I flipped through my sketch book. Not really thinking about it. My mind raced trying to come up with something to say to my new husband. Mate he called me. His brows frowned. Although they were sparse compared to my own. Still I continued to observe him. Surely he thought I was a freak for staring all the time.
"Does something about me bother you?" he asked. His eyes focused back on me. "Everytime we're together you stare."
I felt my quills rise and my ears flare as my eyes about popped out of my head. His own eyes flicked up. "Not at all! I mean you are absolutely stunning. I'm sorry. I just keep noticing little things. Like the pattern of freckles over your shoulders. Or that the end of your hair is slightly lighter than the roots. I mean sure I'm fighting the urge to touch but Humans tend to be more physical than other races.
I find you handsome. You certainly look strong. So far you seem to be everything I've ever wanted. It's hard to believe you're mine. Like you will disappear, like all this has been a dream."
I slapped a hand over my mouth as my ears flicked back. Erebus spun his chair to face me head on. His body shifted slightly as his gaze flicked away. Almost like he was embarrassed.
"I am not a dream. I will not be going anywhere. I am pleased that you find my appearance... pleasant. Most Humans find me fearsome or ugly. Most Humans find all my kind that way," he grumbled. His tone rough around the edges. My male seemed to be one of those naturally grumpy types.
It was my turn to fidget in my seat now. "I am... not like most of my kind. I truly do find you appealing. Maybe sometime you would let me draw you?" To think that there was such a self conscious Eckson out there. My voice like most of my mannerisms had reverted back to my younger years. Questioning. Unsure. Pleding.
Erebus gave me a slow blink that made me laugh. "If you are ever around my family I would be careful about that." He seemed throughly confused. "A slow blink like that is usually a sign of trust. The longer your eyes are closed the more trust you have." His eyes opened wide. It was hard to deny myself what would have been an invitation back home. Erebus seemed genuinely confused as to why I would draw him.
"If it would please you then I see no problem with it. I am yours." That made me freeze. Had that invitation been intentional? Doubtful. Even so it sent a thrill through me. Not just his agreement that I could draw him but that he was mine. Only mine. I found it nearly impossible to believe. No one had been truly mine before. My brothers... but they would always be my Sung. Well not Ted. He had already proven when push came to shove where his loyalty lay.
I had unknowing flipped my sketch book open the the picture of them. Teddy, Ryder, and Quinn. Behind them was their Makilu. My fingers trailed over Teddy's hair.
Erebus' eyes flicked down at the movement. "What's that?" He asked.
I blushed as I handed over the book, "My three brothers and their Makilu. Teddy is the oldest but he's the shortest. Ryder was the second born. He's the tallest. Quinn is my younger brother." By a whole ten minutes. I wasn't inclined to share the particular bit of information though. Quinn and I looked almost nothing alike. He had taken after our mother. From his black hair and green eyes to the darker skin tone. He fit with the other two much better than I did.
"You all have wide eyes," Erebus noted.
"Huh?" It took me a second to realize what he ment. "Oh! All Trident natives have wide eyes. Most of the moon's rotation is spent in the dark."
"Moon?"
"Yes, Trident is a moon. As in it obits a planet."
"That's why so much light bothers you."
"I suppose. Although with enough time I would get used to the change in brightness. It would take a few days but I would adjust." He stared at me.
Finally he must have decided to change the topic. "Are you tried? Hungry?" He asked.
"I'm fine. I'm used to eating once maybe twice a day. Plus I ate a lot on the ship before we landed. I'm also far too excited," I laughed, "I can't wait to see your home world. This is my first time off world."
His expression softened as he continued looking over the picture. "Teddy has a tail." Maybe seeing my family and talk of his home world made him think of his own family.
"Ted was born with his tail so he can't tuck it away."
"I am not sure I understand what you mean," he said. He looked at me in that obviously questioning way.
"There are three ways for us to get a tail. The first is to be born with one. The second to become life mates with someone who has a tail. Husband and Wife typically. Mates," I added trying to clarify. "The last way is the most dangerous. You have to claim one of the big nine. The only large predators on Trident. Legend says that the small Predators gave us the Neo to begin with." I shrugged. I had never really believed that but then why did anything happen.
"I read about that. The Neo. What is it?" At his question I reached up beneath my hair and pulled it from where I had curled it through my quills. My Neo was pitch black with vibrant blue cue that exposed themselves to the open air as I held it.
"They vary in color but this is mine." One of his hands reached out and extended a single finger. It curled around my Neo about halfway up. I let go of my hold on it even as my instincts yelled to pull away. I didn't. "The Cue at the bottom entangle the Neo together between life forms. We can share thoughts, feeling, and... more through them." Erebus was my mate. He was well within his rights to touch my Neo.
"I read that the tail acts as a second Neo," he said. His hand moved along my Neo and I shivered at the touch.
"They can. The tail gives us a much larger range of motion while mounted. Although I don't use mine often."
His eyes snapped to me, "You have a tail?"
"Yes," I said proudly. "Growing it was the most painful experience I've ever had and I don't use it unless it's to prove a point or I'm in danger."
"Tails are a sign of higher aggression in your people." He stated it like he knew for a fact but I laughed.
"No! Although that is the common misconception. The tail just means we have a higher position in the Tribes. We are more protective and that seems to come off as aggression. Honestly the only people I have been out right aggressive towards are my three siblings."
Erebus nodded as if it made perfect sense. "Protective instincts often get misinterpreted as aggression. We see it often when hunting. I was curious how a people considered peaceful could also be highly aggressive."
I smiled and nodded back. "Don't get me wrong my people will fight if we have to but we prefer not to." I had fought in the last two wars. The first war had gotten me my Hannibal.
"Were you born with your tail?"
"No," I shook my head. The movement made my Neo slip from his light hold on it. "I earned my tail through Bonding with one of the big nine."
"Which one did you bond with?" he questioned.
I reached for my sketch book and flipped through the pages. He let me of course. "Noir is her name. My Father told me it means black in old tongue and seemed fitting given her coloration. She is a Kimala." I found the page that featured her, Noir, and handed it back to him. "Kimala are amphibious. Meaning land and water. Although they much rather prefer the water."
Noir missed the wings that were present on most Trident animals. Instead, like me, she had crested quills. She had far more than I did. Along her legs, back, tail, and neck. Her wings, if you could call them that, were not capable of flight but she could glide. Like the Tuska, Kimala varied. Mine was all skin and scales. Each powerful leg had five clawed paws with webbing between the digits. Like her name Noir was black although I had left her colored parts lighter in the picture. I knew her quills were blue and her fins were green. Her six eyes were purple. You couldn't see her teeth in my drawing but I knew she had them. Three rows of needles.