Dana arched an eyebrow at me, but didn’t say anything. Still, when I moved, she stayed where she was with the leather gourds hitched over her shoulders. Once I was satisfied she would stay where I told her, I inched forward, identifying a pair of injured czik that were just to the side of the tribe. They seemed to be in good health otherwise, and the small group was large enough I was certain I wasn’t impairing the growth of the herd through culling them. Hunting too many animals meant there would be fewer next sun cycle, and that was dangerous for our tribe.
I exhaled slowly, my spear clutched tightly in my hand as I stayed as close to the ground as I could. I kept my breathing steady, because spooking the czik would have meant another hunt and I was more interested in keeping my Dana safe and close to camp and near me. If I had to travel, she would insist on going with me, and I didn’t have time for that.
A quiet buzz and the sizzle of cooked flesh made me jerk back, alarm flooding me when it was followed by a second. The herd of czik fled, but the two I had been stalking were sprawled out on the ground, clearly dead. I quickly spun to see Dana standing there, carefully putting the foreign weapon back on the strap of leather around her middle. She shrugged and walked towards the dead animals, crouching down next to them. “Should’ve thought this through,” she muttered.
“I’ll carry them.” That had been the plan regardless, although I would need to show her how to prepare them for travel.
Dana’s back stiffened and the look she gave me wasn’t a nice one. “I can do it,” she said sharply.
I shadowed her as she moved, my scales on edge from her behavior. It was so different from the night before, so something was clearly wrong and I wasn’t going to let her be until she told me what it was.
“I could have killed them,” I said, when she reached the czik without saying anything.
Her eyes narrowed, and I quickly realized I had misstepped somehow. “You want to try that again?” Dana asked, not at all politely. “Or do you want to explain how to kill a wee beastie with a big manly weapon like yours slowly and with small words so this likkle woman can understand?”
I stared at her, because it felt like my translator was obviously making mistakes. “I do not understand.”
“I’m guessing mansplaining doesn’t translate?” Dana raised an eyebrow.
“Man…splaining?” I tried to translate it without much success. Male, then plains, which was part of the environment, and -ing.
She sighed. “I know what I’m doing, N’Ashtar.”
“Do you know how to dress them so they do not spoil?” I asked quietly, my words a soft hiss. It didn’t seem to be something she would know how to do, but I didn’t want to fuel the tension between us.
She paused at that, then turned to look at me. “Not for here,” she admitted.
I crouched down in front of the czik but didn’t take my eyes off of her. “What is wrong?” No matter what she said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was upset over something more than the creatures in front of us.
Her lips thinned like she was about to argue, before she sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. “Why did you say that you wanted to mate me and then run away?”
I licked my lips uncertainly, tasting the air out of habit to check for invaders. I didn’t know what it was about her words, but they made my scales feel dry with nerves. Was it me she was upset with? Had I violated a human custom or norm without knowing? “I didn’t run away,” I said instead. I had instead been consumed with my many other responsibilities. If I had to repeat that several more times before I believed myself, I would. “I am the warrior chief of my people, why would I run?”
“Because even great warrior chiefs can be chicken shit,” Dana retorted.
My brow furrowed. Chicken? “What is this chick-unn?”
She waved a hand in the air like it didn’t matter, which made me narrow my eyes. “Stop dodging the topic.”
“I’m not—”
“I’m scared,” Dana admitted when she cut me off, leaving me temporarily speechless.
I stared at her, my eyes turning lighter yellow in their confusion. “Why are you scared?” Instinct hit me and I surged to my full height, tasting the air and looking around for anyone I had to eliminate. “Did someone do something to you? Do you need me to save you?”
Dana sighed. “That there’s the problem,” she said.
I waited this time, because I still had no idea what she was talking about.
“I’ve worked really hard to get where I am,” she started, only half looking at me. “I was one of the top diplomats in the system, which was why I was given this assignment. I commanded respect. If I give that up, become your mate, have kids, who will I be then? I’d be giving up all of what makes me me.”
My scales itched with the desire to pull her into my arms and make all of her problems go away, but I couldn’t. “You are the bravest person I know,” I told her softly, because it was true. “And the strongest. You defended yourself against a Caterri when you had every right to be frightened. You killed the czik that will provide our travel rations. There is much more to you than your work.”
“But who am I if I give that up?” Her words were a whisper now, and it was clear she was struggling with it.
“You’re clever and strong-spirited, and perfect to lead the clan at my side. I want to claim you as my mate, but more importantly, I want you to be mine because you will be the strongest queen among my people.” I wasn’t certain if
