Chapter 121: No Touching!
WACK!
"No touching!"
Calis’ hand was inches from the flame when a stick cracked across his knuckles.
Calis reared back so fast his ears and tail shot straight up, and he clutched his struck hand against his chest with the wide-eyed, affronted expression of a cat who had just been sprayed with water.
"Why did you hit me?"
Tera brandished the stick like a weapon. "You say fire is bad and you are trying to TOUCH IT?!"
Her heart was still pounding from the scare. The fire aside, the way Calis had appeared out of nowhere had shocked her too.
"You touched it."
Tera’s mouth fell open. "I—WHAT?!"
Calis frowned, looking genuinely confused. "You have been holding your hands in the fire. If it was dangerous, why would you also touch it?"
"I am not touching it! I am touching the meat and sticks! There is a massive difference!"
"You put your fingers very close."
"Close is not the same as IN!"
Calis looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers. The skin across his knuckles was slightly reddened from the stick, and he examined it with silent shock.
He never would have expected a shiftless female to deliver such a stinging strike.
Was she really shiftless?
Tera’s irritation immediately deflated when she noticed him inspecting his hand. A bruise was already forming across the back of his knuckles, and she felt guilty.
"Oh no." She grabbed his hand. "I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you that hard. You scared me, and I just reacted."
She turned his hand over in hers, her thumbs pressing gently against the reddened skin as she blew air on the area and rubbed it.
She pouted. "You should have just asked me about the fire instead of reaching for it like a curious cub! It can burn you! No direct touching, ever!"
Calis was not listening.
He was looking at her hands.
They were small, smooth, and completely hairless. Her fingers were soft against his skin, and the warmth of it seeped into his knuckles. Even the gentle pressure of her rubbing felt very nice.
When he realised he was enjoying the sensation too much, Calis ripped his hand out of her grip with a speed that made Tera jump.
"I am fine," he growled, looking away sharply. "I am not weak. A small hit like that would not hurt me."
Tera straightened, eyeing him with open disbelief. "You were just rubbing the bruise—"
"There is no bruise."
"I can literally see it."
"You are seeing things."
[Host is so silly]
[What makes you think your pain tolerance is on the same level as this beast?]
[(˵• ̀⩊•́˵)]
’Nobody asked you!’
Tera laughed dryly, shaking her head. "Fine, Mr big strong wolf."
Calis grunted and adjusted his posture, appearing as if nothing was affecting him, but his eyes were fixed on the meat with an intensity that he was clearly trying to disguise as casual observation.
But his tail was twitching as if he was fighting the urge to wag it.
Tera bit the inside of her cheek so she wouldn’t laugh. Calis looked strangely adorable despite the seriousness of his face. He looked as excited as the cubs back in the clan whenever any little thing happened.
Tera remembered the way he had reached for the fire, and wondered why he had reached for the fire instead of the meat.
She poked at the meat and the rich savoury scent made her stomach growl in response.
"Do you want a bite?" she asked Calis.
The wolf’s tail shot up so fast and so straight that it looked like someone had yanked it on a string.
He immediately sat ramrod stiff, his entire body locking into a posture of forced indifference. His ears, which had perked forward at the question, flattened themselves back down with visible effort.
"I did not say I wanted to eat anything."
Tera had to look away so he wouldn’t see her face. Why were these beasts so funny?!
This one looked like he was about to vibrate out of his own skin.
"You are literally thirsting over it." Tera gave herself a high five at being able to ask the question without laughing.
"I am not thirsting. This is not water."
’Oh, Lord. Help meeeeee.’
"Your face looks funny."
Tera flinched, going wide-eyed at his observation, but she quickly came up with a retort.
"You—you have been staring at the meat since I started cooking."
"No. I was watching to make sure the fire did not spread."
"With drool on your chin?"
Calis’ hand flew to his face. There was, of course, no drool there, and his eyes narrowed with the realisation that she had tricked him.
Tera couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore.
"What is funny?" Calis looked around, trying to find the source of her humour.
"Nothing. I promise..." Tera shook her head, covering her mouth as she held out the stick to him. The meat dangled tantalisingly as the other slab still roasted nicely over the fire.
"Have some."
"I will not eat your share," he grumbled, looking away. "You are the one who needs to eat."
Tera groaned and blew on the meat carefully before taking a bite.
The meat was so tender it practically dissolved on her tongue, releasing a burst of flavour so rich and buttery that she nearly moaned.
’What the hell? This is INCREDIBLE.’
It had no right to taste this good when it was just plain meat.
Tera stared at the large chunk still on the stick.
It wasn’t as complex as the seasoned meat she had prepared back at the Dow clan, but it was so naturally soft and sweet that it didn’t need seasoning. If she had her herbs, this meat would easily rival anything she had ever made.
She hadn’t yet cooked with the clay pot, but she was already imagining the meals she could make with all the available spices back in her clan.
[Host is having a spiritual experience with animal protein]
’You sure bet I am!’
Without hesitation, Tera pushed the meat to Calis’ mouth.
"Here. You have to taste it! Just take a bite. I promise it won’t kill you."
Calis was taken aback by how she had shoved it in his face, but he stared at the offered food as if he was weighing a life-altering decision.
Her sudden enthusiasm to share it with him fought with his pride, and he took a bite.
He chewed, and for two seconds, nothing happened.
Then his eyes went very, very wide.