“The heart stands as the hardest working organ... that the Nok body possesses... due to it constantly beating, it is difficult to perform any kind of surgery on it... with that in mind, any surgery currently will have to... be done on the tubes… or as they are more commonly known the valve… by grafting another tube from a donor... onto it... see drawing. And then just made those to quarter circles around where the number should be,” Kenneth said to Nokoovo, who diligently wrote down everything he’d just said.

  Her penmanship was impeccable and easy to read, not that he could, properly spaced, and each letter was the same size.

  “Plebo!” She hissed in clear frustration.

  “Misspelled something?”

  “Instead of writing ‘Drawing’, I wrote dawning. All that work and I have to rewrite it,” Nokoovo sighed.

  Calmly, Kenenth looked over her shoulder and tapped on the eraser on the other end of the pencil, “Good thing we aren’t using ink now.”

  “Oh... I keep forgetting about it. It’s such a handy tool...” She yawned, turning the pencil and erasing the mistake, carefully.

  Enough torn pages had taught her not to put as much strength into it. But with how tired she looked, he was uncertain if she would remember.

  He was getting tired himself, but didn't let it show as much. He was used to working long hours, and he had been spending a lot of time putting pen to paper, writing down more and more for Nokoovo to translate and eventually use her artistic talents.

  “Kenneth, I’ve been wondering, how am I supposed to draw a heart if I’ve never seen one?” Nokoovo questioned. “If you tell me what it looks like, I can draw it, but it won’t be the same.”

  “My descriptive abilities aren’t for off with what I’ve seen on the remains of a battlefield, but yes, you are right, that is a problem if you don’t know,” Kenneth agreed. “A medical book is of all places not somewhere mistakes like that should reside, my kind learned that the hard way after a bit over a millennium. And while I have a few drawings after having seen organs sprawled out on the ground, they are far from anything on your caliber. I guess we’ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  “Why not go through the water? It’s relaxing?” Nokoovo questioned her scales, flickering before getting back to work.

  But before she could put pen to paper, the echoing footsteps outside the room signaled an arrival.

  Kept cozy under her black cloak, this one, not the feathery one Batugta had taken from his corpse, but one with long soft fur that easily protected her from the chill in the air, Nokuji stepped inside her sight, focused on the four in the room. “I expected the bag to be returned to me.”

  Kenneth was about to say something when Split quickly crossed the room and handed it to her.

  She snatched it from her, “Remember your orders, you disgrace.”

  “It wasn’t her fault,” Kenneth interveened. “The fault lies with me, and I do apologize, Lord Commander. We have just been busy working and must have lost track of time.”

  Her nostrils flared for a moment as she glanced at her daughter, who had erased and fixed her mistake. “Look at me when I speak, daughter.”

  “Sorry, mother,” She said quickly, obliging. “I was working on this, helping Kenneth translate his knowledge.”

  Nokuji stepped closer, only looking at the stack of papers as she quickly flipped through them, “Your ‘R’, ‘E’, and ‘HG’s’ are all sloppy. You’ve worked too much on this. We will speak later.”

  For a brief second, Kenneth thought he recognized the feeling of concern, pride, or warmth in Nokuji’s voice, but he was mistaken. It was just cold.

  ‘She took my bag, good, now hopefully I have a chance,’ He thought, turning to Nokoovo, who had already taken another piece of paper, ready to continue. “Don’t you think you’ve earned a break, maybe get some water?”

  “I want to...” She said, almost snapping, before calming herself. “I want to finish this. There are four more pages on the heart, wasn’t there?”

  “Yes. If you are up to it, let’s keep going,” Kenneth said, taking his seat. “By the way, I think your penmanship is fantastic.”

  “I... Thanks,” She replied, keeping her eyes down.

  As he read the next four pages and the last on the heart, he couldn’t help but wonder, as he looked at her work after what her mother had said, if she was repeating the same mistakes as he was. Pushing down her emotions in favour of work.

