The Hunter's Song

17: Drone (Shale)

"What was it like to seed the razkur?" A newly-tailless security guard leaned in before waving me through the entrance to the Vault.

"Exactly like participating with all my other Joust partners," I grumbled. "None of your business."

"Oh," the guard backed off and straightened up. "Of course."

I pushed past him, not allowing him time to follow up with any excuses. Today was Mourning Crow's sparring match with the U'la'ke drone and I wanted to be done with it.

Whispering chitters spreading rubbish about my pairing in the arena echoed through the hallways. It'd been a week since the Convergence, but it was all anyone could talk about.

That first day was incredible. I hadn't slept that soundly since I shared a bed with my brother Tharu. The only thing that could have made it better was waking up and stepping onto a mountainside coated in a fresh layer of snow.

Then came the questions. My friends, my sparring mates, my fellow council members, and randos coming up to me in the street. The inquiries even flooded in during my regular quarterly sister clan check-ins.

I swear, the next person to confront me on this is going to get slit from crotch to throat.

I managed to claim an empty express-lift only to find myself trapped inside a tiny compartment thick with Mourning Crow's sweet scent.

After the Joust, I returned home glazed in her fragrance. It clung to my bed for two and a half days, and I believe it played a role in my brief contentment.

I took a long slow inhale, letting the fragrance put my short quills on end.

This was why I avoided attending Mourning Crow's and E'pire's training sessions in person.

It was bad enough I'd taken to peeking in on my holo-comm and snagging short recordings for my own personal viewing, but having her see and hear my unfiltered physical responses was an experience I dreaded.

Per Oru's orders, there was no evading today's assembly. I'd traveled to the opposite side of Sahei and was halfway down into the bowels of the Vault, Sahei's primary high-security stronghold for stabling lethal quarry. Like it or not, there was no turning back.

BUZZ

Level -107 lit up in bright red dashes over the doors of the express-lift. I tracked the razkur's scent lingering in the metal corridors and it made me ache for fresh combat. Though for the life of me, I couldn't picture any manner of triumph spectacular enough to satiate my craving.

A flash of bristling cold pulsed through my veins when a dissident thought popped into my head.

What if she's pregnant?

I'd sired dozens of offspring and the prospect had never phased me. I knew a few of their names and paid respects when they presented their honor to Oru.

Why was this different?

My thoughts zagged to that moment in Joust when I licked her. I've never done that with any of my partners, never had the chance, never was compelled to. The way she rode me, the way it felt to be inside her. I had to taste her. It was my only chance. Then she pulled me to her.

What′s wrong with me?

I arrived at the observation chamber overlooking the main combat testing grounds and found Eh'kt and Mourning Crow chatting by the window. The black-scaled Zhaguai was pointing out structures and suggesting various tactics.

Eh'kt's black claws affectionately grazed his mate's stomach as I hurried past. Mourning Crow was smiling and the two completely ignored my presence. Then I caught Eh'kt uttering a phrase I've never heard spoken in public... "love you".