ShopDreamUp AI ArtDreamUp
Deviation Actions
Literature Text
After riding for about two hours they reached the Nile. Ranik stopped Eclipse near the shore and took Andro near the water. Andro had never seen the Nile, or at least he had no recollection of it. He was mesmerized. Clear blue water, shining with Ra’s warm rays. He could see birds swimming off in the distance, chirping and going underwater occasionally. It was a beautiful sight.
“I figured you could take another break. Riding in this heat tires you out like fuck.” Said Ranik.
He walked off to a nearby palm tree and stretched until he felt a pop coming from his back. He sat down with his back against the trunk and watched, with a smirk, as Andro slowly got close to the water. He dipped his foot in slowly. It was cold but somewhat warm at the same time. Fresh. He dipped the tip of his tail in the water and put it up to his face. He grabbed the tip and squeezed, laughing slightly as water came drizzling down and his tail made a squish sound.
‘It’s like watching a cub get out of the house for the first time.’ And in a way it was. Andro hadn’t had the small luxury of a free childhood. Then again so hadn’t Ranik, though he couldn’t actually remember how his childhood had been.
Ranik yawned lazily and went up to where Eclipse was, still saddled up, and took a bag where they had stored food and got a jar. He left the bag on the shade of the same tree and ran to Andro’s side, splashing him on purpose. Andro gave out a surprised yelp while Ranik laughed loudly.
“You hungry?”
Andro shook his body to let out some of the water, leaving the fur on his neck and head all poofed up.
“Yes actually.”
“Awesome.” He leaned down and put the jar underwater, letting it gather some water. “Let’s go, food’s in the shade.”
Andro had forgotten about his hunger until Ranik had mentioned it. His bottom was still sore from all the horse riding; which became more obvious when he gave out a pained growl when he sat down. Ranik chuckled as he took his share from the bag and handed it to Andro.
“You’ll get used to it after a while. Just be glad you’re not ridding directly on the back of that thing. A pain in the ass that you’d feel for longer than that, believe me.”
Andro gave a small smile as he took a few things from the bag and started eating fast. He didn’t know how hungry he was until now. Ranik on the other hand, was taking his time. He knew they needed to reach Makar fast but there was no point in getting sick from eating too fast now. In the end that would only either make the trip last longer, or make his mood run sour from a painful stomach.
“I’m guessing you’ve never seen the Nile before.” Ranik said as he turned his head to look at Andro, who was chewing a piece of dry meat.
“What is a Nile?” He tilted his head, a confused expression stuck on his face.
“What’s a… Uh, that blue thing moving over there. The Nile river dude!” Ranik knew Andro hadn’t gone out much but the Nile was… well the Nile! Everyone knew what it was.
“Oh… I never knew we even had a river here. Or that such a river had a name.” He just shrugged and kept eating, obviously happy chewing and tearing the small piece of meat apart.
Ranik chuckled and shook his head.
“Well consider this your first lesson then. That,” – Ranik said, pointing one clawed finger at the river, “- is the Nile River. It’s real nice and big. There are a lot of ships going around in it up north; there’s too here in the south but you don’t see as many.” He took another big chunk out of his meat and drank a few gulps of water before continuing.
“It’s nice to swim there but you have to watch out where you swim. There are a lot of crocodiles hiding in the water, just waiting to bite a piece of your ass off.”
Ranik laughed at Andro’s wide eyes scared expression. The poor thing looked terrified as he looked between Ranik and the water.
“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how to look for them.”
Ranik leaned over to Andro slightly and ruffled his hair. Andro twitched and turned his head to Ranik fast, stiffening visibly. Seeing his reaction, Ranik sighed and leaned back, running a hand through his longer hair. He had taken the care to sit with his left side facing Andro. He didn’t need to see Andro’s flinch each time he saw it.
“Listen, I know it’s only been a few days since you became free but, if you want to blend in the city, you’re going to have to relax man.” He sighed. “Given what we are, the last thing we want is to draw attention to ourselves. And, given what you have on your back, the last thing you want is to draw attention to yourself.”
Andro looked down at his food and nodded after a while, giving it some thought.
“It is… difficult. Sometimes it’s easy to not think about touch but other times… well...”
Ranik looked at him with his one eye and finished his meal quickly and scooted closer to Andro, sitting really in front of him with his legs crossed; his eye gazing into Andro’s. Andro stopped eating abruptly, putting down the half-eaten fruit on his lap; the tip of his tail moving quickly from side to side.
Ranik flicked his vision to it for a second, keeping his eye on Andro’s face. He looked slightly alert, between fear and trust. Without warning, Ranik moved his tail slowly towards Andro’s and touched it lightly. Andro turned his head to them and then back at Ranik.
“Wh… What are you doing?” He asked, his voice slightly weak sounding.
“Don’t worry. Just… go with me for now.” – Andro’s eyes widened a little bit, making him look more terrified, - “Please.” Ranik added.
Andro’s eyes darted between his tail and Ranik’s focused face. Then, he took a deep breath and nodded. Ranik gave a small smile and moved his tail closer, still keeping his eye on Andro’s. When they touched again, Ranik curled his tail around Andro’s.
Their tails were less sensitive than other races’; they were the rudder when a Cheetah ran and, with their speeds, their tails needed to be more resilient. Ranik wanted to start someplace where Andro wouldn’t feel vulnerable and he guessed his tail was as good place as any to get him used to friendly physical contact ‘And people say I’m insensitive. Assholes.’
He moved it closer again, now bending it to loop around Andro’s tail that was now as still as stone. Ranik was stopped when Andro’s tail twitched and slowly leaned into his own. Ranik could tell Andro was starting to relax, even if only slightly, and to become accustomed to his touch.
“This is how we hold hands. You probably noticed how our claws don’t go back like other felines, which makes holding hands kinda hard. So we hold tails.”
Andro tilted his head to the side and looked between their tails and Ranik’s face.
“It… doesn’t feel unpleasant.”
Ranik chuckles.
“If it was ‘unpleasant’ would I be doing it with you?” he arched an eyebrow and smirked.
Andro furrowed his brows and lowered his head. Ranik sighed softly and reached over to gently put his hand on Andro’s face causing the other to lift his eyes to look at his face.
