Chapter 3
765 Words
3
“Where have you been?” Queen Tima Tralang demanded.
Madas fought the urge to turn around and walk the other way. If she did, her mother would simply order one of her many brothers or sisters to hunt her down. She was the youngest of twenty children, and somehow she was always earning her mother’s ire. Ever since she could remember, she had wanted to be free. She wanted to be free from the responsibilities of their outdated traditions. She wanted to explore the world she lived in, as well as hundreds of others she had only heard about from the rare traders who had visited over the years.
“Answer me, child,” Tima snapped.
Madas took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and returned her mother’s stern gaze. “I’m not a child, Mother. I’m seventy-five summers old. That makes me a mature Tearnat,” she replied.
Tima stepped forward and raised her hand. Madas braced for the reproving slap. After all the times her mother had struck her, Madas thought she should no longer regret that her mother truly did not love her, but even now, she wished for warmth and love from the one person who would never give that to her. Tima’s hand stopped a fraction of an inch from her face, her expression changing from one of fury to one of shock.
“What is that… that thing on your shoulder?” Tima hissed.
Madas protectively raised her hand to her shoulder and stroked L’eon. She was surprised when her mother took several steps back.
“I found him in the woods,” she replied.
Tima shot her a look of distaste. “Well, dispose of the creature before you return to our dwelling. I will not have that… thing in our home. Stay inside. Cardin said that outworlders have contacted him. I don’t want you running loose,” she ordered.
Madas pursed her lips and nodded. She knew it would be useless to argue with her mother. Bowing her head, she started to walk away.
“And don’t forget to get rid of that beast,” Tima repeated.
“Get rid of you. Never! You are not a beast. You are my fallen star. I would sooner take the moons from the night or the sun from the day than dispose of something so precious,” Madas growled under her breath.
L’eon sat on her shoulder, glaring at the retreating back of the female who’d dared to threaten his Familiar, his pet. It was rare to connect with someone of a different species, because of course his people killed any who were stupid enough to come to their small planet, but he’d like to think that no matter how they had met, he would have connected with Madas and protected her from harm. She was a special creature, anyone could see that.
He had never been tempted to leave home himself, but on rare occasions, he had seen a few of his kind slip onto retreating ships. What became of the ones who left, he never knew. His kind lived a solitary life for the most part, coming together only if the need to breed came upon them, and yet, he had immediately been drawn to this Tearnat. She showed no fear and touched him with warm, gentle fingers. The sound of her laughter made him want to purr. He also thought she was cute with her little sharp teeth and dancing eyes.
This was the second time today that he’d had to protect her, however, and he worried about what her future would have looked like if he hadn’t adopted her. When the male had appeared on the path, L’eon had used his camouflage abilities. Until he knew more about his surroundings, he didn’t want to reveal himself. He had taken on the color of Madas’s dark green locks. When the male had gripped her face, L’eon discharged a small shock to the man’s arm. He would have generated a more powerful one if he had not been afraid of hurting Madas. The man had been smart enough to step away.
When the older woman had lifted her hand to strike Madas, L’eon had wrapped his tail around the older female’s wrist and reappeared. The female had glared at him, and he’d laid his ears back and grinned at her, showing off dozens of razor-sharp teeth, his eyes glowing a brilliant red.
He sniffed and snuggled closer to Madas as she walked away and the other female disappeared from sight. She lifted her hand and murmured to him.
His ears twitched with delight when she scratched him behind his left ear. He could feel his back leg begin to thump when she hit just the right spot. Pure pleasure coursed through him and he melted back against her.
Yes, I will keep her. She will be a great pet, he thought.
- Writer
