Spaces Between

||6||

•Chapter Six•
Special Arm Squad 1.0
(STARK TOWER)

Something wet running across my face woke me.

I jerked, jumping up in a panic.  My hands wiping whatever it was off my face.  I heard Käro laughing. 

I moved my hands to glare at him, "DID YOU JUST LICK MY FACE?!"

"I told you karma was coming."  He mused, lifting his front paw to lick it like some sort of unamused cat. 

I groaned, looking over at my clock.  Through the dark, I could make out the green glow of the numbers.

5:40

I sent another glare at Käro.

"It's 5:40, in the flipping morning."

"So?"

"So?  So is, it's too early to wake up, you mutt."  I sneered, sending one of my pillows at his furry face.  Käro dodged the oncoming projectile and I heard a muffled thump of my pillow hitting the floor.

Käro scoffed, "that was rude."

"So was licking my face!"  I hissed, "didn't any one ever teach you manners?"

"Sure, I'll have you know that I am a proud Alumni of the Asgardian Academy for Vocalizing Fauna."  Käro drawled, sarcasm dripping like rain from his words.  I could just feel him rolling his eyes.

I propped myself up on my elbows, "Vocalizing Fauna?  Whatca guys do, sing?  Oh, did you act in musicals?"

A low growl escaped Käro's throat and he bared his teeth at me.  At one point this might have scared me, but now I was so use to it that I wasn't  even fazed.  He pawed the ground angrily.

"One of these days, girl.  One of these days someone's going to put you in your place," Käro growled, cocking his massive head the side.  "And I plan to be there when they do."

Shrugging, I bounded up from my bed.  I quickly patted his head as I slipped past him. 

"That's a nice dream you've got there, Clifford."

***

We had finished dinner relatively quickly after Tove went to bed.  The others spared me questions of what had happened when Nat and I came back into the dinning room—thankful.  Alrekr gave be a short look of sympathy but he didn't ask me about Tove until we were walking back to our rooms after dinner.

I told him what Natasha told me and then we said good night and parted ways.  I found myself in my room and had collapsed on my bed.  I was out like a light—my only thoughts were dreams of the pale look on Tove's face.

Käro and my steps were silent as we padded down the hallway, heading towards the kitchen slash living room.  The sun was just now beginning to rise and the soft light was flooding in the large bay windows. 

Surprisingly, we wasn't the only ones already awake. Besides Käro and me, when we walked into the massive living room, I spotted a dark haired figure on one of the crouching.  I slowed my steps and moved closer.