“Look, I know life has been rough for you. But I know what that’s like too. I won’t hurt you, not intentionally. So you can relax now, ok?
“Ok.” Andro said, leaning back into the tree and closing his eyes. His tail moved around Ranik’s.
He could feel the hard and slightly knotted fur on the tip and underside of Ranik’s tail. His fur there was longer than Andro’s and dirty from not being cleaned properly.
But he didn’t mention any of this to him or even became uncomfortable with the slightly rough touch. No matter the state of Ranik’s fur or the slight roughness of his touch, he was just glad someone was touching him without malice and concerned with making him comfortable.
They sat together like that for a long time, or it seemed like it to Andro though he didn’t mind it in the least. But it all came to an end when Ranik uncurled his tail from his and got up, taking the bag of food and the water with him. Andro gave a small whine at the loss and looked up at Ranik.
Ranik stopped midstep and turned around. Knowing what made Andro like that, he curled his tail at Andro, silently telling him to follow.
“Come on, we have to hurry if we want to sleep with a roof over our heads.”
Andro watched Ranik turn around and walk to his horse. For a second, he had forgotten why they were out there. He got up, dusted his bottom and walked to Eclipse. Ranik was quick preparing the horse and soon enough they were on their way again.
They had stayed on that spot on the Nile’s shore for little time but Andro had liked it and hoped they would return there again.
_ _ _
It was near sundown when they reached the next Inn. This one was in a bigger village the last. From Ranik’s back, Andro could see villagers running around with baskets filled with food, water and cloths, ships docking in the small port that touched the Nile, smoke coming out of the chimneys of people’s houses and bigger buildings, like the one where he and Ranik had slept in and not.
Andro didn’t tell Ranik the ache that had been spreading on his back since about halfway through the journey. But it wasn’t that burning hot pain he had felt before so he didn’t mention it. ‘It’s probably from all the riding.’
Ranik once again, Andro noticed, led Eclipse to a slightly covered area away from the village. He didn’t question it. They stopped behind a heavily bushed area with a few palm trees. Ranik hopped off and grabbed Andro’s hips, Andro put his arms on Ranik’s shoulders to balance himself, and helped him off.
The ground below their paws was rough and with some sort of spiky short grass that Andro had never seen before. He accidentally stepped on a few following Ranik to the entrance of the village, leaving his feet a bit sore. So he just stepped over Ranik’s pawprints. He seemed to know where to put his paws.
The village entrance loomed over them quickly. The board with the name of the village was old and the letters were no longer visible on the worn and dusty wood. The ground got more firm as they walked, going from sand to compacted dirt and rock. He could hear their claws grazing the rock. Around them the streets and buildings were worn and smelled of old fish and salt. This was fishing village Ranik had told him on the way so it was to be expected. But the scent still hit Andro’s head like a hammer each time he breathed in.
The people around them were now walking slower and staring at them as they got deeper into the village. From the fisherman to the soldiers and even the few people who seemed to fit in the “town beggar” category.
“Get closer to me. Don’t look at anyone, just ahead.” Said Ranik as Andro was looking around wide eyes at everything he saw.
Andro complied. He could already see what appeared to be the Inn. It was a large building with several old looking decorations, mostly fish-related. There were a few people on the balconies on the levels above and on the ground just outside the door, chatting away with beverages on their hands and laughter on their throats. It seemed to have a more diverse range of costumers than the last Inn they had slept at. Andro saw women and men in rugs and small cloths that were still drying, possibly fishermen Andro guessed, people clad in armor, leather or metal, and people in casual robes.
Though the chatting lessened as Ranik and Andro reached the doors. Even in the quick motion of Ranik opening the door and letting himself and Andro in, Andro could hear the laughter dim and low chatter began to dominate the Inn.
He didn’t react and just followed Ranik, keeping his eyes on him and ignoring the crowd.
“You want something to drink or hit the mat?”
Ranik turned his head over his shoulder to look at him with a questioning and still serious gaze.
“Uh… We could… have something to drink first I… guess.”
“Got’cha.”
Ranik turned to the Inn Keeper and ordered two beverages Andro never heard of. He made no complaint, choosing to trust Ranik not to poison him with some unknown liquid. They made their way to one of the tables at one of the darker corners of the Inn, only receiving light from the fireplace on the other side of the wall and shadowed by the half-walls on one side of the table.
Ranik dropped his bag on the wide chair that used the wall as its back and motioned Andro to sit in from of him. Ranik sat with his back against the wall, getting a good view of the entire establishment, including the door and the Inn’s drunken occupants. Andro sat stiffly in his place, looking around nervously and tightening his hold on his cape to better conceal his Mark.
After a short moment of silence, their drinks were delivered the Inn Keeper who hit them rather forcefully, in Andro’s opinion, on the table, making the liquid wave in the large cup and make some of it spill over to the dark wooden table. Ranik slapped a few silver coins on the table for the Inn Keeper and stared at him while he made his way back to the counter.
_ _ _
He sighed in slight relief and tiredness. He knew it wasn’t the smartest idea to stay down there. But he felt like a drink and Andro needed to get used to how alive the world actually was, not be in his safety blanket or partial or full isolation.
So, he grabbed his drink and raised it a bit.
“Come on. A drink! I promise you won’t regret it.” Ranik said, winking at Andro.
Andro raised his cup a bit, unsure of what to do. Ranik hit their cups together and took his drink to his mouth. He could see Andro from the corner of his eye slowly bring it to his face. He had to stop drinking and laugh when Andro sniffed it and pushed it away from his face with a disgusted expression.
“You’ll get used to it dude. After a few gulps of that you’ll love it. Kinda.” He chuckled again at Andro’s confusion.
But, once again putting his trust on Ranik, Andro pulled the cup to him and drank a few gulps before pulling it away. He coughed and took shallow breaths.
“It… It’s foul!” – he coughed a few more times and calmed down. – “How does someone find pleasure in something… like this?”
“Oh honey, the pleasure comes afterwards.” Ranik winked at him again.
Andro just lifted an eyebrow and showed a mildly confused expression before taking a few more sips, faster this time. Ranik gave a roar of laughter as he too pulled his drink to him and downed most of the cups content.