  But then again, not everyone was as dumb as he was.

  With the final press of the pencil, Nokoovo and Kenneth had finally finished this part of the book.

  “Feels good to be done with that. I’d offer you something to drink, but I only got salted meat and honey,” Kenneth said as he figured he might as well offer something. “Want some salted meat dipped in honey?”

  “I finished those drawings with the blood vessels and red blood cells, but I still need to finish those showing your needle-work and thread, over, under, and that,” She said, standing and turning to leave. “They are back in my room. I’ll get them, and you can see if I've done the other drawing right.”

  “An all-nighter, then, I will accompany you,” Kenneth said, walking over to grab Kolu.

  Nokoovo stopped up, “It will only be a moment. You don’t need to.”

  “What kind of man lets a young woman wander home at night all alone?” Kenneth replied, not easily deterred, as he took Kolu’s hand. “Besides, you are tired even if you don’t want to admit it. If you are going to suddenly fall asleep somewhere, it should be your home.”

  “Do you mean we will continue there?”

  “I hoped so.”

  Nokoovo’s scales flickered for a moment before she turned around. “Then… let’s not waste time.”

  She walked out of the room, and Kenneth was about to follow when Split quickly came up behind him. “You don’t listen to warnings, do you?”

  “I listen, but I don’t understand why you give her such a bad reputation over the things she did as a child,” Kenneth replied, walking out of the room.

  “I can’t protect you then.”

  Kenneth shrugged her off and continued walking in silence beside Nokoovo as they stepped out into the chill, dark night.

  Arriving at the Great Pyramid, they spotted a couple of people here and there, but they were mostly only guards on night patrol or here for a midnight snack. Hopefully, they weren’t caught by the cook. She was one mean and intense lady.

  He could only wish them the best of luck as he made his way into Nokuji’s and Nokoovo’s home; however, Split stayed back. “You aren’t coming?”

  “I told you.”

  “You have some sense. That’s good.” Nokoovo said, continuing on.

  Given that Kenneth had learned about how Split was held responsible for Nokoovo’s grandmother dying, it wasn’t all too big of a surprise that she wasn’t allowed to come inside here, or wanted to. It had been a bit of a gamble, but it paid off.

  As they walked down the stairs, it was eerily quiet; however, some footprints and dragging marks from a tail in the sand, along with a certain lack of neon light, told them it wasn’t vacant. ‘Best not disturb the parents.’

  However, that plan was not shared; it seemed as Nokoovo’s footsteps passed the closed door grew heavier. Though he doubted they would be heard, it still felt a bit strange of her to do so.

  When around her mother, she always seemed so obedient.

  He doubted it was something she wanted to talk about, and he wouldn’t press her on it. For now, his mind had to stay focused on the task at hand. After she opened the door, he went inside with Kolu.

  As opposed to last time, the room was not as neatly kept, with scattered papers here and there, all amassing at her desk, where he spotted the drawing of veins and blood cells. “As impressive as always.”

  She didn’t seem to notice the compliment, her mind focused on her task as she riffled through some of the drawings and found a couple with only the tools drawn.

  In the meantime, Kolu went ahead and began looking at some of the papers on the ground, childhood curiosity, for now, fighting off his drowsiness.

  “This is what I’ve made for now, but I have trouble with the thread on how to make it look right,” Nokoovo explained. “I’ve drawn it a thousand times, but it’s never clear enough in my head.”

  “Shall I be your muse then?” Kenneth chuckled as he pulled the tools from his pocket and got some thread. “I don’t know which way you want me to stand or how you want this, but you just tell me and I think we can get this done.”

  “Umm… keep holding it like that and I’ll draw.”

  “You got it.”

  She was quick to get to work drawing each step of the process for how to stitch and tie knots, her line work very precise, but slow going. She’d done about three drawings or three steps, having yawned six times and slowing ever so slightly.

