Though I had wondered what gift I could give Laina in a subtle way. I’d given her tea. Did that count?
“Do humans like when you bring the finest kill?” He waved the book in my face. “In this guide, the male gifts the woman with something he made with his own hands. His…burly hands, per her words. I can assist with a gift giving or a hunt. Your choice. There is a fat grouse who mocks me near the west fence. I could end him for you, but you could say you did it if you want her to believe you did this for her.”
“I’m not going to give Laina a fat grouse, dead or alive.”
His frown deepened. “Then we’ll find a gift you can give her instead.”
Traig didn’t look up from his task. “No male brings a woman a dead grouse.”
Drogar frowned. “What then? A big rock? From what I saw on the computer spider web, humans love rocks.” His frown deepened. “Sparkly ones, though. Diamonds. Rubies. If you pick the rock, I can carve her name into it with my tusks.”
Traig grunted. “You’re not carving anything with your tusks.”
“I’m fairly good with that. It’s a true skill. I can also obtain one perfect traffic cone if a latchmaw has not imprinted on it.”
“Stop talking,” Traig growled.
I set a box of assorted grooming supplies back on a shelf and tried to make my voice even. “No kills. No traffic cones.”
Drogar went very still. “You’re sure? They’re wonderfully bright, like Sofia.”
Traig’s mouth shifted upward before smoothing. “Maybe you should give Sofia a traffic cone.”
“I don’t wish to court Sofia.” Drogar scratched the side of his neck. “Brovish should give her a boulder even if it’s not carved by my tusks.”
“Drogar.”
“A small one,” he said, grinning. “Humans find strange objects like this pleasing.” He waved the book around again. “My research shows this truth clearly.”
Traig cocked his head. “Are you sure about that?”
“I am.”
Traig grunted, clearly not convinced. And neither was I.
I left them to put everything away and walked out to the entryway.
Krem had turned the area into a flower shop. He stood behind the counter arranging three jars of wildflowers based on size and color. A thick binder sat open beside him, tabbed and color coded.
“Drogar said that humans appreciate welcoming environments,” he said when he noticed me. “So I’ve made improvements.” He slid a jar three inches right, stepped back to study it, then slid it back where it was. “He’s been researching human bonding ceremonies. Educational. I overheard him and decided to do a few things here. I would never overstep.”
“Krem.”
He looked down at the binder, then up at me. “I got excited.”
Before I could answer, the door opened.
Sofia shot through the entryway and smashed into my chest. She climbed my shirt and squatted on my shoulder, her spikedtail curled around the back of my neck. Her excited peep rang out.
Laina shut the outside door and smiled my way.
“She missed you,” she said. “I think she should stay with you tonight. We can co-parent.”
“The emberkit is your…orcling?” Krem asked, his mouth half-ajar.
“It’s a common thing, even with pets,” Laina said, her attention on me. “We can share her.”
“I’d like that,” I said. “I missed her. But it’s up to Sofia to decide.”