It was as he was setting the drink down that he heard the front door open. He narrowed his eyes and looked to see who was entering. You never know who could walk in and make it so their stay there would have to be shortened.
The first thing Ranik felt when he saw the figure that walked through the door was panic. Pure, raw panic. He heard his laugh, his loud and deep voice cutting through his ears.
He immediately recognized Kai. The officer that had saved his life not many years before. He had saved his life but Ranik had never felt one tiny bit safe around him. There was a chill that ran down his spine whenever they were in the same room; even worse when they spoke.
Forcing his memories back, Ranik slouched forward and hissed at Andro, trying to make himself as unnoticeable as possible.
“Andro.” – He whispered harshly, “Some asshole is probably going to come over here. If he does, just do what I tell you. Even if it seems horrible, just go with it. Last thing we want is for him to put his damn nose in this and fuck us sideways.”
Andro nodded uncertainly. He didn’t understand what Ranik had meant but seeing him so agitated only meant he was serious.
Ranik kept his eyes on Kai and tried to keep his posture relaxed. He could see Kai and 3 other men who he assumed were soldiers sitting by the counter, chugging down large amount of beer. ‘Drunk bastards. I hope they choke on their own bile by the end of the night.’
He hated loud drunks. Not only did they give him headaches but they were most likely to drag you over to their own filth.
But, as Ranik had predicted, it wasn’t long before Kai noticed him and yelled ‘way too loudly, fuck’ to the others that he was going to meet a friend ‘yeah right’. He started heading over to their table with a slight lack of coordination.
“Oh well, who have we here? Ranik old friend!” Kai yelled, putting one arm around Ranik’s shoulders and shaking him.
Ranik stiffened and glared at the pest next to him, growling softly.
“Get your filthy paws off me, you damn monkey! You smell worse than a camel’s breath.” He said, pushing Kai out of the way.
Kai let himself be pushed off, pulling his arms up in defeat, one hand holding a mug with beer spilling over the sides. He laughed loudly again, exaggerating in more than one way if you ask Ranik.
‘Bloody drunk’
“Ok, ok!”- he chuckled, “No need to get violent.”
Andro, sitting in front of Ranik, made himself as small as possible, pulling his drink to him. Kai, seeing Andro cower, slid to the seat next to him and leaned over, giving him a sniff.
“Eh?” - he sniffed him again, “Who’s your friend, Ranik? He smells good.” Kai smirks and leans closer to Andro.
“No one you should know about. Now get away from him asshole!” He growled and glared at Kai. The leopard just smiled like Ranik’s insults and threats didn’t faze him.
“Come on. You always keep the good stuff to yourself.”
“Because you’re already well fed. Now go away.”
“Now now Ranik, why so much secrecy? There are no secrets between friends right?” He was smiling but Ranik got a chill on his spine. He took a deep breath, doing the first thing he could think of, ‘Sorry Andro’.
Then, without warning, he pulled Andro around the table and to his side. Ranik grabbed Andro’s collar and pulled it to his neck. He kicked Andro’s legs under the table softly, silently telling him to go along. Which Andro did, ‘Thank the Gods’.
Andro pushed himself up from his awkward position and nuzzled his snout on Ranik’s neck, hiding his face for a moment. He gathered himself and did what he had been taught his whole life.
He moved one arm to grip Ranik’s middle for support. Pulling his head a bit back so it wasn’t completely hidden, he opened his mouth and let his tongue out. He gave a long lick on Ranik’s neck, trying out the feeling. He kept his eyes closed, letting his instinct guide his tongue as he continue to lick the other’s neck.
“This answer enough for you?” Ranik asked, giving Kai a glare. He berated himself for the small rapid intake of breath when Andro first did as he was told.
“Hmm, so you finally decided to get your own personal toy?”- He took another swing of the mug, “I’m surprised you got one of your own species though. One would think it would make you feel bad or some shit.”
Ranik slid an arm around Andro’s waist, making him sit with one leg between Ranik’s knees the other on the seat to Ranik’s left. Sensing the change of grip on his waist, he moved to lick and nuzzle on Ranik’s jaw and below, always being careful not to expose his Mark.
“Do I look like someone who gives a shit about that?” Ranik grabbed Andro’s hair at the back of his head and pushed him back, glaring at his face.
“This is just another piece of meat to entertain myself with for a while. Nothing more.”
“Oh! Then say, Ranik, don’t you wanna share him with us tonight? Me and the boys just came from a long trip and we could use a little… unwinding.” Ranik’s eyes widened slightly as he peered at Kai’s expression. He still held a smirk but it now held a darker aura than before.
“Get your own damn fuck toy. I don’t make a habit of sharing what’s mine.” Ranik smirked, “You’re like a flea that doesn’t want to just go away and die somewhere. Just go fuck each other if you’re so desperate.”
At that, Kai’s expression shifted. He was smirking with a... predatory glint in his eyes. Ranik’s fur stood on end, now his mind and body alert and ready in case the situation turned sour.
“Or we could just as well make you lend him. Or even better, make you join in as well. Everyone knows a Cheetah, even one as… built as yourself is no match for the rest of us.” He grinned, showing his glinting white teeth, “Hell, I could do it alone right here. I’ve always liked an audience anyways.”
Ranik was petrified. While the Kai always gave him the impression of not being totally safe, he wasn’t expecting to hear something like that from him.
His grip on Andro tightened, his leg muscles tensed and his eyes kept switching from Kai’s face to the entrance of the Inn and the several windows.
Seeing Ranik’s expression, Kai leaned back and gave off a loud laugh.
“Aw man! I really had you going there didn’t I?”
‘Fucking pest! I’ll castrate you next time I see you!’
“You really are a despicable little bug aren’t you?”
“Come on now, no need to be that mean to me. “ He said, a smile now adorning his face.
Ranik sighed. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, his blood running through his ears so loudly he could barely hear the chatter in the room.
“Until you give me a good reason to, I will treat you like I want.”
Ranik grabbed the back of Andro’s collar and yanked him off himself and got up.
“Your company made me lose my appetite. I hope you choke on that beer. Come, Andro.”
