Page 116 of Riv's Sanctuary

She snorted at that.

It was way bigger than her, even though it was a baby.

Smiling, she glanced up at the pink sky. It was a clear day as always. Clear, dry, and warm.

Her kind of weather.

She was dying to sunbathe but she just couldn't afford to take a day off just yet.

Not when her host was still acting so strangely—not that he'd ever acted like a normal person.

Life was getting a sort of slow rhythm that she could enjoy.

It was quiet and safe so far out. At least, as safe as it was going to be.

She could almost forget the terror of the market and believe that the world was good.

Lifting her hand, she patted the almost-giraffe on the head.

* * *

Riv stood watching the female from the side of one of the buildings.

She was patting one of the tilgran’s on its head and he didn’t know why it was irking him.

Phekking everything was irking him.

Since that night, even the dawn of the light-cycle bothered him now.

He’d been waking extra early to come out and do the work before she got a chance to, so early he hardly slept at night.

Not that he could.

His nights were sleepless and what was worse was that every time he managed to close his eyes and drift off, he dreamed about one of two things.

It was either the mines or her.

Riv rolled his shoulders and began walking.

The female was heading to the ooga enclosure and his mouth set in a hard line.

He couldn’t work when everywhere he looked he saw her.

He’d thought that after so many days working on her own she’d have gotten bored and given up, but there she was, continuing to work as if she had endless reserves of energy.

He wasn’t sure what approach to take with this human.

He had no experience with females.

When he snarled at her, she didn’t shrink like he was used to other beings doing.

When he growled, she ignored him.

She wasn’t afraid of him.

She challenged him—

And maybe, just maybe, a little part of him liked that.