Page 37 of Riv's Sanctuary

This was a bad day for Geblit to turn up. If he didn't have so much to do, he'd have taken the time to return the female to the Torian, but he couldn't. It would have to wait till tomorrow, or even possibly the next day.

He only hoped she understood enough to get that he wanted her to stay inside and out of his way while he tended to his animals.

Riv paused as he reached the ooga enclosure, his hand on the gate as he cast his eyes to the window of the spare room.

Maybe he shouldn't have left her alone in there.

Who knew what she would get up to while alone.

Movement by the window caught his eye and Riv snorted.

She was watching him.

Fine.

She could do whatever she wanted. As long as she didn't wreck the place or get in his way.

As he opened the gate and entered the enclosure, the oogas lifted their large heads from the yellow-orange grass and glanced at him before dipping their heads again.

Patting the back of one of the animals, Riv's brows slowly relaxed from their frown.

Silence.

Sweet, sweet silence apart from the occasional snort of an ooga and the soft sounds of their chewing.

This was why he preferred animals.

They didn't speak.

That had always been a winner for him.

But, most of all, they didn't judge. He could be himself around them.

Life was simpler.

Glancing back toward his residence, he frowned.

The female was still at the window, watching him.

He could feel those brown eyes following his every move.

Phek.

Well, he guessed he had an audience then.

Wouldn’t be the first time others stood and watched him while he worked.

* * *

Lauren knelt on the floating bed, eyes fastened outside.

Riv was in the field working with the cow-hippo things and she couldn’t help but stare at her host.

The sun was hot out there, she could see that. Even from where she was, she could see his skin had a thin sheen of perspiration over it.

He seemed to be completely in his element, moving bales of hay, shoveling animal dung, and tending to the animals.

He’d looked her way a few times and she wasn’t sure if he could see her or not, but that’s all he did, glance her way.