Chapter 4

The heat of midday found him a good distance from that place. His long legs gave him a particularly brisk stride and his hairless body released the heat easily so he could keep going long into the day. His heritage had granted him two hearts and an inhuman stamina that few could compete with. It wasn’t until the angry sun dipped low in the sky that he had to stop his determined march for not even the stream he paused at could cool him enough.

Dropping his satchel to the ground, he crossed his legs as he sat on the leaf litter. He watched the sun set through his shades. He continued watching as the stars came to life overhead and a milky slash formed across the darkness of space.

“Oh. I thought you would walk all night.”

Kupper didn’t startle, and he didn’t look at her. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t follow me.” His tone was flat and cold.

She placed a hand on her hip. “You like being alone?”

“I’ve been alone for far longer than you’ve been alive.”

She placed both hands on her tilted hips. “I’m older than I seem. Besides, I didn’t ask that.”

With a breath, he looked down at his hands that rested in his lap. “Not particularly.”

“Does it make you happy?”

He peered at her from the corner of his eye before looking back at the frigid depth of space. “No.”

“Oh, well that’s good.” She smiled when he cast her a cold glance, “because I don’t like being alone and it doesn’t make me happy either.”

The growl that came from him was very much like an animal might make. “Then why don’t you leave world instead of chase me.”

It wasn’t a question, but she still answered in a quiet voice. “I ... have my reasons.”

With an angry scoff, he turned away. A moment of silence passed between them. The leaves rustled as she settled, sitting where she stood.

“Can I sit with you, then? Just for tonight? I won’t follow you anymore if you don’t want me to. I ... just wanted some company.”

He felt the loneliness in her voice. Every bit of him wanted her to leave and just as many bits of him wanted her to stay ... well, maybe there was a deserter from the leave side. Maybe even a few.

“Fine,” he stated sharply. He clenched his jaw, not sure why he had said that.

“Oh!” She piped, suddenly reaching behind her to produce a couple limp bodies of the local wildlife she had tied together. Her steps through the forest must have been quieter than his. Animals tended to run long before he got there. “I don’t mind sharing.”

“First you steal from me and now you want to share?” he teased callously.

Lowering her arm, she looked at her lap and her voice was small. “That ... was a long time ago. I try not to do that anymore. It ... keeps catching up to me.”

There was nothing he could think to say. Instead, he reached into his bag and withdrew a metal box. The plant within was fragrant and dark, dry enough to crumble onto a thin sheet of paper.

She busied herself with gathering leaves and nearby sticks. By the time she returned with an armload of wood, Kupper was taking his first puff of the flavorful plant. It was a habit he had picked up among the other humans. They found it enjoyable enough to cultivate, but to those with elven blood like himself, it had stronger effects and soon a pleasant tingle in his mind began spreading through the rest of him.

As she built the base of the fire, he tossed his lighter beside her. She picked it up and looked up at him. The shimmering emerald intensity of his gaze caused her squirm, flushing hotly. Knowing he could cause that reaction, he had to fight the smug smirk that danced with the corner of his mouth.

“Is, uh, is that roacus leaf?” she asked with coy eagerness.

Taking another drag, he silently held it out for her as he exhaled the thick smoke through his nostrils. Hesitantly, she leaned towards him and took it, sitting back to breathe in a long drag, holding it for a moment.

“Thanks. It’s been a while since I’ve had that.” She reluctantly returned it after another couple of puffs, going about her task with an enchanting little smile that made her face brighter than the light of the fire.

“I recall you saying something about knowing exotic importers and yet it’s ‘been a while’ for roacus?” he mocked, watching her like a hunter. His mind began to churn on what they had shared the night before, having to breathe deeply to stay focused.

“Uh,” she grinned sheepishly as she spitted the animals over the fire, “I was maybe bluffing a little. I knew exotic importers.”

He finally allowed his stoic expression to soften into a wry smirk. That apparently was funny because she burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Despite himself, a quizzical chuckle bubbled out of him. “What?”

“You!” she choked out between laughs. “You’re adorable!”

Raising a brow, he rolled his eyes, holding in his desire to join her along with the smoke, and offered her the last of it. Once finished, she tossed it into the fire. The fragrant smoke came and went as it burned away.

Kupper had to keep his eyes on the fire. Even just to watch her busy herself with laying out her sleeping bag for a softer seat from the corner of his eye was enough to make both of his hearts pound.

Rarely had he had company while he traveled. He avoided other travelers as most humans frightened easily at the sight of a Q’Hu coming out of the wilderness. Only once had he shared a fire with another Q’Hu and it had hardly been a stimulating encounter. Not like this. Everything felt stimulating right now.

“I, uh, I have a question.” His shining eyes turned to her the instant her soft voice interrupted his thoughts. She hesitated a moment, messing with her ear nervously before continuing. “Did you, uh, t-try tracking me after you got out of my trap?”

At first, he was perplexed, then he considered whether or not he should tell her the truth. Sucking in a breath, he returned his gaze to the fire.

“No. I ... had no desire to pursue the matter.” When he looked at her, she had a small smile. “Why?”

She shook her head, turning the food. “I was just curious if maybe I had gotten away or if I just fancied myself clever.”

“Well, clever enough to inconvenience me,” he grumbled, then peered at her narrowly. “What would possess you to even target me?”

Her cheeks seemed to glow more than just the reflection of the fire and she turned her eyes away. “Oh, uh, w-well, uh, back then I-I thought it, uh, was funny to, ah, make men feel silly. I saw you leave that village, and I-I thought you ... looked like easy prey.” He scowled, and she grinned. “No Q’Hu ever expects to be pranked.”

Growling, he looked away. With a rueful little smile, she busied herself with the fire, stoking it to finish their dinner. Never had the crackling seemed so pronounced as it was in the quiet that fell.

She tried to offer him the first animal that was done. With a stern and set expression, he refused to take it in sullen insistence on her eating first. Only when the next creature was ready did he accept and break the silence.

“Why did you follow me?”

She peered back at him. The fire made her eyes shine, her pupils having dilated. She took a moment to respond as if thinking carefully about her answer. “You’re like me.”

“Oh?” He raised a brow.

“You know, a hybrid. It’s, uh, it’s lonely. People look down on us, even though they’re usually looking up at us.”

He nodded in agreement, the conversation over, but she leaned closer. “And it was good sex.”

He glared at her playful grin. Was she mocking him? After a brief stare down, he turned back to his food and grumbled under his breath. “If you say so.”

“What? It wasn’t good for you, too?” She teased sweetly. “Or are you just the shy type?”

Hard lines across his face spoke of his aggravation as much as his low growl, but he did not bother to look at her again until she giggled softly. “What’s so funny?”

“You,” she giggled again. “You’re really sweet. For a Q’Hu, I mean.”

“How would you know?” he snapped, his nose wrinkled up. His anger made her flinch, her whole demeanor changing, and it made his chest tight that he was the cause of it.