Page 117 of Citrine

I am so happy when that term translates and need to know if the most important one does. "He has agreed to help me build a safe community."

Bingo! I keep myself from doing a little jig. This scene is scary enough as it is, and I have no dancing skills to speak of.

"I know we probably don't look very trustworthy right now, but would you consider taking a swim across the lake and talking with some more of us?"

He looks behind me again and his fur shivers. I finally hazard a look myself. Wroahk has a chunk of the Many Teeth in his mouth, its blood flowing down his chest, and is giving Rannek a death glare with his shark eyes.

Would I say yes to going anywhere with that?

Dios. I did say yes. I am totally insane.

My throat stings and I am back to a yelling whale. "Wroahk. If you try to run away potential friendsby looking like a serialkiller I will not forgive you. I know what you are trying to do so just stop it."

He shifts his gaze to me and I raise my tentacles at him to let him know I mean business. "Get that out of here and clean yourself up. No sane female would ever touch a male who acted like you are acting right now."

"This is a common way for me to act, and you still touch me."

I turn back around, not acknowledging the fact he just questioned my sanity. I do that quite a lot myself, such as less than a minute ago, so I don't have a good retort.

There is a big splash I assume to be him lobbing the Many Teeth back into the water and then the smaller ones that lets me know he is going to wash himself off.

Rannek visibly relaxes a moment later. Best to not tell him that Wroahk would be up here in less than two seconds if he tries to hurt me.

It seems like we need a nice neutral topic. "What job did you do before you came here? I cleaned and helped people buyfood. Uh, I helped them get food."

The wordbuydidn't translate. I really want to know more about a culture that doesn't have a word for purchasing.

He slowly slides down the couple feet he made it up the tree. The three digits on his limbs seem to work the same exact way.They are situated in a triangular shape and each one can bend in toward the oval shape between them. The only difference is the scale of his feet is larger than his hands.

"I am a builder of useful beauty. Mostly of clay, but also wood and stone."

There is no way this man is a threat. "I love that. I wish I had enough time to develop some artistic talent, but I always worked too hard."

The male is looking more and more relaxed, but he's still periodically darting his eyes to the water. "Everyone should have time for art. In my village, everyone worked hard, but there was time left for what we loved. That way, no one person was left to only do the unpleasant tasks."

I'm feeling smug now. Wroahk will hear about this one until he complains about my words rotting his brain.

I found a model community member on my first recruitment attempt.

"Would you help me build that sort of place?" I point back behind me toward where we left Ree and Thivoll. "No one violent can get past the Many Teeth creatures to get there. You would be safe."

"Even Wroahk?"

I feel bad quashing the hope I hear in his tone. "Actually, he is the reason the island is safe. I know he didn't make a very goodfirst impression, but he won't hurt you once I tell him you are my friend."

Rannek looks back into the thick woods, and another shiver passes over him. "It might be a mistake to trust you, but I can't imagine staying out here. I have been injured many times as I ran, though I am healing faster than I should."

So he's been altered, too. Interesting. "We will keep you safe. I promise."

I turn back to the water and my throat shifts. "He is a friend, Wroahk. A very sweet soul I can't see ever hurting anyone."

He comes up from the water. Rannek takes a step back, but doesn't run away.

Wroahk doesn't look impressed. "He fled from a Many Teeth. He is not a worthwhile friendif he would retreat from such an easy fight."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Basta. You are being mean."

"I am stating the truth."

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