Rook buried his head against Shiress’ shoulder, a sense of wholeness threatening to overwhelm his senses and making him half dumb with happiness. Shiress would be able to feel the pure, unadulterated, dizzying joy pouring from him and into her. Likewise, he could feel her own contentment and if anything her emotions caused his own to multiply tenfold. This moment was perfect. Rook wanted to hold onto it forever.
The sound of footsteps in the hall outside took a moment to register in Rook’s joy addled mind. When they did, a surge of shock flooded through the kelvic, and his nerves rose to a fever pitch. Without thought Rook yanked off his clothes, and in a cascade of shimmering lights he had become a wolf. Rook stood over his bondmate, fur on end and lips curled in a snarl showing the stark whites of his razor sharp teeth. His ginger and black mane on the back of his neck stood up like a row of spikes and savage growl spilled from the kelvic’s lips.
When Rook’s instincts had finished flaring and he finally had a moment to observe his foe, she was not quite what he had expected. She reminded him a little of a fat, friendly sparrow. Even the way she waddled forward was a bit like a sparrow hopping. Aggression faded from Rook in a moment as he felt his bondmate’s emotions calm at the sight of the woman. He glanced at Shiress to confirm that the situation didn’t warrant violence, then allowed himself to be gently moved to the side by Shiress. Still, he leaned against his bondmate’s leg, watching this new woman suspiciously.
He listened carefully as the woman spoke to the pair of them. His ears twitched as the woman mentioned that she herself was bonded, and almost imperceptibly the kelvic felt himself relax. If the woman herself was bonded, then surely she could be more understanding of their situation.
Many of the things the woman spoke of Rook knew, or had heard. It was hard to live as a kelvic and wind up entirely ignorant of how bondmates worked, particularly coming from a place where studies were done on kelvics. A few things Rook was surprised by. Most notably, the shocking pain that coursed through his neck when the woman set her hands on Shiress. Rook snarled from the shock of pain, and almost lunged at the healer out of pure instinct. He was able to restrain himself as Shiress’ shock washed over him, but he couldn’t bite back the dose of bitterness he felt towards the healer. At Shiress’ question, the wolf nodded in agreement. Just as he could feel the sharpness of that pain, so too could he feel the aches and pains of Shiress’ old wounds.
The bitterness Rook felt towards the healer faded as Shiress’ pain faded under the woman’s attentions. By the time the woman had finished her treatment, Rook felt secure enough to return to his human form. He dressed hastily, not wishing to waste time, then turned back towards the healer with a hesitant look.
“Thank you for healing her. And explaining things.” Rook told the woman. “I’m grateful.”
For a moment, Rook had a wild fantasy of taking Shiress away from here. Of vanishing off into the outskirts of Ravok, or heading to some far off, unheard of land. Rook shook the fantasy from his head. Even the wolf, impulsive as he was, knew that an escape would take more planning than this. But now he had Shiress. He had a reason to keep going.
Rook accepted the bag from the woman with a respectful nod, then watched as she disappeared out the door. Rook turned towards Shiress and felt the maelstrom of emotions that were surely not his. Confusion, worry, anxiety… Rook tempered those feelings with his own confidence, his own sense of intense rightness and contentment.
“You don’t have to worry about me, you know?” Rook told his bondmate. “I know how to handle pain. It’s nothing to me.”
Rook felt Shiress’ sudden surge of hope and let out a soft ‘oof’ as the woman wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered to him.
“I won’t give up.”
Rook snuggled against her. “I know you won’t,” he told her. “You have me now, and I won’t let you.”
The two of them lingered for a long, affectionate moment. Rook imagined this would be one of a thousand affectionate moments to come, the likes he had never known. Finally, Rook mumbled from within Shiress’ arms “I need to feed you.”
Once extracted from within his bondmate’s embrace, Rook examined the bag that the healer had handed to him. Contained within was a half a sausage, a slice bread and a bit of cheese. Rook handed every bit over to her, piece by piece, determinedly watching to make sure she ate every bite.
“You need to keep up your strength, ” Rook told her. “Keep your body healthy. If I’m away, I can’t help you with that. I can help keep your mind healthy though. You can lean on me if you’re scared. I’ll always be listening for you.”
Already Rook’s mind was buzzing with possibilities. He knew he had excellent pain tolerance. Was there any way he could give it to Shiress? And how was he going to get back in here to see her? Each time he tried would be a risk. Unless…
“Shiress,” Rook said seriously. “I think whatever it is your master wants from you, you should give it to him. It will be easier for me to get to you and help you if you’re not imprisoned.”
