Yes, she was agitated. It was hard not to be. Between the Yukmen and the snakes in the water, she could not help but be agitated. There had already been too many close encounters with Dira's court. Tazi wanted to live a few days more. Ideally a few years more, but she wasn't going to ask for more than a few days. Better not tempt fate to take from her too much. She shoved the last of the strips into the bag just as Kol's hand touched her shoulder. Freezing mid-movement, she felt her heart do something strange. It fluttered. For most of her life, she had been around woman, as men had been seen as lesser beings in her clan. If her mother had seen how he fought today, she would maybe have a little respect for the male. Tazi did.
As quickly as it had come, Kol's hand was gone. Her shoulder felt strangely cold after that. Looking up in her disheveled state, she nodded. "Yes." There was not more she could offer beyond that. He was a mouse, quiet and calculating. She wanted to talk, to get to know him, but how could she if he was going to be a wall about it? Standing up, she picked up her dagger. Without her pants, there was no where to put it, so she simply carried it. A few steps and she was closer to him.
As soon as she got close, something overwhelmed her. Something new and strange. For Tazi, having a companion that did not judge her healing skills and lack of fighting skills was a gift. Not only that, she qualified as what he did as saving her life. If he hadn't come onto the beach when he had, she would have continued to float in the basin. She would have been dead, a floating buffet for the Yukmen. Without so much as a warning for either party, she placed a hand on his shoulder for balance as she raised herself onto her tip toes. Quickly, and very softly, she placed a kiss on his cheek. As she lowered herself, she whispered, "Thank you, for helping me today."
As quickly as it had come, Kol's hand was gone. Her shoulder felt strangely cold after that. Looking up in her disheveled state, she nodded. "Yes." There was not more she could offer beyond that. He was a mouse, quiet and calculating. She wanted to talk, to get to know him, but how could she if he was going to be a wall about it? Standing up, she picked up her dagger. Without her pants, there was no where to put it, so she simply carried it. A few steps and she was closer to him.
As soon as she got close, something overwhelmed her. Something new and strange. For Tazi, having a companion that did not judge her healing skills and lack of fighting skills was a gift. Not only that, she qualified as what he did as saving her life. If he hadn't come onto the beach when he had, she would have continued to float in the basin. She would have been dead, a floating buffet for the Yukmen. Without so much as a warning for either party, she placed a hand on his shoulder for balance as she raised herself onto her tip toes. Quickly, and very softly, she placed a kiss on his cheek. As she lowered herself, she whispered, "Thank you, for helping me today."