Elias tapped on Reinard’s door six hours into their journey. He was worried about the Faro. Reinard hadn’t left the room and the neko thought something might have happened, though what could have happened, he couldn’t say.
“Come in…” Reinard’s muffled voice called.
The door hissed open and the neko squeezed into the room, standing between the bed and the desk. Reinard was curled up on the bed, buried in his blanket.
“Does Artemis need me?” the fox asked.
Elias shook his head.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
“No. I don’t know…”
Reinard sighed.
“It’s just hitting me now. There’s a chance I might never see my clan again. It’s like… I feel like I’m a slave again, just with looser chains.”
Elias nodded. The neko knew that feeling well.
“I think I made the wrong choice. I should have stayed with my clan and dealt with my demons.”
Elias climbed into Reinard’s bed, wrapping his arms around the Faro. The fox shuddered under his touch, tears falling from his eyes as the neko comforted him. There was a strange feeling in Elias, one of protectiveness, but also a gentle caring. He had never felt this way before, and he had no idea how to react.
So he just continued holding the Faro in his arms as Reinard wept.
Artemis sighed in relief, putting his tablet aside. He had copies of all his reports over the past two months ready on his tablet. And it had only taken him eight hours to get them all ready. He still had seven hours to catch some sleep before they needed to jump again.
The tiger already missed the days of sleeping in at the Artego house…
“Computer, locate Reinard and Elias.”
“Both are in Reinard’s cabin.”
Artemis smiled. At least they could comfort each other…
The tiger stood up, exiting his own cabin. Maybe it was a bad idea, but he needed to work out some energy before he went to sleep. It was time to see if the treadmill worked.
He entered the recreation room, striding toward the moving floor. As the tiger stepped on the treadmill, the wall next to him filled with a forest of trees bathed in the midday sun.
Artemis smiled as he walked, the stress of the past week melting away. It would be back, he knew, but for now, the tiger was going to enjoy this moment of freedom.
He heard soft footsteps approaching and turned, stopping the floor with a foot. Elias stood behind the tiger, his face a stony mask.
“Hey kitten, are you okay?”
The neko shrugged.
“Do you want to walk with me and talk about it? It might help clear your mind a bit.”
Artemis held out his hand, but Elias ignored it. Shrugging, the tiger began walking again.
YOU ARE READING
The Neko's Tail (Book 2 of Astara)
Science FictionElias has gone missing from the pack of werewolves that took him in. While they believe him dead, the truth is far more startling. Elias has been kidnapped by an alien. Lost in a strange reality, the neko must learn who he can trust. He must grow if...