He grabbed his bag and, with Andro right behind him, headed for the man sitting at the desk located at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the upper part of the building. He dropped a few coins and asked for a room. It was arranged quickly and they were led to a small room barren of everything except a bed, an end table with a half-burnt candle on it and a small desk with a chair.
The room had one window at the end that overlooked part of the village but didn’t get any light at this time. The sun was setting towards the other side of the building. ‘Well, no matter. It’s not like I’ll be doing anything that I’m gonna need much light for.’
They were left alone as soon as they entered the room. Ranik moved to the door and locked it.
“You can never be too careful. The closer you get to the more populated areas, the more careful you have to be.”
Andro nodded, absentmindedly. He was standing in the middle of the room, staring at the window. Ranik glanced at him before turning to the chair and setting his cloak on it. He put the bag on the desk and moved to the bed. It was a small bed, just big enough for 2 people to sleep in, though touch was required unless one of them planned to sleep on the floor or the chair.
He plopped down on the right side of the bed, the side that faced the door. He stayed above the covers, not feeling like sleeping just yet. His heard was still uneasy. Meeting Kai again was not something he had expected. Though he tended to appear at the most random times in his life so much that he had already thought it wasn’t all a coincidence. In their first meeting, Kai had saved his life. But… even after that he still didn’t feel a tiny bit safe when the leopard was present.
He sighed and pulled his arms up to support his head against the headboard. Ranik turned his head towards Andro’s still figure. Andro hadn’t moved since they got into the room.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, worry creeping on his tone.
Andro got startled, his head turning towards Ranik.
“Nothing.” Andro turned his head to the window again. He walked towards it and opened it slightly, breathing the air that rushed into the room.
Ranik didn’t miss how Andro’s claws bit into the wood of the windowsill as Andro leaned on it. The tips of his hair were sticking to his head and his tail was uneasy. Something was clearly wrong. And Ranik planned on getting to the bottom of it. Patience had fled his mind after the encounter downstairs and he would rather Andro be straight to the point.
He swung his legs over to the other side of the bed and got up. He walked towards Andro, stopping at his side, facing the window. Andro kept his head low, his ears flat against his head. Ranik looked at him, wondering what was really bothering him. ‘Hmm maybe it was the “display” downstairs? Did I go too far?’ he mentally shook himself, ‘Even if it’s about that, it was necessary. It was the easiest way to get that fleabag to go away.’
“You really aren’t making a great effort to prove it’s nothing.”
At Ranik’s words, Andro looked the other way, his head still down. Andro’s tail shook in a panicky motion a few times before moving only with small fast swishes.
At a loss of what to do, Ranik moved his tail to wrap around Andro’s. He heard him gasp. Then Andro lowered his head even more. His claws made a creaking sound as they ran through the wood, loud in the silent room.
“I’m sorry about downstairs. I couldn’t give that guy an excuse to look into us. That was the only thing I could think of at the moment… I’m sorry.” His own ears started lowering in worry. Given Andro’s attitude towards his past lifestyle he had assumed that Andro wouldn’t have made a big deal out of what happened just a few minutes before. But… maybe he was wrong.
“It’s not… that.”
Ranik frowned at those words.
“You sure?”
Andro nodded slowly.
“Then what is it? And don’t say nothing again; it’s painfully obvious something’s bothering you.”
Andro shook his head.
“I don’t…” Andro big his lower lip, silencing himself.
“Hmm?”
“I… don’t want you to… think of me differently…”
Ranik raised an eyebrow at that.
“We haven’t known each other for that long. I don’t really know what to think of you yet.”- He sighed, “Besides, what I think of you shouldn’t be important. It’s what you think of yourself that matters.”
Those words stabbed at his own mind. ‘Yeah, like I’m such a perfect example.’
Andro slowly looked up at Ranik, his eyes showing how unsure of himself he was. He straightened himself, putting himself at full height.
Andro was taller than Ranik by a few centimeters and Ranik had a feeling Andro would remain taller than him even after both reached adulthood.
“Even if that’s true… You’ve helped me more than anyone in my entire life. And you… haven’t given me any reason not to trust you so…”- He lowered his gaze from him, looking at both their feet, “I don’t want you to think badly of me.”
Ranik sighed. He grabbed Andro’s waist and pulled him into a hug. He rested his head on Andro’s shoulder, sighing softly. Hesitating at first, Andro pulled his arms around Ranik’s shoulder and put his forehead on Ranik’s shoulder.
“If I say my opinion of you won’t change, will you tell me what’s bothering you?” Ranik whispered.
He didn’t get an answer at first, making him wonder if Andro had heard him at all. But then, he got a small nod.
“I…”- he hesitated again, before taking a deep breath and continuing, “I… liked what happened… downstairs…” He tightened his grip on Ranik’s shoulders, hiding his head further into Ranik’s neck.
Ranik’s eye widened and he froze. ‘Well shit. Talk about unexpected’
“I figured you could take another break. Riding in this heat tires you out like fuck.” Said Ranik.
He walked off to a nearby palm tree and stretched until he felt a pop coming from his back. He sat down with his back against the trunk and watched, with a smirk, as Andro slowly got close to the water. He dipped his foot in slowly. It was cold but somewhat warm at the same time. Fresh. He dipped the tip of his tail in the water and put it up to his face. He grabbed the tip and squeezed, laughing slightly as water came drizzling down and his tail made a squish sound.
‘It’s like watching a cub get out of the house for the first time.’ And in a way it was. Andro hadn’t had the small luxury of a free childhood. Then again so hadn’t Ranik, though he couldn’t actually remember how his childhood had been.
Ranik yawned lazily and went up to where Eclipse was, still saddled up, and took a bag where they had stored food and got a jar. He left the bag on the shade of the same tree and ran to Andro’s side, splashing him on purpose. Andro gave out a surprised yelp while Ranik laughed loudly.
“You hungry?”
Andro shook his body to let out some of the water, leaving the fur on his neck and head all poofed up.
“Yes actually.”
“Awesome.” He leaned down and put the jar underwater, letting it gather some water. “Let’s go, food’s in the shade.”
Andro had forgotten about his hunger until Ranik had mentioned it. His bottom was still sore from all the horse riding; which became more obvious when he gave out a pained growl when he sat down. Ranik chuckled as he took his share from the bag and handed it to Andro.