  By now, she was barely keeping her eyes open, working away at the drawings. Little by little, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until they finally closed.

  In silence, he stood over her, watching, listening to her breath; he wanted to be sure, no matter how long it took, that she was sleeping. With careful and quiet footsteps hushed by the sand, he walked out of the room and into the main hall.

  The door to the neon sex dungeon was still closed. ‘Well, they have a healthy and enduring sex life. Eh… good for them.’

  Uncertain of when he was going to get a second chance, he pressed on ahead to the end of the hall and the three closed doors. Behind one of them, he hoped, was his bag. If he knew where Nokuji usually stacked it when he escaped, it would be far easier than having to search for it blindly.

  He began with the door on the right. Above all, he needed to be quiet, but when opening a stone door, that was easier said than done. He grabbed the iron handle and pulled as hard as he could, pressing against the wall with his other hand.

  The sides of the stone door rubbed against the stone frame and sand. Keeping it slow, he was able to lessen the sound, but to him it was just as loud, and he had no way of knowing if Nokoovo could hear it.

  Yet he pressed on, as he opened the door halfway, and inside there was nothing. No, not exactly nothing. It was more like a sandbox with the stone surrounding it, elevated and bare of sand. It kind of reminded Kenneth of the nest.

  “What are you doing?”

  Caught off guard and scared half to death, Kenneth could only look back at Nokoovo, who stared at him with a troubled expression. Before he could even formulate a lie, she closed the door as quickly as she could.

  “Um… sorry, I saw you were resting and I didn’t want to wake you. I was only trying to find the toilet,” Kenneth tried to explain, immediately kicking himself over it. ‘The toilet, really?! Of all the lies I could say! They only have public toilets here!’

  Turning around, he expected her to call him out on his bullshit, but instead, she walked over to the door adjacent to the one she’d closed and opened it.

  Inside was a toilet or just the ground raised with the seats chiseled out for the running water connected to the rivers outside to carry the waste out, and with enough space for your tail.

  However, Kenneth felt no relief at his luck skyrocketing before inevitably plummeting down. Instead, he barely contained his frustration, ‘Really, I’ve been shitting in a public toilet with the blue Olympic swimmer who can’t take a hint sitting right in front of me staring me down, and this was an option! Rich people and what money can buy.’

  “Why, thank you,” he said, his anger hidden under a mask of thankful glee; however, Nokoovo didn’t listen as she stared at the door he’d briefly opened with a vacant stare. “Are you okay?”

  He walked up to her, calmly placed his hand on her shoulder. Finally, he got her attention, she only briefly acknowledged him as she turned away, “Shouldn’t you be in there?”

  “I can hold myself, but is something wrong?” Kenneth asked. “I’m sorry I opened the door—“

  “Don’t…!” She sounded on edge, but quickly calmed herself. “Don’t talk about this door. Don’t talk to anyone about it. It has to stay closed. Let us… Let us continue.”

  It was clearly bothering her, but whatever this was, it wasn't something he was going to press her on, at least not now, when she was tired. For now, he simply followed her back to her room, certain that the last door had to be Nokuji’s bedroom, and most likely where his bag was.

  Her drawings were coming along greatly with Kenneth as the model, though he preferred it to be Nok hands; he wasn’t going to say so, not when she’d just finished.

  “What’s next?” She asked, placing down the pencil and moving her thumb around.

  “Cramp? Here, let me help,” he said, taking her hand and massaging the muscles.

  “Hiss…”

  “Sorry, does it hurt?”

  “N…no…”

  Rubbing firmly, Kenneth gyrated both of his thumbs, massaging the entirety of Nokoovo’s hand and wrists. All of it done in silence.

  “Umm…”

  “Yes…?” Kenneth asked, turning his head and looking her in the eyes.

  The hue of white her scales almost permanently had, changed like ripples on a calm body of water. “Y-you… you stink.”

