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And to dosomethingelse…
But Hruk didn’t know what.
That mystery would have to wait. Right now, Hruk needed to stick to his plan. He had almost all the materials that he needed—the female’s shredded clothes. There was just one more detail.
Hruk reached to his hip and drew his stone knife from its leather sheath.
The female’s eyes focused on the blade and she trembled with fear.
“Don’t be afraid,” Hruk said. “I won’t hurt you.”
He knew from their previous encounter that the female understood some of his language, but he wasn’t sure how much. Still, the words seemed to calm her a little.
Hruk reached for her hair and she flinched.
“Be still,” the ukkur growled softly. “I just said I won’t hurt you.”
This time, the female obeyed, allowing Hruk to touch her long hair, which was smooth as xinth silk. He took one lock, wrapped it around his fingers to tighten it, and with his knife he carefully cut the strands close to the scalp.
Hruk examined the cut strands.
It would not be perfect. If the nith inspected closely, they would see the hairs had been cut, rather than pulled out by the roots. However, the nith were lazy and unobservant creatures, and Hruk did not wish to cause the female any undue pain. It would not be perfect, but it would do.
Now he had everything he needed.
The only thing left was to make sure the human stayed put while Hruk went about his work. He knew she wouldn’t be able to get far on her drugged legs, but she seemed to be regaining her strength by the minute. Plus, she obviously had a knack for getting into trouble.
Hruk decidedfearwould be the best tool to drive his point home. He snarled menacingly to get the female’s attention. It worked.
“Don’t move,” Hruk growled. “Stay here. Understand?”
The female silently nodded her head.
Good enough.
“I’ll be back soon,” Hruk said, then turned and headed toward the crevice through which they had entered. Just as he was about to slip inside the narrow corridor of stone, the human moaned behind him.
Hruk turned and looked at her. She was writhing uncomfortably.
“Are you okay?” he called.
Even by the pale light of the moon, Hruk could see the female’s face flush dark with embarrassment. She nodded frantically.
“Okay,” she answered in her strange, alien accent.
There was something in her voice that told him she wasnotokay. Something was definitely wrong with her. The drug the nith had given her was more than a simple tranquilizer.
Whatever the problem was, it would have to wait. Hruk had dallied long enough.
He dove into the darkness of the crevice, leaving the female whimpering and moaning behind him.
CHAPTER 15: HRUK
Once he was outside again, Hruk retraced his path from before, leaping from boulder to boulder until he had reached the edge of the grasslands. There was no sign of a nith search party yet, and that was good. They were probably still regrouping after his attack on their ship. But whenever they did set out, they would have no trouble following his trail through the grasslands.
Hruk’s method of hopping from between boulders would make it difficult for the nith to find the place where he had hidden the female, but not impossible.
He needed to lead them astray
