Warrick closes his eyes, a peaceful stillness enveloping him. Several minutes pass, and still, his eyes remain shut. Annoyance flickers within me. 'You're not sleeping, are you? We're supposed to be hunting down a blossom fox,' I grumble, irritation lacing my words.
A smile tugs at the corners of his frustratingly handsome face, though his eyes remain closed. 'I'll be able to pick up its scent when one is nearby. I don't need my eyes to find one. I might as well sleep while I wait since you don't want to talk to me,' he responds casually.
'I never said I don't want to talk to you,' I retort, confusion seeping into my voice.
'I want to know everything about you, but you don't seem willing to tell me. So, if that's the case, I'm going to sleep,' he states matter-of-factly.
'There are plenty of other things we can talk about,' I reply, a flicker of frustration creeping into my voice.
Warrick shrugs nonchalantly. 'Not interested in anything else,' he declares.
'Stubborn beast,' I mutter under my breath, exasperation bubbling within me.
His smile widens. 'Stubborn wolf,' he retorts, his tone laced with amusement.
My frustration flares, and I hastily rise to my feet, unable to contain my exasperation any longer. 'You are so infuriating. Do you know that?' I shout at him, my voice reverberating through the surrounding trees.
A smile dances upon his lips, undeterred by my outburst. 'No, I didn't know that. But thanks for letting me know,' he responds with unexpected kindness.
Seething, I let out a scream of pure frustration, the sound echoing through the quiet woods. The flufflehorn wakes and runs from Warrick's lap into the dense bushes. It’s at that moment that Warrick’s amused chuckle fills the air.
‘Well, there goes the blossom fox,’ he chuckles.
'Wait! What do you mean?' I ask, with confusion and curiosity taking hold.
'The scent was getting closer until you screamed like a dying sandgull,' he explains, a mischievous gleam dancing in his eyes.
'A dying sandgull?' I sputter incredulously.
Warrick rises to his feet, his smile unwavering. Without hesitation, he removes his pants and tosses them in my direction before swiftly transforming into his large majestic wolf. He takes off, his paws swiftly carrying him through the undergrowth.
'Get back here, Warrick! Or I'll magically bind you back to where I found you, you oversized beast!' I shout after him as I chase him through the woods.
The tension between Warrick and me lingers in the air as Orelious and Xander lean against a nearby tree, observing our squabble. It's as if the whole forest is holding its breath, awaiting the outcome of our banter.
'It's not my fault that the fox got away,' I argue, my voice laced with frustration. 'If you had told me the moment you picked up its scent, we would have been quiet and caught it!'
Warrick crosses his arms, and a smirk dances across his lips. 'I was quiet,' he retorts. 'It's not my fault you're as graceful as a screeching glamonkey.'
The comment stings, and I shoot him a glare filled with fiery determination. Our bickering awakens Mister Kal first, then Janie and Imogen sit up and rub their foreheads, their gaze fixed on us. The glowhorns stir from sleeping in the grass, lift their heads, but then return to sleep, unlike Janie, Imogen and Mister Kal, who all now seem wide awake.
‘You said I sounded like a dying sandgull. Now you insult me by calling me a screeching glamonkey. So, be warned, Warrick,’ I caution him. ‘You better sleep with one eye open.’
‘Or else, what?’ Warrick smiles.
‘I-I haven’t thought that far ahead,’ I frown.
Warrick crosses his arms and smirks, ‘I’m sure I could help you come up with a list of punishments you can do to me,’ he says, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, causing Xander and Orelious to chuckle.
'Warrick!' I growl, my frustration mounting.
'I love it when you say my name,' he hums, his eyes twinkling.
‘That’s it! Janie, Xander, I demand you magically bind this hairy beast back where we found him. Stat!’
‘But we need him to find the blossom fox,’ Janie interjects.
‘I’ll find it myself,’ I say to her and grab her hands, standing behind her. ‘Now, come on, do your magical zip-zapping thing,’ I tell her, moving her hands in the air.
Janie laughs, stepping away from me. 'Rose, stop it. I don't even know how to magically bind anyone yet,' she said, her amusement evident.
‘Well, Xander is an expert at it, seeing how he’s bound plenty of Felderians to the crystal mines and his furry backside,’ I gesture at Warrick.
Xander cringes at my words while Warrick frowns at me. 'My backside is only furry when I shift into my wolf,' Warrick counters back, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
'I'm well aware, Warrick, especially since you seem to enjoy removing your pants right in front of me at every chance you get,' I shoot back.
Imogen and Janie can't contain their laughter, covering their mouths to stifle their giggles.
'Would you two please stop arguing and be quiet?' Orelious interjects, his tone stern. 'We need to let my beloved rest. There are still two hours until sunrise, and I must ensure she remains well-rested to keep strong.'
'Aww, you're so sweet, Orelious,' Imogen coos, stepping closer to him.
Orelious cups her face gently, their lips meeting in a tender kiss.
'You're my precious little gemstone,' Orelious says to her as they part, his voice filled with adoration.
Imogen blushes but shakes her head playfully. 'Orelious, you're embarrassing me with all your sweet words, but it's okay. I'm wide awake now, so there's no point in going back to sleep.'
Orelious pulls Imogen into an embrace, his protective instincts shining through as his eyes transformed into a deep, crimson hue, glowing with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. His long blonde hair defies gravity, floating in the air like the tendrils of an octopus.
'See what you've done? My precious is wide awake because of you two!' he exclaims, his voice laced with fury. In his anger, his fangs extend, revealing the primal nature that simmers beneath his composed demeanour.