  “Oh…” he stepped back and smelled under his armpit. Even though he had two layers of clothing and a mask, he smelled like he’d been running for an hour straight. “Sorry. I guess I’ve forgotten to wash a little here and there. I’ll go what up outside then.”

  He was about to take Kolu with him when she stopped him. “No!”

  “Okay,” He replied calmly, though exclaiming as loudly as she did had shocked him a little

  You… you can use the bath here.”

  “Are you sure…? I mean, what about your mother?”

  “They aren’t done til much later.”

  It was kind of sad that she knew that, and while Kenneth was a bit hesitant, the constant having to freeze his balls off when washing his intimate area had him longing for a nice soak in some lukewarm shower, and he did not doubt Kolu felt the same.

  “Thanks, I appreciate it,” Kenneth said as he walked out while carrying Kolu.

  On the way, he groggily woke up asking, “What’s happening?”

  “We get to take a bath, you interested?” He asked, Kolu’s ears perking up as his little tail wagged.

  Both eager, they entered the bathroom and Kenneth got right to the point, stripping down to his undies, Kolu, having a lack of one, had his pants remaining on. Kenneth wasn’t one to be shy about his body, but in the event he was more or less chased out, having those on was a comfort; besides, if any of his clothes needed a good washing, it was them.

  There were two pools, one that looked a decent bit deep and another that was a lot shallower, probably meant for kids. Kenneth elected to join Kolu in that one.

  He could have settled for lukewarm, but this was warm. It felt heavenly as he was submerged up to his belly button, sitting down.

  Kolu wasn't as hesitant as Kenneth had guessed, slowly going in and washing his fur.

  “This is nice, isn’t it?” Kenneth said with a relaxed sigh.

  “Yes,” Kolu replied as he meticulously began combing out his fur all over his body using his claws like so. With how little proper care his fur had been given, he repeatedly encountered knots and matted fur that he pulled through.

  “Let me help you with that,” Kenneth said, scooting over to Kolu.

  First, he took some water. Then dumped it all over his head. He looked pouty that he had done so, but Kenneth had to suppress a chuckle as he found each knot and pulled them apart. With less tightly woven fur, Kulo’s claws had a much easier time getting through.

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  It was nice that he could spend this time with him. They hadn’t really done anything outside those simple games, so this was a welcome change.

  Suddenly, Kolu shook his head and upper body like a dog getting water everywhere, looking back at Kenenth with a mischievous grin.

  “Nice shot,” Kenneth chuckled.

  As he was taking care of another knot along his tail, the sound of footsteps caught his attention, and as he looked back, Nokoovo entered wearing a simple robe.

  “So that’s what you look like without clothes,” she said, walking along the edge of the deeper pool over toward him.

  “Let me guess, you were expecting something more… fantastical?” Kenneth remarked jokingly so.

  She sat at the edge with her feet submerged, “Are you not. I know of no creature that looks like you. You are bold yet have fur, have claws yet not. You are so utterly interesting to me.”

  “It’s going to take a lot to make me blush, young lady, but if you are interested, I just call my fur, hair, and I ain’t got no claws. They are called nails, but I suppose they could stand to be trimmed a little,” Kenneth said, noticing just how dirty they were. “So I have to admit when it came to taking a break, this. I never quite had this in mind. Did you tempt with a bath to see everything underneath? If so, I have to disappoint.”

  Her gaze on him was not the least bit predatory, more full of wonder and interest, “I’m not. Not in the least.”

  “I’m guessing you have questions?” Kenneth said as he took care of more of Kolu’s knots. “Ask away. After the work you've done, it’s the least I can do.”

  She moved closer, scooting along the edge until she was right next to him. With care, she looked all over his body like a curious little puppy. “What are those blue lines on your hand?”

  “I thought you’d been paying extra attention?” He said jokingly as he turned his wrist around and held it up so she could get a proper look. “They are my blood vessels and veins. More conveniently, they are visible and a lot easier to find.”

