7. Bonds

                                    

                                          
 I woke up the next morning stuffy and sore, but clean.  Shuu was aggressively cuddling me which is why I felt so stuffy.  Curled around us was a beautiful white tiger named Winston.  
	Both males picked up their heads at the same time to look at me.  I have this feeling that they were sleeping in only because they were scared to wake me up, but that wasn't something I confirmed with them. 
	Winston moved first, shifting and checking me over.  His eyes were full of warmth sending tingles up my spine. Mitchell could only look at me like that when he had a soul stone around his neck.
	I know it was inevitable to have some comparison since Mitchell was the only person I'd been with intimately, but it was also uncomfortable to think about. I banished the observation out of my head.  It wouldn't do me any good to think like that.
	Shuu buried his head into my neck surprising the shit out of me.  "Shuu?!"
	Shuu let go immediately and his ears drooped.  "I'm sorry."  He didn't know she would dislike his affection that much. 
	Looking at the sad wolf-man made my heart hurt.  "No.  It's okay.  I was just surprised."
	The light of hope returned to Shuu's eyes.  "Oh!  I see."  Shuu entered caregiver mode. "Can I get you food or water?"
	Before I could respond, Winston came back in carrying both.  Shuu frowned and glowered at the male for beating him to it, but Winston only had eyes for Grace. 
	"I will start building the coop today.  Is there anything else you want?" His words were  as soft as his expression.  The fierce tiger male was nowhere to be seen. 
	My brain was not fit for active duty right now, but I tried to explain what the coop needed.  I'm sure that if it doesn't turn out right, we can make it better later. When I finished, Winston held his hand out to me.
	I was not surprised to see the emerald there.  The story never said when Winston got this thing, but I chose not to think about it before. My hesitation was noticed and Winston looked almost hurt. I put my hand on his to reassure him that all was well. 
	"Thank you, Winston."  His face appeared much better than before, though not the same as it had been.  He and Shuu both eyed me expectantly as I debated eating it. 
	There was no guarantee it would heal me.  If it did, that was okay.  I was no longer in the City of Flame and could raise children here.  I just doubted that it could heal since that would negate Winston's scar being a big deal.  Perhaps it could heal me and prove that Winston's scar is a plot hole.  Either way, I had no reason to reject this gift now. 
	I set the emerald in my mouth and waited for it to melt.  No matter how many times I did this with crystals, I had a hard time getting used to the sudden change.  It wasn't like an ice cube melting.  It was much quicker with no temperature difference.  
	Shuu was disappointed that he could not offer such an amazing thing to his mate.  Winston was truly respectable for having hunted a herbivore colossal. "I will hunt and look for the materials you mentioned before."  Shuu did not want to go anywhere, but he also wanted his female to know that he was responsible and dedicated.  
	"Okay."  I reached up and gave Shuu's ears a scratch.  "Thank you."
	Shuu barely had his tunic fastened on him as he ran.  He was going to wow his female with his finds.  
	I gave Winston the same treatment before he left. I felt very little difference after the emerald.  I could chalk up the energy boost to a placebo effect rather than an actual change.  Maybe the ape king will be able to tell if it helped, but I wasn't going to go ask him to check.