“You’ll get used to it after a while. Just be glad you’re not ridding directly on the back of that thing. A pain in the ass that you’d feel for longer than that, believe me.”
Andro gave a small smile as he took a few things from the bag and started eating fast. He didn’t know how hungry he was until now. Ranik on the other hand, was taking his time. He knew they needed to reach Makar fast but there was no point in getting sick from eating too fast now. In the end that would only either make the trip last longer, or make his mood run sour from a painful stomach.
“I’m guessing you’ve never seen the Nile before.” Ranik said as he turned his head to look at Andro, who was chewing a piece of dry meat.
“What is a Nile?” He tilted his head, a confused expression stuck on his face.
“What’s a… Uh, that blue thing moving over there. The Nile river dude!” Ranik knew Andro hadn’t gone out much but the Nile was… well the Nile! Everyone knew what it was.
“Oh… I never knew we even had a river here. Or that such a river had a name.” He just shrugged and kept eating, obviously happy chewing and tearing the small piece of meat apart.
Ranik chuckled and shook his head.
“Well consider this your first lesson then. That,” – Ranik said, pointing one clawed finger at the river, “- is the Nile River. It’s real nice and big. There are a lot of ships going around in it up north; there’s too here in the south but you don’t see as many.” He took another big chunk out of his meat and drank a few gulps of water before continuing.
“It’s nice to swim there but you have to watch out where you swim. There are a lot of crocodiles hiding in the water, just waiting to bite a piece of your ass off.”
Ranik laughed at Andro’s wide eyes scared expression. The poor thing looked terrified as he looked between Ranik and the water.
“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how to look for them.”
Ranik leaned over to Andro slightly and ruffled his hair. Andro twitched and turned his head to Ranik fast, stiffening visibly. Seeing his reaction, Ranik sighed and leaned back, running a hand through his longer hair. He had taken the care to sit with his left side facing Andro. He didn’t need to see Andro’s flinch each time he saw it.
“Listen, I know it’s only been a few days since you became free but, if you want to blend in the city, you’re going to have to relax man.” He sighed. “Given what we are, the last thing we want is to draw attention to ourselves. And, given what you have on your back, the last thing you want is to draw attention to yourself.”
Andro looked down at his food and nodded after a while, giving it some thought.
“It is… difficult. Sometimes it’s easy to not think about touch but other times… well...”
Ranik looked at him with his one eye and finished his meal quickly and scooted closer to Andro, sitting really in front of him with his legs crossed; his eye gazing into Andro’s. Andro stopped eating abruptly, putting down the half-eaten fruit on his lap; the tip of his tail moving quickly from side to side.
Ranik flicked his vision to it for a second, keeping his eye on Andro’s face. He looked slightly alert, between fear and trust. Without warning, Ranik moved his tail slowly towards Andro’s and touched it lightly. Andro turned his head to them and then back at Ranik.
“Wh… What are you doing?” He asked, his voice slightly weak sounding.
“Don’t worry. Just… go with me for now.” – Andro’s eyes widened a little bit, making him look more terrified, - “Please.” Ranik added.
Andro’s eyes darted between his tail and Ranik’s focused face. Then, he took a deep breath and nodded. Ranik gave a small smile and moved his tail closer, still keeping his eye on Andro’s. When they touched again, Ranik curled his tail around Andro’s.
Their tails were less sensitive than other races’; they were the rudder when a Cheetah ran and, with their speeds, their tails needed to be more resilient. Ranik wanted to start someplace where Andro wouldn’t feel vulnerable and he guessed his tail was as good place as any to get him used to friendly physical contact ‘And people say I’m insensitive. Assholes.’
He moved it closer again, now bending it to loop around Andro’s tail that was now as still as stone. Ranik was stopped when Andro’s tail twitched and slowly leaned into his own. Ranik could tell Andro was starting to relax, even if only slightly, and to become accustomed to his touch.
“This is how we hold hands. You probably noticed how our claws don’t go back like other felines, which makes holding hands kinda hard. So we hold tails.”
Andro tilted his head to the side and looked between their tails and Ranik’s face.
“It… doesn’t feel unpleasant.”
Ranik chuckles.
“If it was ‘unpleasant’ would I be doing it with you?” he arched an eyebrow and smirked.
Andro furrowed his brows and lowered his head. Ranik sighed softly and reached over to gently put his hand on Andro’s face causing the other to lift his eyes to look at his face.
“Look, I know life has been rough for you. But I know what that’s like too. I won’t hurt you, not intentionally. So you can relax now, ok?
“Ok.” Andro said, leaning back into the tree and closing his eyes. His tail moved around Ranik’s.
He could feel the hard and slightly knotted fur on the tip and underside of Ranik’s tail. His fur there was longer than Andro’s and dirty from not being cleaned properly.
But he didn’t mention any of this to him or even became uncomfortable with the slightly rough touch. No matter the state of Ranik’s fur or the slight roughness of his touch, he was just glad someone was touching him without malice and concerned with making him comfortable.
They sat together like that for a long time, or it seemed like it to Andro though he didn’t mind it in the least. But it all came to an end when Ranik uncurled his tail from his and got up, taking the bag of food and the water with him. Andro gave a small whine at the loss and looked up at Ranik.
Ranik stopped midstep and turned around. Knowing what made Andro like that, he curled his tail at Andro, silently telling him to follow.
“Come on, we have to hurry if we want to sleep with a roof over our heads.”
Andro watched Ranik turn around and walk to his horse. For a second, he had forgotten why they were out there. He got up, dusted his bottom and walked to Eclipse. Ranik was quick preparing the horse and soon enough they were on their way again.
They had stayed on that spot on the Nile’s shore for little time but Andro had liked it and hoped they would return there again.
_ _ _
It was near sundown when they reached the next Inn. This one was in a bigger village the last. From Ranik’s back, Andro could see villagers running around with baskets filled with food, water and cloths, ships docking in the small port that touched the Nile, smoke coming out of the chimneys of people’s houses and bigger buildings, like the one where he and Ranik had slept in and not.
Andro didn’t tell Ranik the ache that had been spreading on his back since about halfway through the journey. But it wasn’t that burning hot pain he had felt before so he didn’t mention it. ‘It’s probably from all the riding.’