  Looking almost hypnotically mesmerized, she reached out with her hand, and as her scaly flat finger graced him, he flinched as it slightly tickled.

  It was only then she snapped out of her trance, “S…sorry, I wanted to—“

  “Try pressing your finger down on it,” Kenneth suggested.

  With a slightly confused expression, she tried it out, pressing maybe a bit too hard, then she waited, and her expression changed. “Is this your hearts beating?”

  “Right you are. I hope you remember why it is and why you can feel it?”

  “I… do,” she responded, sounding like she was only half paying attention, as she slowly slid her fingertips along his forearm and up to his shoulder, her eyes following until they aligned with his. “What makes your skin so smooth and slick?”

  He shrugged as he poured some more water on Kolu’s head. “Some oils come from the glans, dead skin cells, and some proteins in the middle layer of skin. Er… is there any reason your other finger is touching my spine?”

  “You can feel it?” She questioned in surprise. “But I’m barely touching.”

  “You are touching well enough for me to feel an itching sensation at my thoracic 12 vertebrae, around the middle of the spine,” Kenneth said.

  “How are you able to feel my finger so precisely? Is that your inherited ability?” She questioned with a smile of excitement.

  “Inherited ability?” He questioned.

  Her smile quickly faded, “Em… no, I mean your… no, it was nothing.”

  “Clearly, but why not tell me anyway?”

  “No… I… I’m not allowed to say to…”

  “To me?”

  “No… mother said, I’m not allowed to say those words around low-borns,” Nokoovo explained, looking away.

  “Ah… I see, but tell me, do I look like a low-born?” Kenneth asked, getting her attention.

  “I… I… don’t know.”

  “Well, people are calling me a rich man, and say I leak gold, so would a low-born have the capital I have?”

  “I… I guess not…” She said, looking back with her expression brightening. “Well, your inherited ability is your magic, the one you were born with.”

  ‘Sounds simple enough, but why hide that unless there were more behind it… hmmm, interesting,” Kenneth wondered. “Oh, I see, but increased spinal sensitivity isn’t… my magic.”

  She immediately returned to looking curious. “Then how can you feel my finger?”

  “I’m able to feel a great many things, all from the gentle little waves in this little bath, to the somewhat coarse stone covered in sand under the water, but it isn’t magic,” he explained. “It’s something you have to be aware of. Not all people see the world as you do, and with different species, Nok, Aki, Sil, and even humans, we experience this world in our own ways, see the things we see, feel the things we feel.”

  “Have you felt like me?” She asked her finger gliding from his shoulder all the way down to his chest, landing on one of the many scars left by the golden douche.

  “Pain is almost always universal in everyone, except for a rare few exceptions.” Wilf came to mind as he said it. “But yes, I’ve felt pain like you.”

  Her scales, ever so slowly, began to change, becoming that beautiful sunset color as she withdrew the hand on his back and placed it on her stomach.

  “You might have felt it as bad as I did, but fighting always leads to this.”

  Her expression abruptly changed as her scales stayed in a space halfway between white and her actual colored scales, but soon she looked at him with worry in her eyes. “Who did this to you?”

  “I honestly can’t remember his name, it was just long like royals tend to have, but I called him the golden douche. He forced me to fight and almost killed me. Had me in a pool of my blood, but I managed to beat him, but even so, it’s a moment in my life I have mixed feelings about. Both a little pride and shame.”

  “I see, those heretics are only bloodthirsty creatures unfit of any mercy, if one would harm you of all,” Nokoovo said in slight anger.

  Kenneth’s face only tightened as he felt his fingers through Kolu’s fur and found another knot. “He isn’t bloodthirsty. And I would never believe he would harm me for a second.”

  “Some are trained better than others, then.”

  “There are some and there are others, all right, but neither needs training.”

