Chapter 41
Tuvo
The flash of the shuttle coming out of the sky sparkled like a falling star in the morning light. Tuvo stood in his jaguar cape, arms crossed, watching it come closer.
Behind him, Hattie and Belmira were chatting and making promises to keep in contact.
A difficult task considering Belmira lived in a village without modern amenities and Hattie was going to be in a completely different galaxy.
But they were talking about letter exchanges and maybe getting Belmira a satellite phone Hattie would pay for and all kinds of things.
They weren’t leaving Earth immediately – just the surface of the planet – so they had plenty of time to work out a way of communication. His mate was a friendly type of female. She didn’t want to lose contact with anyone.
Their belongings, as few as they were, sat in their bag at his feet.
It included some gifts from the village, including a lot of the beaded jewelry Hattie had been wearing.
Tuvo had already said goodbye to Inacio and a few other males he had gotten close to, but Hattie and the females were lingering over their farewells as long as possible.
It was cute. His female was so sweet.
As he was enjoying that thought, movement to his side made him turn. He was surprised to see Keith standing there. He was looking up at the shuttle like he was waiting for it. Though Tuvo didn’t know why. He wasn’t coming with them.
The search and rescue party had prepared as well.
The moment that Hattie and Tuvo were gone, they would be leaving too.
And taking Keith with them. He assumed. He didn’t particularly care what the human male did.
As far as he was concerned, Keith ceased being his problem the moment they stepped foot in this village.
“Tuvo.”
He turned at Belmira’s call. She had stepped around Hattie to smile at him and offered her hand in what he recognized as a human greeting.
“Thank you,” she said.
He had no idea why she was greeting him, but he shook her hand regardless, shaking his head. “No thanks.”
She laughed, releasing his hand and smiling at Hattie. The two of them hugged again as the soft hum of the shuttle’s engine moved overhead.
Tuvo turned as it came around the canopy into the opening over the village. They had all cleared a space for it to land. It wasn’t a super tight fit, but the pilot was careful as he brought the shuttle down and landed it on the hard packed dirt.
“Time to go, Hattie,” Tuvo said, picking up their bag.
“Just one more minute, Tuvy-bear,” she smiled. “I have to hug everyone.”
“You already did.”
“I have to hug them again!”
He chuckled and left her to it as he approached the shuttle. The door opened and he wasn’t at all surprised to see Atem standing there.
The male that was like a brother to him looked immediately relieved.
He saluted his Dominani formally but wasn’t surprised when he found himself brought in for a hug instead.
It was rare that he exchanged such displays of affection with Atem.
Since they were young, they had always been more focused on training and studying to get where they were today.
But the pain in Atem’s voice when he said, “I thought I lost you,” told him just how badly he had been hurting since they disappeared.
“As if I would ever be so weak as to let a falling aircraft kill me,” he said, making Atem laugh as he stepped back.
“You’re hardheaded enough you probably would have survived the impact anyway.”
“Exactly. No idea why you were worried.”
Tuvo stepped around him to toss their bag inside. Landing shuttles weren’t particularly complex or intricate. It was just a small ship with seating inside the cabin meant only to take people between a planet and a larger ship.
He turned back as Atem was admiring his cape.
“What is that beast? Was it fearsome?”
“It was a jaguar.” Tuvo pet the pelt. “And it died honorably on the hunt.”
Atem inclined his head as the two of them looked over at his female. She was once again hugging everybody she had met here. Crying but smiling. She really could make friends, a home, wherever she went.
“Thank you,” Atem said, surprising him. “For protecting my sister.”
Atem and Tuvo had been raised together. They were like brothers, but they were not. Atem had never been officially adopted by Tuvo’s parents as Atem refused to surrender his clan name or his mission to exact revenge against their killer.
Hattie, however, had been officially adopted. She was Atem’s family, as true as if she was a pup from the same womb. As much as Atem had worried over him, he would have worried over her.
“It was my honor, vi Dominani,” Tuvo assured him, claws twitching. The sudden urge to fight Atem built in his throat seemingly out of nowhere.
But it was not out of nowhere. Atem was Hattie’s guardian. Her closest, strongest family member. And though Tuvo had claimed her every night, including last night, he had not yet gone through with the claiming.
That involved fighting Atem and taking her for himself.
And he was suddenly quite eager to get it done.
But then Keith stepped forward. Calm and confident and completely sure of himself, he walked towards the shuttle entrance.
Only to immediately find himself blocked by Atem and Tuvo stepping together, creating a barrier to prevent him from coming closer.
And he had the nerve to look affronted.
He said something that Tuvo recognized as a question about what they were doing. Neither male responded, only glared. Atem already hadn’t liked Keith, and Tuvo was officially at the end of his patience dealing with him.
Turning, like a pup whining for his mother, he yelled out, “Hattie!”
She turned from her prolonged goodbye with Belmira and looked at him.
“What?”
He didn’t even bother to answer her verbally, just gestured at Tuvo and Atem with an annoyed, and annoying, flip of his hand and bobbing of his head that made Tuvo’s hand itch to smack that look off his face.
Hattie walked over, clearly still confused. So, Tuvo answered for her. Lowering himself so that he could more directly look at the male, he said simply-
“No.”
“What?” Keith gasped in shock. “You can’t… You’re just going to leave me here?!”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Tuvo and Hattie spoke at the same time. She gave him a look that he shrugged at as he stood up straight, crossing his arms, staring down the little male.
He understood the general gist as Hattie explained that Keith had to hike back with the search team. He was solely a citizen of Earth, unlike her, and the treaty wasn’t signed yet. He wasn’t allowed on the shuttle or near any advanced technology until then, and probably not even after.
His mouth hung open. “Seriously?!” He looked between them.
Hattie shrugged like the matter was out of her hands.
Which, it was. But even if it hadn’t been illegal, Tuvo still wasn’t letting him on their ship.
As far as he was concerned, Keith wasn’t going to die for having to be forced to hike a few more days.
He could leave the male here, guilt free, and convince Hattie that there was no harm done.
He hoped Keith got blisters on the walk back.
Petty, maybe, but he was done with this male and his snide and hurtful comments.
Comments he was no doubt making now as Hattie continued to deny him the opportunity to travel in the shuttle. It didn’t take long for Keith to raise his voice and snap at her, and that was the last of his patience. And Atem’s.
They moved at the same time. Tuvo grabbed Hattie and pulled her against his chest as he moved back while Atem stepped forward, snarling, claws on display. Ready to rip into the delicate human male for the insult.
“No, guys, it’s okay!” Hattie said quickly, fumbling over her words as she very nearly almost spoke in English in her rush to get them out.
“Let’s get you in the shuttle,” Tuvo said, turning and placing her inside.
“Wait,” she chuckled, putting a hand on his chest.