Chapter 203: They are bullying me

Chapter 203: Chapter 203: They are bullying me

Miko leaned closer dramatically.

"They can kill you."

Tilla nearly dropped the basket.

Nilo immediately corrected:

"They’re learning to control venom."

Miko looked at him.

"That ruinth it."

"It makes it less scary."

"I want scary."

"I know."

Nilo wrapped one arm around Miko’s middle before he could run toward a group of younger children.

"No."

"But they need warning."

"Not the little ones."

"They could get bitten!"

Nilo thought.

Then pointed toward Mora.

"Tell Mora."

Miko brightened.

"Yes!"

He ran.

Nilo followed at a resigned little jog.

"MORA!"

The bear beastwoman turned.

Miko stopped in front of her, panting.

"My thithters are cute."

Mora waited.

"And?"

"They can kill you.

Mora stared.

Nilo arrived behind him.

"He is making ith sound worse."

"It ith not worse."

Mora looked toward Swanly.

Swanly covered her face.

Miko continued his tour.

He informed Tovan.

Then Sari.

Then a Sunmane warrior.

Then Raku.

Raku looked down at him.

"So I should not annoy them."

Miko nodded seriously.

"Correct."

"Anything else?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"They are very pretty."

Raku nodded.

"Important information."

"Very."

Nilo stood behind Miko with both arms loosely around his waist now because the youngest had attempted to wander toward the outer path twice.

Every time Miko leaned too far one direction, Nilo silently pulled him back.

Miko barely noticed anymore.

Eventually he slumped against his brother.

"I told everybody."

"You told six people."

"That ith everybody nearby."

Nilo considered.

"Fair."

Miko looked pleased.

Then leaned closer.

"My thithters are terrifying."

Nilo smiled.

"They’re babies."

"Terrifying babies."

Nilo nodded.

"That too."

...

Back near the shelter, Kairo had refused to abandon his post.

He sat cross-legged with Eira in his lap and Sira beside him.

Both girls were touching his face.

Eira had one hand on his cheek.

Sira was poking his nose.

Kairo endured it with the solemn patience of a male twice his age.

Kael sat nearby repairing a hunting strap.

Swanly watched her eldest.

"He really loves them."

Kael’s eyes softened.

"He decided they were his responsibility before they were born."

Kairo heard.

"I protect both."

Swanly smiled.

"I remember."

Sira poked his missing-tooth gap.

Kairo immediately pulled her finger away.

"No."

Sira grinned.

"Gap."

Everyone froze.

Kairo looked horrified.

Swanly’s mouth opened.

Sira pointed again.

"Gap."

Kael’s shoulders started shaking.

Kairo covered his mouth.

"No."

Eira looked toward him.

Then said, very quietly:

"Gap."

Kairo’s face collapsed.

Swanly lost it.

"No!"

Kairo looked betrayed.

"Mama!"

"I’m sorry!"

"You’re laughing!"

"I know!"

Eira reached toward his mouth.

"Gap."

Kairo stood with both babies.

"That’s rude."

Sira laughed.

A tiny bubbly laugh.

Eira remained completely serious.

Which somehow made it worse.

Kairo marched toward Swanly.

"Take them."

Swanly took Sira.

Kairo kept Eira.

Swanly noticed.

"You’re giving me only one?"

Kairo looked down at Eira.

Eira stared up.

Kairo sighed.

"She didn’t mean it."

Swanly nearly died from cuteness.

Kael muttered:

"Hopeless."

Kairo immediately defended himself.

"She’s little."

Soren returned at that moment.

He had been speaking with Raku.

Sira saw him.

Her smile disappeared.

Soren stopped.

"What?"

Sira turned her head away.

Eira did too.

Soren’s brow lifted.

Swanly smiled.

"They’re still angry with you."

"For making them neutralize venom?"

"Yes."

"They should be grateful for the lesson."

Sira looked at him.

"No."

Soren’s eyes narrowed.

"Excuse me?"

"No."

Eira added:

"Bad."

Swanly slapped both hands over her mouth.

Kael made a coughing sound that was absolutely laughter.

Soren looked at his daughters.

"My own children."

Sira turned and hugged Swanly’s chest.

"M’ma."

Eira reached toward Swanly too.

Kairo reluctantly passed her over.

Now Swanly had both little snake girls pressed against her.

Soren approached.

Swanly watched him.

There had been something strange between them since the mating.

Not hatred.

Not fear exactly.

Awkwardness.

That night had begun under Moonblush, with both of them impaired, instincts too loud and choices blurred. Afterward, Soren had never pushed her.

Never demanded closeness because there was a mark on her thigh.

Never acted as though mating meant he owned every part of her.

But perhaps because of that, they had barely learned how to simply be together.

Kael knew how to touch her without thinking.

Soren still watched first.

Waited.

Sometimes asked with his eyes instead of his mouth.

Today, he stopped directly in front of her.

His hand lifted.

Slowly.

Swanly saw it coming.

He touched her waist.

Just his palm.

Cool through the thin hide around her body.

Swanly stiffened for one second.

Soren immediately noticed.

His hand started to withdraw.

Swanly caught his wrist.

He looked at her.

She did not say anything.

Just kept his hand there.

Something in his silver eyes changed.

Softened.

His thumb moved once over her waist.

Swanly’s fox ears warmed.

Then two tiny hands appeared.

Eira grabbed Soren’s thumb.

Sira grabbed his fingers.

Together, the twins removed his hand from their mother.

Soren stared.

Swanly stared.

Kael looked up.

The girls shoved Soren’s hand away.

Sira hugged Swanly possessively.

"M’ma."

Eira pressed her cheek against Swanly’s other side.

"Mine."

Silence.

Kael turned away.

His shoulders shook.

Soren looked offended.

"You are both mine too."

Sira looked at him.

"No."

Swanly burst out laughing.

Soren’s pupils narrowed.

He reached toward Swanly again.

Two tiny hands slapped him away.

Soren’s face became blank.

"Sira."

She stared.

"Eira."

Eira stared too.

He tried a third time.

SMACK.

Swanly was dying.

"Soren..."

"They are bullying me."

"You started it earlier."

"I disciplined them."

Sira frowned.

"Bad Pa."

Eira nodded.

"Bad."

Kael laughed openly now.

Soren slowly leaned down.

Tap.

One finger lightly touched Eira’s forehead.

Tap.

Another tiny tap against Sira’s.

Both girls froze.

Their eyes widened.

Soren straightened.

"Do not hit your father."

Silence.

Then Sira’s mouth opened.

"WAAAAAAAH!"

Eira immediately followed.

"AAAAAAAH!"

Swanly panicked.

"Oh!"

She pulled them tighter.

"What happened? Did that hurt?"

Soren stared.

"I barely touched them."

Sira buried her face against Swanly’s chest, wailing.

Eira pressed both tiny fists beneath her eyes.

"WAAAAH!"

Swanly’s heart twisted.

"Soren!"

"I tapped them."

"They’re babies!"

"They slap me."

"They are tiny!"

Soren looked closer.

Then his expression changed.

He folded his arms.

Swanly frowned.

"What?"

"Look."

Swanly looked down.

Sira was screaming.

No tears.

Eira was screaming.

No tears.

Not one.

Swanly slowly narrowed her eyes.

Sira peeked up.

Saw Swanly looking.