  Nokoovo rested her snout against her hand, as her scales' color slowly faded a little whiter, “Everyone needs training. Orders they have to follow and understand to quell their nature otherwise…”

  ‘That doesn’t sound quite right,’ Kenneth thought as he noticed she had a distant stare and her voice, unlike some other people he’d heard talk about, the heretics, hers didn’t have any hate or anger to it, more so, longing.

  Perhaps it was best to change the topic. “Quick question, I notice this bath is deeper at the center. Couldn’t it be a little dangerous for a kid bathing here?” Kenneth asked.

  Nokoovo gestured to Kolu, “For him and a Sil, but even a hatchling knows how to swim in calm waters.”

  “So it’s ingrained in you,” Kenneth replied as he turned to Kolu. “Hey, do you know how to swim?”

  Kolu shook his head, and this time not to shake off water.

  “Don’t you want to learn how?”

  His ears perked up, and his weren’t the only one as Nokoovo protested, “That’s impossible. You are born with it, and heretics are not.”

  “Wanna bet against?” Kenneth asked a bit playfully, to which Nokoovo's expression changed slightly, as Kolu listened intently too. “Among my kind, only half give or take can swim, and it isn’t something that half is born with, it’s something they learn.”

  “Is… is the water not scary to you?” Kolu asked as he stared into the deep end.

  “What I can’t see, I suppose, but it’s just water,” he said, standing up and moving to the deep end, sitting down, submerging all but the tippytop of his head, before standing up. “We drink it, we bathe in it, we all pee in it, plus some waste. It’s a part of everyone, so why shouldn’t you be able to swim in it?”

  With a glint of excitement in his eyes, he asked, “How do I learn?”

  Kenneth knelt down and held out his hand, “Just come closer.”

  His gaze was so affixed on Kenneth that it did not shift down into the water, and while he came closer, he now had an expression of trepidation as his tail went between his legs.

  “Come now. It isn’t out to hurt you, so why be afraid of it? It’s just water,” Kenneth encouraged as he slapped the surface.

  The trust he held in Kenneth, along with his genuine desire to acquire this new skill, won out as, with shaky legs, he walked further into the deep center. But as the water slowly rose on his body, he could see the fear rise as well until Kolu stood there frozen.

  Kenneth was about to come get him, but suddenly he jumped and caught Kenneth’s hand, his head dipping under for a moment. Once it came out, he looked like he was trying to throw up the drop or two that must have gotten in his mouth. “Well done! See, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Now let’s start out easy. Just kick with your legs.”

  Holding firmly onto him, Kenneth stood up and held his chest just above water as he began kicking. He gave a few pointers here and there, but it was about getting Kolu comfortable. His kicks weren’t very strong, but they did manage to make him bob up now and again.

  Next, they moved on to having him do it to move forward. Placing his hand on his stomach, he let himself propel forward, only keeping himself from sinking. Though the head, he had to take care of himself when he was instructed to also use his arms.

  At first glance, a dog with three legs swam better than he did, but he was making his way, and like his own dad had done for him when teaching him to ride a bike, eventually he just let go, and then immediately put his hand back before he drowned.

  Yet by the end of it, Kolu was grinning ear to ear, his little tail shaking water all over the room.

  “So did you have fun?”

  Without saying a word, he jumped headfirst into the shallow edge of the bath, swimming himself, his claws scraping along the ground as he only half swam.

  “I’ve never seen any heretic take to water like that, let alone swim in any way other than panicked swim-swiping,” Nokoovo commented as she captivatedly followed him around with her eyes.

  “Honestly, it’s great seeing him like this,” Kenneth couldn’t help but let out. “I honestly thought parts of him were gone.”

  Nokoovo didn’t respond, not as she got up and out of the water and quickly stepped into the big bath, sighing loudly, ‘splash’, a couple of drops hitting his back.

  He turned to look, meeting her gaze. “Will you join me?”