Ranik once again, Andro noticed, led Eclipse to a slightly covered area away from the village. He didn’t question it. They stopped behind a heavily bushed area with a few palm trees. Ranik hopped off and grabbed Andro’s hips, Andro put his arms on Ranik’s shoulders to balance himself, and helped him off.
The ground below their paws was rough and with some sort of spiky short grass that Andro had never seen before. He accidentally stepped on a few following Ranik to the entrance of the village, leaving his feet a bit sore. So he just stepped over Ranik’s pawprints. He seemed to know where to put his paws.
The village entrance loomed over them quickly. The board with the name of the village was old and the letters were no longer visible on the worn and dusty wood. The ground got more firm as they walked, going from sand to compacted dirt and rock. He could hear their claws grazing the rock. Around them the streets and buildings were worn and smelled of old fish and salt. This was fishing village Ranik had told him on the way so it was to be expected. But the scent still hit Andro’s head like a hammer each time he breathed in.
The people around them were now walking slower and staring at them as they got deeper into the village. From the fisherman to the soldiers and even the few people who seemed to fit in the “town beggar” category.
“Get closer to me. Don’t look at anyone, just ahead.” Said Ranik as Andro was looking around wide eyes at everything he saw.
Andro complied. He could already see what appeared to be the Inn. It was a large building with several old looking decorations, mostly fish-related. There were a few people on the balconies on the levels above and on the ground just outside the door, chatting away with beverages on their hands and laughter on their throats. It seemed to have a more diverse range of costumers than the last Inn they had slept at. Andro saw women and men in rugs and small cloths that were still drying, possibly fishermen Andro guessed, people clad in armor, leather or metal, and people in casual robes.
Though the chatting lessened as Ranik and Andro reached the doors. Even in the quick motion of Ranik opening the door and letting himself and Andro in, Andro could hear the laughter dim and low chatter began to dominate the Inn.
He didn’t react and just followed Ranik, keeping his eyes on him and ignoring the crowd.
“You want something to drink or hit the mat?”
Ranik turned his head over his shoulder to look at him with a questioning and still serious gaze.
“Uh… We could… have something to drink first I… guess.”
“Got’cha.”
Ranik turned to the Inn Keeper and ordered two beverages Andro never heard of. He made no complaint, choosing to trust Ranik not to poison him with some unknown liquid. They made their way to one of the tables at one of the darker corners of the Inn, only receiving light from the fireplace on the other side of the wall and shadowed by the half-walls on one side of the table.
Ranik dropped his bag on the wide chair that used the wall as its back and motioned Andro to sit in from of him. Ranik sat with his back against the wall, getting a good view of the entire establishment, including the door and the Inn’s drunken occupants. Andro sat stiffly in his place, looking around nervously and tightening his hold on his cape to better conceal his Mark.
After a short moment of silence, their drinks were delivered the Inn Keeper who hit them rather forcefully, in Andro’s opinion, on the table, making the liquid wave in the large cup and make some of it spill over to the dark wooden table. Ranik slapped a few silver coins on the table for the Inn Keeper and stared at him while he made his way back to the counter.
_ _ _
He sighed in slight relief and tiredness. He knew it wasn’t the smartest idea to stay down there. But he felt like a drink and Andro needed to get used to how alive the world actually was, not be in his safety blanket or partial or full isolation.
So, he grabbed his drink and raised it a bit.
“Come on. A drink! I promise you won’t regret it.” Ranik said, winking at Andro.
Andro raised his cup a bit, unsure of what to do. Ranik hit their cups together and took his drink to his mouth. He could see Andro from the corner of his eye slowly bring it to his face. He had to stop drinking and laugh when Andro sniffed it and pushed it away from his face with a disgusted expression.
“You’ll get used to it dude. After a few gulps of that you’ll love it. Kinda.” He chuckled again at Andro’s confusion.
But, once again putting his trust on Ranik, Andro pulled the cup to him and drank a few gulps before pulling it away. He coughed and took shallow breaths.
“It… It’s foul!” – he coughed a few more times and calmed down. – “How does someone find pleasure in something… like this?”
“Oh honey, the pleasure comes afterwards.” Ranik winked at him again.
Andro just lifted an eyebrow and showed a mildly confused expression before taking a few more sips, faster this time. Ranik gave a roar of laughter as he too pulled his drink to him and downed most of the cups content.
It was as he was setting the drink down that he heard the front door open. He narrowed his eyes and looked to see who was entering. You never know who could walk in and make it so their stay there would have to be shortened.
The first thing Ranik felt when he saw the figure that walked through the door was panic. Pure, raw panic. He heard his laugh, his loud and deep voice cutting through his ears.
He immediately recognized Kai. The officer that had saved his life not many years before. He had saved his life but Ranik had never felt one tiny bit safe around him. There was a chill that ran down his spine whenever they were in the same room; even worse when they spoke.
Forcing his memories back, Ranik slouched forward and hissed at Andro, trying to make himself as unnoticeable as possible.
“Andro.” – He whispered harshly, “Some asshole is probably going to come over here. If he does, just do what I tell you. Even if it seems horrible, just go with it. Last thing we want is for him to put his damn nose in this and fuck us sideways.”
Andro nodded uncertainly. He didn’t understand what Ranik had meant but seeing him so agitated only meant he was serious.
Ranik kept his eyes on Kai and tried to keep his posture relaxed. He could see Kai and 3 other men who he assumed were soldiers sitting by the counter, chugging down large amount of beer. ‘Drunk bastards. I hope they choke on their own bile by the end of the night.’
He hated loud drunks. Not only did they give him headaches but they were most likely to drag you over to their own filth.
But, as Ranik had predicted, it wasn’t long before Kai noticed him and yelled ‘way too loudly, fuck’ to the others that he was going to meet a friend ‘yeah right’. He started heading over to their table with a slight lack of coordination.
“Oh well, who have we here? Ranik old friend!” Kai yelled, putting one arm around Ranik’s shoulders and shaking him.
Ranik stiffened and glared at the pest next to him, growling softly.
“Get your filthy paws off me, you damn monkey! You smell worse than a camel’s breath.” He said, pushing Kai out of the way.
