.
He turned and saw her standing at the entrance to the pantry, her knuckles white where she gripped the bag of provisions. He nodded solemnly.
“Yes, Mother.”
She shook her head. “You have really grown up. Very well. I withhold my judgment until I meet her.”