The sound of footsteps in the hall outside took a moment to register in Rook’s joy addled mind. When they did, a surge of shock flooded through the kelvic, and his nerves rose to a fever pitch. Without thought Rook yanked off his clothes, and in a cascade of shimmering lights he had become a wolf. Rook stood over his bondmate, fur on end and lips curled in a snarl showing the stark whites of his razor sharp teeth. His ginger and black mane on the back of his neck stood up like a row of spikes and savage growl spilled from the kelvic’s lips.
When Rook’s instincts had finished flaring and he finally had a moment to observe his foe, she was not quite what he had expected. She reminded him a little of a fat, friendly sparrow. Even the way she waddled forward was a bit like a sparrow hopping. Aggression faded from Rook in a moment as he felt his bondmate’s emotions calm at the sight of the woman. He glanced at Shiress to confirm that the situation didn’t warrant violence, then allowed himself to be gently moved to the side by Shiress. Still, he leaned against his bondmate’s leg, watching this new woman suspiciously.
He listened carefully as the woman spoke to the pair of them. His ears twitched as the woman mentioned that she herself was bonded, and almost imperceptibly the kelvic felt himself relax. If the woman herself was bonded, then surely she could be more understanding of their situation.
Many of the things the woman spoke of Rook knew, or had heard. It was hard to live as a kelvic and wind up entirely ignorant of how bondmates worked, particularly coming from a place where studies were done on kelvics. A few things Rook was surprised by. Most notably, the shocking pain that coursed through his neck when the woman set her hands on Shiress. Rook snarled from the shock of pain, and almost lunged at the healer out of pure instinct. He was able to restrain himself as Shiress’ shock washed over him, but he couldn’t bite back the dose of bitterness he felt towards the healer. At Shiress’ question, the wolf nodded in agreement. Just as he could feel the sharpness of that pain, so too could he feel the aches and pains of Shiress’ old wounds.
The bitterness Rook felt towards the healer faded as Shiress’ pain faded under the woman’s attentions. By the time the woman had finished her treatment, Rook felt secure enough to return to his human form. He dressed hastily, not wishing to waste time, then turned back towards the healer with a hesitant look.
“Thank you for healing her. And explaining things.” Rook told the woman. “I’m grateful.”
For a moment, Rook had a wild fantasy of taking Shiress away from here. Of vanishing off into the outskirts of Ravok, or heading to some far off, unheard of land. Rook shook the fantasy from his head. Even the wolf, impulsive as he was, knew that an escape would take more planning than this. But now he had Shiress. He had a reason to keep going.
Rook accepted the bag from the woman with a respectful nod, then watched as she disappeared out the door. Rook turned towards Shiress and felt the maelstrom of emotions that were surely not his. Confusion, worry, anxiety… Rook tempered those feelings with his own confidence, his own sense of intense rightness and contentment.
“You don’t have to worry about me, you know?” Rook told his bondmate. “I know how to handle pain. It’s nothing to me.”
Rook felt Shiress’ sudden surge of hope and let out a soft ‘oof’ as the woman wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered to him.
“I won’t give up.”
Rook snuggled against her. “I know you won’t,” he told her. “You have me now, and I won’t let you.”
The two of them lingered for a long, affectionate moment. Rook imagined this would be one of a thousand affectionate moments to come, the likes he had never known. Finally, Rook mumbled from within Shiress’ arms “I need to feed you.”
Once extracted from within his bondmate’s embrace, Rook examined the bag that the healer had handed to him. Contained within was a half a sausage, a slice bread and a bit of cheese. Rook handed every bit over to her, piece by piece, determinedly watching to make sure she ate every bite.
“You need to keep up your strength, ” Rook told her. “Keep your body healthy. If I’m away, I can’t help you with that. I can help keep your mind healthy though. You can lean on me if you’re scared. I’ll always be listening for you.”
Already Rook’s mind was buzzing with possibilities. He knew he had excellent pain tolerance. Was there any way he could give it to Shiress? And how was he going to get back in here to see her? Each time he tried would be a risk. Unless…
“Shiress,” Rook said seriously. “I think whatever it is your master wants from you, you should give it to him. It will be easier for me to get to you and help you if you’re not imprisoned.”
Rook