Kai let himself be pushed off, pulling his arms up in defeat, one hand holding a mug with beer spilling over the sides. He laughed loudly again, exaggerating in more than one way if you ask Ranik.
‘Bloody drunk’
“Ok, ok!”- he chuckled, “No need to get violent.”
Andro, sitting in front of Ranik, made himself as small as possible, pulling his drink to him. Kai, seeing Andro cower, slid to the seat next to him and leaned over, giving him a sniff.
“Eh?” - he sniffed him again, “Who’s your friend, Ranik? He smells good.” Kai smirks and leans closer to Andro.
“No one you should know about. Now get away from him asshole!” He growled and glared at Kai. The leopard just smiled like Ranik’s insults and threats didn’t faze him.
“Come on. You always keep the good stuff to yourself.”
“Because you’re already well fed. Now go away.”
“Now now Ranik, why so much secrecy? There are no secrets between friends right?” He was smiling but Ranik got a chill on his spine. He took a deep breath, doing the first thing he could think of, ‘Sorry Andro’.
Then, without warning, he pulled Andro around the table and to his side. Ranik grabbed Andro’s collar and pulled it to his neck. He kicked Andro’s legs under the table softly, silently telling him to go along. Which Andro did, ‘Thank the Gods’.
Andro pushed himself up from his awkward position and nuzzled his snout on Ranik’s neck, hiding his face for a moment. He gathered himself and did what he had been taught his whole life.
He moved one arm to grip Ranik’s middle for support. Pulling his head a bit back so it wasn’t completely hidden, he opened his mouth and let his tongue out. He gave a long lick on Ranik’s neck, trying out the feeling. He kept his eyes closed, letting his instinct guide his tongue as he continue to lick the other’s neck.
“This answer enough for you?” Ranik asked, giving Kai a glare. He berated himself for the small rapid intake of breath when Andro first did as he was told.
“Hmm, so you finally decided to get your own personal toy?”- He took another swing of the mug, “I’m surprised you got one of your own species though. One would think it would make you feel bad or some shit.”
Ranik slid an arm around Andro’s waist, making him sit with one leg between Ranik’s knees the other on the seat to Ranik’s left. Sensing the change of grip on his waist, he moved to lick and nuzzle on Ranik’s jaw and below, always being careful not to expose his Mark.
“Do I look like someone who gives a shit about that?” Ranik grabbed Andro’s hair at the back of his head and pushed him back, glaring at his face.
“This is just another piece of meat to entertain myself with for a while. Nothing more.”
“Oh! Then say, Ranik, don’t you wanna share him with us tonight? Me and the boys just came from a long trip and we could use a little… unwinding.” Ranik’s eyes widened slightly as he peered at Kai’s expression. He still held a smirk but it now held a darker aura than before.
“Get your own damn fuck toy. I don’t make a habit of sharing what’s mine.” Ranik smirked, “You’re like a flea that doesn’t want to just go away and die somewhere. Just go fuck each other if you’re so desperate.”
At that, Kai’s expression shifted. He was smirking with a... predatory glint in his eyes. Ranik’s fur stood on end, now his mind and body alert and ready in case the situation turned sour.
“Or we could just as well make you lend him. Or even better, make you join in as well. Everyone knows a Cheetah, even one as… built as yourself is no match for the rest of us.” He grinned, showing his glinting white teeth, “Hell, I could do it alone right here. I’ve always liked an audience anyways.”
Ranik was petrified. While the Kai always gave him the impression of not being totally safe, he wasn’t expecting to hear something like that from him.
His grip on Andro tightened, his leg muscles tensed and his eyes kept switching from Kai’s face to the entrance of the Inn and the several windows.
Seeing Ranik’s expression, Kai leaned back and gave off a loud laugh.
“Aw man! I really had you going there didn’t I?”
‘Fucking pest! I’ll castrate you next time I see you!’
“You really are a despicable little bug aren’t you?”
“Come on now, no need to be that mean to me. “ He said, a smile now adorning his face.
Ranik sighed. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, his blood running through his ears so loudly he could barely hear the chatter in the room.
“Until you give me a good reason to, I will treat you like I want.”
Ranik grabbed the back of Andro’s collar and yanked him off himself and got up.
“Your company made me lose my appetite. I hope you choke on that beer. Come, Andro.”
He grabbed his bag and, with Andro right behind him, headed for the man sitting at the desk located at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the upper part of the building. He dropped a few coins and asked for a room. It was arranged quickly and they were led to a small room barren of everything except a bed, an end table with a half-burnt candle on it and a small desk with a chair.
The room had one window at the end that overlooked part of the village but didn’t get any light at this time. The sun was setting towards the other side of the building. ‘Well, no matter. It’s not like I’ll be doing anything that I’m gonna need much light for.’
They were left alone as soon as they entered the room. Ranik moved to the door and locked it.
“You can never be too careful. The closer you get to the more populated areas, the more careful you have to be.”
Andro nodded, absentmindedly. He was standing in the middle of the room, staring at the window. Ranik glanced at him before turning to the chair and setting his cloak on it. He put the bag on the desk and moved to the bed. It was a small bed, just big enough for 2 people to sleep in, though touch was required unless one of them planned to sleep on the floor or the chair.
He plopped down on the right side of the bed, the side that faced the door. He stayed above the covers, not feeling like sleeping just yet. His heard was still uneasy. Meeting Kai again was not something he had expected. Though he tended to appear at the most random times in his life so much that he had already thought it wasn’t all a coincidence. In their first meeting, Kai had saved his life. But… even after that he still didn’t feel a tiny bit safe when the leopard was present.
He sighed and pulled his arms up to support his head against the headboard. Ranik turned his head towards Andro’s still figure. Andro hadn’t moved since they got into the room.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, worry creeping on his tone.
Andro got startled, his head turning towards Ranik.
“Nothing.” Andro turned his head to the window again. He walked towards it and opened it slightly, breathing the air that rushed into the room.
Ranik didn’t miss how Andro’s claws bit into the wood of the windowsill as Andro leaned on it. The tips of his hair were sticking to his head and his tail was uneasy. Something was clearly wrong. And Ranik planned on getting to the bottom of it. Patience had fled his mind after the encounter downstairs and he would rather Andro be straight to the point.
