Page 92 of Alien Warlord's Fury

The soft murmur of the children's voices, the gentle movements of the healers, the steady rhythm of Nirako'sbreathing—all of it washed over me, a reminder of what we'd fought for. What we'd won.

I drifted, not quite sleeping but resting, gathering strength for the journey ahead. My markings hummed with quiet energy, synchronized with Nirako's lifelines where our bodies touched. Balanced.

Connected. At peace.

NIRAKO

Ifelt the weight of Claire's body against my side, her steps still unsteady but determined. The forest path stretched before us, winding through terrain I would normally navigate with ease. Today, each step required calculation, a balance between supporting her and managing my own injuries.

My tail moved subtly behind me, a constant counterbalance on the uneven ground.

"You're favoring your left side," Claire murmured, her voice low enough that only I could hear it among the larger group moving around us.

"You're one to talk." I adjusted my arm around her waist, careful of the bandages beneath her clothing. "Your steps have been uneven since we left the ridge."

She didn't deny it, which told me more than any protest might have. The battle with Hammond had taken its toll on both of us. My ribs ached with each breath, and the slash across my thigh pulled with every step.

But Claire had channeled enough energy to bring down Hammond's entire system. The healers had been surprised she could walk at all.

"We should rest at the next clearing," I said, scanning the path ahead. The main alliance force moved around us—warriors, healers, and the three younglings we'd rescued, their small forms kept close to the center of our group.

Claire's silver markings responded faintly to her fatigue. "I can keep going."

"I know you can." I guided her around a fallen log. "That doesn't mean you should."

She sighed but didn't argue further. Progress. Before Hammond, she would have pushed until collapse just to prove a point.

The leader of our group, a seasoned tracker named Veren, raised his hand, signaling a rest period. Relief washed through me, though I kept my expression neutral. Claire needed the break more than she would admit.

I helped her to a smooth stone by the small clearing, then eased down beside her. The younglings sat nearby with two healers, their eyes clearer than they had been at the compound, but still haunted. One of them, a girl with intricate spiraling lifelines, watched us with curious intensity.

"She can sense our bond," I said quietly.

Claire followed my gaze. "How can you tell?"

"The way she's tracking the energy between us." I reached for my water skin, offering it to Claire first. "Nyxari younglings are particularly sensitive to energy patterns."

"She's likely never encountered a human-Nyxari bond before."

Claire took a small sip, then passed it back. "Is it... unusual? Beyond the obvious cross-species aspect?"

I drank, considering my words. "The Aerie have legends of fated bonds—connections that form despite all logic or circumstance. They're rare even among our own kind."

"And between species?"

"Unheard of. Until now."

Claire's fingers brushed against mine, a touch so light it might have been accidental. But the silver markings on her skin responded at the contact, responding to my proximity.

"What does it mean for us?" she asked. "After we return to the settlement?"

I looked at her directly. "It means whatever we choose it to mean."

"That's not an Aerie Kin answer." A small smile played on her lips. "Your people seem to have traditions for everything."

"We do." I let my thumb trace a circle on the back of her hand. "But this bond exists outside tradition. We're writing our own path."

The small Nyxari girl approached us then, her steps hesitant. I nodded to her, an invitation.

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