Into The Woods

Chapter 20

Thank you all for your patience! Sorry for the delay on this chapter! 

Chass stared impatiently as Nash finished putting his pets away for the night. Finally, the human was done, and Chass snatched him up into his arms so they could get going. He was antsy to start their mission.

Nash let out a soft laugh and held on tight, curled in Chass's arms. But he was wearing clothes, so Chass didn't get to enjoy it as much as he might have, otherwise.

In fact, Nash was wearing way too much clothing. He was hidden in dark colors, wrapping himself in layers so his skin wasn't showing anywhere besides his hands and his face. He said it was to keep other humans from seeing him, but Chass didn't like it. All his skin was covered!

"Humans can't even see in the dark," Chass grumbled, not for the first time. His fingers itched to get under Nash's shirt, but it was tucked in tightly.

"Lu'Na is watching us tonight," Nash replied, also not for the first time. He gestured up at the fat moon, which was framed between the trees on either side of the path as Chass darted down it. "Her eye is wide open, so my skin would give me away. I'm darker than a lowlander, but I'm not as dark as you. I wouldn't blend in."

"Hm." Chass didn't like it, even though he understood. "It isn't your fault you have prey coloring, Nash. Don't feel bad."

Nash hesitated, looking a little disgruntled. He opened his mouth, then shut it, then finally snapped, "I don't feel bad about it."

"Oh, good! You're so confident, Nash," Chass praised him. He leaned into the wind and sped up, traveling near his top speed along the open, flat dirt road. He could see well in the dark, even if the moon hadn't been watching, so he knew there was no one ahead of them. They had the night to themselves. They were the only predators out tonight.

The perfect hunting conditions.

Nash, as always when Chass went fast, grinned widely and got a wild gleam in his beautiful eyes.

My human loves the chase. Just another sign that he was a predator, not prey. Chass was coming to obsess over the many ways he and Nash were similar, and how much Nash would fit in with his people, if Chass ever took him back to the warrens. But he loves his cabin. Humans live in dwellings, not warrens.

"Are you sure you don't want my help, Chass? When we get there?" Nash's question pulled Chass from his thoughts. "You seem a little on edge."

"I'm sure. You will witness it. I will kill them. Like we agreed."

"Yes, my prince."

Chass's smooth glide stuttered and he snapped his eyes down at Nash. "Don't distract me."

"How am I-? Oh," Nash grinned. "I see. You like it when I call you my prince, right?"

Chass rumbled his agreement and tightened his clawed hands on his lover. "You can call me that again when I've killed them. When I've got their blood on my scales, you will call me your prince and tell me I did well. Yes?"

His human blinked, as if surprised, but quickly agreed.

Good human. Chass was impatient to get to the colony, but once he got to the edge of the forest, his nerves got the better of him. He stopped within the border of the trees and looked out at the territory the humans had claimed by felling all the timber. It was exposed land, with nowhere to hide. The colony was dim in the night, sparsely lit with flickering lamps in shuttered windows, so it was mostly dark and silent. The humans were asleep in their dens, like Nash's pets in their barn.