He swung his legs over to the other side of the bed and got up. He walked towards Andro, stopping at his side, facing the window. Andro kept his head low, his ears flat against his head. Ranik looked at him, wondering what was really bothering him. ‘Hmm maybe it was the “display” downstairs? Did I go too far?’ he mentally shook himself, ‘Even if it’s about that, it was necessary. It was the easiest way to get that fleabag to go away.’
“You really aren’t making a great effort to prove it’s nothing.”
At Ranik’s words, Andro looked the other way, his head still down. Andro’s tail shook in a panicky motion a few times before moving only with small fast swishes.
At a loss of what to do, Ranik moved his tail to wrap around Andro’s. He heard him gasp. Then Andro lowered his head even more. His claws made a creaking sound as they ran through the wood, loud in the silent room.
“I’m sorry about downstairs. I couldn’t give that guy an excuse to look into us. That was the only thing I could think of at the moment… I’m sorry.” His own ears started lowering in worry. Given Andro’s attitude towards his past lifestyle he had assumed that Andro wouldn’t have made a big deal out of what happened just a few minutes before. But… maybe he was wrong.
“It’s not… that.”
Ranik frowned at those words.
“You sure?”
Andro nodded slowly.
“Then what is it? And don’t say nothing again; it’s painfully obvious something’s bothering you.”
Andro shook his head.
“I don’t…” Andro big his lower lip, silencing himself.
“Hmm?”
“I… don’t want you to… think of me differently…”
Ranik raised an eyebrow at that.
“We haven’t known each other for that long. I don’t really know what to think of you yet.”- He sighed, “Besides, what I think of you shouldn’t be important. It’s what you think of yourself that matters.”
Those words stabbed at his own mind. ‘Yeah, like I’m such a perfect example.’
Andro slowly looked up at Ranik, his eyes showing how unsure of himself he was. He straightened himself, putting himself at full height.
Andro was taller than Ranik by a few centimeters and Ranik had a feeling Andro would remain taller than him even after both reached adulthood.
“Even if that’s true… You’ve helped me more than anyone in my entire life. And you… haven’t given me any reason not to trust you so…”- He lowered his gaze from him, looking at both their feet, “I don’t want you to think badly of me.”
Ranik sighed. He grabbed Andro’s waist and pulled him into a hug. He rested his head on Andro’s shoulder, sighing softly. Hesitating at first, Andro pulled his arms around Ranik’s shoulder and put his forehead on Ranik’s shoulder.
“If I say my opinion of you won’t change, will you tell me what’s bothering you?” Ranik whispered.
He didn’t get an answer at first, making him wonder if Andro had heard him at all. But then, he got a small nod.
“I…”- he hesitated again, before taking a deep breath and continuing, “I… liked what happened… downstairs…” He tightened his grip on Ranik’s shoulders, hiding his head further into Ranik’s neck.
Ranik’s eye widened and he froze. ‘Well shit. Talk about unexpected’
Suggested Collections
Featured in Groups
FFFFFFuuuuuu... I can't put the entire file here.... says its TOO BIG -.- I couldn't include the smutty part here (I stopped here in a part that was not selected as a stop, meaning this was supposed to continue but oh well)
I'll post this chapter in 3 parts. This 3.1, then 3.2 with the smutty bit (it's longer than I thought it would be lol) and then 3.3 as the last part.
Part 3.2 is finished and I'll upload it later this week, thursday~friday maybe. Part 3.3 isn't done yet, I'm in the middle of writing it so I can't tell when it's going to be uploaded.
I'll upload the full version on FictionPress.com
I didn't put any Mature Content warning here 'cause I think it doesn't need one. But if any of you think it does then please tell me and I'll put it up.
Reviews of any kind are always welcome <3
Word Count: 4.945
Genre: Fantasy, Romance (M/F, M/M, F/F)
Chapter 1: Heist Gone Wrong - fav.me/d6fvnli
Chapter 2: The Thief and The Slave - fav.me/d6fvnli
Chapter 3: The Contact Part 1 - fav.me/d6i3xqe
Chapter 4: The Contact Part 2 - fav.me/d6pq213
The Sand, Our Lives universe © ~Redbell9
I'll post this chapter in 3 parts. This 3.1, then 3.2 with the smutty bit (it's longer than I thought it would be lol) and then 3.3 as the last part.
Part 3.2 is finished and I'll upload it later this week, thursday~friday maybe. Part 3.3 isn't done yet, I'm in the middle of writing it so I can't tell when it's going to be uploaded.
I'll upload the full version on FictionPress.com
I didn't put any Mature Content warning here 'cause I think it doesn't need one. But if any of you think it does then please tell me and I'll put it up.
Reviews of any kind are always welcome <3
Word Count: 4.945
Genre: Fantasy, Romance (M/F, M/M, F/F)
Chapter 1: Heist Gone Wrong - fav.me/d6fvnli
Chapter 2: The Thief and The Slave - fav.me/d6fvnli
Chapter 3: The Contact Part 1 - fav.me/d6i3xqe
Chapter 4: The Contact Part 2 - fav.me/d6pq213
The Sand, Our Lives universe © ~Redbell9
© 2014 - 2024 Redbell9
Comments5
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
1) I totally missed your writing and I love that it is back YAY!!
2) Andro is ADORABLE! LKJHWSFUKYGFWLH!!!! GAHHHHH!~~
3) Kai is a really bad drunk, kinda like me >.>
there were a couple times where there was a wrong word so I had to take a couple seconds to re read a sentence to find out what you meant to say XD other than that this was a pretty quick read and very enjoyable. I wouldn't give it a mature filter, I didn't think It needed one. but if the smutty bit gets pretty extreme I would put one on then.
2) Andro is ADORABLE! LKJHWSFUKYGFWLH!!!! GAHHHHH!~~
3) Kai is a really bad drunk, kinda like me >.>
there were a couple times where there was a wrong word so I had to take a couple seconds to re read a sentence to find out what you meant to say XD other than that this was a pretty quick read and very enjoyable. I wouldn't give it a mature filter, I didn't think It needed one. but if the smutty bit gets pretty extreme I would put one on then.