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We still had a bit of time before afternoon training started, so I decided to get a shift in beforehand. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with how the people in this camp were treating Theon and Braz, so I hadn’t really been speaking to anyone but my family, Cedric, and Seph. Well, not really. I spoke to the people around me, I supposed, but I never sought out a conversation with anyone else. I just couldn’t help but open my mouth when someone else was around. It didn’t mean I liked talking to them, though.
But we were free, and Wey had his wings back. Everything else would be okay in time. I had to believe that.
I kept my eyes on the tiny speck in the sky, smiling while I undressed and tucked my clothes and Wey’s shirt beside a tree with a large bird’s nest in it. Then I called upon my tiger, bringing him forward in only a second. These past few weeks, if I wasn’t with one of my family members, I was running in my tiger form. I’d never had the freedom to shift whenever and wherever I pleased. I’d grown up inside House Natas, and our shifts were always highly regulated, even as a cub.
Now that we were away from that place, I was taking advantage of this small freedom.
As soon as I had all four paws on the ground, I took off into the trees at a run. This forest had become my second favorite place here—our private tent made for the five of us being the first. I’d explored the surrounding trees and underbrush every day in my tiger form, making sure I got a run in.
I ran in the direction of a small stream I’d found our first week here so I could drink from it and quench my thirst before exploring. It didn’t take me long to catch Theon and Braz’s scents. They must’ve walked to the stream earlier. I’d shown Theon where it was one day when he’d wanted to walk with me in my tiger form. He loved running his fingers through my fur—something I equally enjoyed—and he’d found the stream as peaceful as I did, so I wasn’t surprised he’d headed there today.
When I got close, I slowed down so I wouldn’t startle them.
Braz’s voice reached me first. “...it’s hard to ignore them.”
I heard Theon sigh. “Tell me about it. Sometimes I don’t know if I’m meant to hear their whispers or not. Do they think they’re being quiet, or are they pretending, knowing I’ll hear?”
“I think some don’t mean for us to hear, and others do it on purpose.”
“I don’t think I like people anymore.”
“Me, either, angel.” There was a pause as I stopped at the edge of the trees, worried I shouldn’t be overhearing their private conversation. Then Braz said, “I still like you, though. And Florin, Weylyn—sometimes—and Nica, even when he thinks he’s being sneaky.”
“What does that mean?” Theon asked as I walked out from the trees since I’d clearly been caught.
My little bird let out a loud screech that scared a few birds from a nearby tree, and I opened my mouth, making a chuffing sound—my tiger’s version of laughter.
“Goddess, Nica!” Theon yelled. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
Braz was laughing at him, and Theon gave the half-orc a playful shove, although the big guy didn’t move at all.
I walked closer, sniffed Theon’s hair, and licked his cheek.
“Gah. Tiger slobber,” he complained, but I knew he secretly liked it. Or at least, I pretended he did.
Not wanting to leave my best friend out, I gave Braz a few sniffs, rubbed my cheek against his cheek, and licked a big stripe up his face.
He sputtered, pushed me away, and muttered, “Piss off, Nica.”
I chuffed at him. He liked it, too. I knew because he started petting me.
I nuzzled into him, rubbing my cheek on his cheek, neck, and shoulder, marking him with my scent. He was my best friend, my family, and everyone else better fucking know it and stop acting like assholes.
In all the years we’d fought together, I’d never rubbed him with my cheek or licked him. Because the only time I’d been allowed to shift was during our fights or training, and our every move had been watched in the arena and training yard. No way could I have given away how much I cared about the half-orc.
I gave him one more rub for good measure.
Theon said, “Aw, that was so cute.”
Braz shook his head at him. “No, it wasn’t. Don’t tell him that, or he’ll do it again.”
I did it again, making Theon giggle and Braz huff. He didn’t push me away, though, so now I really knew he didn’t mind.
I wiggled my way between them, and Braz started scratching behind my ears—both of them with his hands. It made me purr loudly.
My purr grew even louder when Theon scooted in close, leaning against my body as he ran his hands over my back. I curled my body protectively around him as I lay on the ground, then rested my head on Braz’s thigh. I wasn’t sure if he’d be annoyed at that, but he kept petting me, so I figured he was okay with it.
We stayed there for a few minutes, but then I started feeling guilty at having interrupted them, so I shifted back to my bipedal form without warning. Theon fell into me—even though I wasn’t small in this form, I was still much bigger in my tiger one—and Braz made a strangled sound in his throat when he petted my hair instead of my fur. I didn’t move my head from his lap as I helped straighten out Theon. I didn’t care at all that I was naked, but Theon blushed.