  It felt rude to say no to someone who allowed him to take a bath in their home.

  “Kolu, I’ll be in the other bath, don’t hesitate to call if there is anything,” Kenneth said before stepping out, but he might as well not have, because he wasn’t listening to a word.

  Stepping down, there was a raised stone part one could sit on, going all the way around, and with a space between it and the wall for someone to sit with their tail, comfortably. Only when Kenneth sat did the water go all the way up to his neck.

  Though he could look past it because the water was at a heavenly temperature and, unlike the other bath, reached every nook and cranny. His stiff joints felt amazing.

  “Why do you wear so much clothing if it's so hot?” Nokoovo asked, pointing to his fur undershirt.

  “Oh, that. My old one got shredded when I fought the golden douche and he gave me all these scars, well, all but this one,” he pointed to his appendices scars. “Well, when Nokstella found out, she was hellbent on making me a new one. And I don’t have the heart to wear something else.”

  “Was it something like that that made her choose you?” Nokoovo asked her as her scales grew slightly darker.

  “All I did was treat her kindly,” Kenneth sighed, getting a bit misty-eyed. “But that can’t be all. That alone shouldn’t be the reason she wanted to choose me.”

  “I think that's enough.”

  “Oh, sorry,” He apologized, scraping his long nails along the stone. “I didn’t mean to be a downer. I… forget it. Let’s change the topic, can we?”

  Nokoovo’s scales darkened a little more as she moved a little closer, “That scar near your side. Why does it look different?”

  “Oh, that. Well, the other scars all over my body are only flesh deep, this one,” he rose out of the water so she had a better look, even though the water was quite clear. “Was deeper. It came about when I had my appendix removed.”

  “What is it?”

  “The appendix, oh, just an organ, but not one of real importance, certainly not one I needed to live. But well, I had it removed, cause oh boy, it was painful,” Kenneth explained, sinking below the water.

  “It is, isn’t it,” she replied as she fiddled with her robe under the water and began taking it off.

  “Ummm… you know you don't need to do that,” Kenneth awkwardly told her, but then he stopped as he noticed something.

  It was a little hard to make out, but as the reverberating ripples in the water began to grow still, the sight under them became all the clearer.

  Right around her stomach and a bit to the side, she had a giant scar.

  His mind raced as he saw it, his eyes lingering on it, but as he had a million questions while the silence between them became louder and louder, he could only ask one. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m always fine. And it’s an old scar, one that finally allowed my curiosity to be quelled only slightly,” she said.

  ‘Her curiosity?’ The words echoed in his mind as he began to remember her drawings, one in particular, regarding Nok anatomy. “Oh god… Did you do this to yourself?”

  “I did.” Her tone was so normal, but her words were utter madness.

  “Why would you…”

  “Because I was curious,” She simply responded. “I have seen what’s inside Sil and Aki’s, but never myself. I can hear and feel my heart’s, my lung, but I don’t know what they look like. All the dead are swallowed in Amitos' embrace, and my mother forbade me from getting close to any. It was torture to listen to my breath, hear my heart's, feel hunger. Feel anything. So, I found out like you. Luckily, it didn’t kill me, of course, you’d know what to remove, I only guessed.”

  Shocked, Kenneth swam over to her and placed both hands on her shoulders, “Listen, I didn’t have my appendix removed because I was curious. I had it removed because it was going to kill me. You… you should never do something like that.”

  “But is the pain not worth knowing?” She questioned, their eyes locked.

  “No, no, never,” Kenneth said with concerned emotion flowing so visibly from his voice. “You should never hurt yourself like that. Nothing is worth risking this beautiful gift of life we’ve all been given. Your life is precious.”

  As he finished and all that could be heard in the room was his own breath, Nokoovo stared in silence as slowly her scales changed, becoming darker as ripples suddenly appeared in the water below from the silent streams of tears she was crying.

