She'd growled at him like her little tummy had growled at her. Dovev nodded in answer, supplying the words for her. "Hungry. You're hungry, baby. We'll getcha somethin." He jerked his chin again, began walking and expected her to follow or else learn quickly that he wouldn't be stopping for her. She'd have to keep up with him and pay enough attention not to get lost. He wouldn't turn back for her knowing someone else, someone better, would find her and take her in.
She was not yet completely his.
Or maybe he wasn't quite so eager to lose his new baby, as she managed to pull him to a stop when she lingered far longer than he felt comfortable with. He huffed sharply, "Briella!" The girl was lost to him, consumed in testing and tasting everything around her. "No, baby, not those." And he came to her, brushed the bits of fungi clinging to her little nose, swept her sweet velvet free of woody debris that soiled her pretty face.
"There," he smirked down at her, black eyes soft again. "Now, come on. We're almost there."
The moment she spied the water, she was gone again, jumping and kicking and running forward. He shook his head and followed casually. Nothing would dare touch what was his, so he held no concerns. His attention stayed on her as she wandered to the shore, but his eyes were around them again, always watching.
Until he noticed Heartfire and he figured now was as good a time as any to make introductions. He hadn't planned on it, but oh well. Would have to eventually if Heartfire was going to be watching her while he was away.
He grinned at her, so innocent and honestly kinda proud, walking over to her and leaving Briella to catch up when she noticed. He wasn't far. "My Dagger," he purred, stepping right in to brush possessive, affectionate kisses over the blue of her neck. His eyes glittered with mischief as he pulled back, looked at his new baby playing in a little pool of seawater. "This is mine," he claimed loosely, lacking the vigilant grasp it normally would. She wasn't quite his yet, he would see. But for now at least.. She might be.
"Briella."
The vision assaulted him then, turned a temporarily soft man into a lethal weapon in an instant. His eyes changed, dark with a wicked glee at the opportunity to finally get his payback, resolute determination set firmly in the line of his body. He looked at Heartfire, and without a word, entrusted her to watch over what was his. Whether he lived to return or not.
Then he shot across the land at breakneck speed, hauling his armor with practiced ease as his legs bent and stretched and pulled him away so quickly. His last thought before the focus set in, before all he had room for in his mind was Rhonen, was that he hoped he was far enough away before Heartfire saw Briella's starfished face and cursed him for the ever-curious toddler he'd left with her.
But with a smirk.
we're slaves to any semblance of touch
Lord, we should quit but we love it too much
hellogoodbyeseeyousoon :|