  Neither shared words as she slowly and calmly wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer as she lowered her head under the water and pressed her head against his chest.

  He didn’t stop her, but simply wrapped his arms around her head.

  He wasn’t sure how long she was under, but eventually she came up. “Your heart’s sounds strong.”

  “Well, it is the hardest working organ,” Kenneth replied with a tone of uncertainty.

  Yet as her gaze wandered for only a second, her scales rapidly went back to white, and in confusion, Kenneth looked to see Nokuji peeking behind the doorframe, her one visible eye glaring predatorily at them.

  But once it became clear she’d been noticed, there was no reason for her to hide as she came in wearing nothing but a short skirt along with that very affectionate man behind her; the one she always sat beside during breakfast and dinner.

  He, on the other hand, had a tad more clothing, but it all became irrelevant as both dropped the little they were wearing and joined the two.

  Immediately, both Nokoovo and he separated and moved back to a corner of the bath.

  No one said a word, all just looked blankly at someone or someplace.

  It felt like being a teenager in the worst way, having been caught by her parents with their daughter. True, they weren't doing anything they shouldn’t, but it looked a lot different than what it was.

  “You are here again,” Nokuji said, leaning back and resting her arms up on the edge.

  “Yeah, funny story—“

  “I told him he could be here,” Nokoovo interrupted. “We were working, and I thought we could take a rest in here.”

  She let out a sigh, “I wanted to speak later about this, but it might as well be now. You’ve been slacking off on your duties… you’re real duties, not this busy work.”

  “It’s not busy work, mother,” Nokoovo said in a low tone. “It’s important.”

  “I didn’t say it wasn’t important, but with you choosing to study Black Beak’s way of healing, your work already suffered, now it’s being neglected. Do you even care about our reputation? Do you even understand what your carelessness could do to us?” Nokuji angrily asked.

  “I’m sorry, mother, I only…” Nokoovo said, but the words fizzled out like a spark meeting water.

  “Is this only to sate your oddities, or is this some ill-fitted fantasy of yours?” Nokuji asked intrusively in a stern tone. “You can’t heal others, you know that. Though I doubt that’s your reason behind wanting to learn… You are better at hurting, don’t forget that.”

  The way Nokoovo just submitted as her mother hounded her left a bad taste in Kenneth’s mouth, but he wasn’t sure it was his place to step in. If badmouthing her dead mother was enough to get his guest right revoked, it was hard to say what else also might.

  “Uji, I think that is enough,” the man who was probably Nokoovo’s said. “I’m certain she understands. Now, why don’t we focus on our guest? She has so rarely ever brought anyone home, and even rarer, they come again.”

  She let out a huffing hiss as her gaze turned to Kenneth, “So Black Beak, do you have anything to say?”

  “Well, I would have liked to talk to you about having the hunters venture further from the village in search of more moss and fungus,” Kenneth replied. “The work I’ve done so far regarding it has given few results so far.”

  “How long will your work take?”

  “Impossible to say, depends on what the hunters bring back,” Kenneth replied. “In the meantime, I can focus on other projects using some fruit I discovered in one of the piles they brought back. Very tasty, but they can be used for other purposes. Of course, for that I’ll need to speak with a mechanist, or whoever knows most about metal contraptions.”

  “I’ll introduce you at lunch once you are done teaching and healing,” Nokuji said.

  “Now then,” Nokoovo’s father said. “Black Beak, has my daughter caused you any trouble? Speak freely.”

  ‘What is this, an interrogation or a parent-teacher meeting?’ Kenneth sarcastically thought. “No, not in the slightest. She’s a good listener and has a decent pre-understanding of what I have to teach. She is very curious and likes to ask questions. With the practical exercises, she can struggle a bit, but she’s headstrong and stubborn, practicing until she has it right.”

  “She gets that from her grandmother,” he commented.

  Nokuji shot him a dirty look before getting out of the bath, her husband quickly following. However, before she left, she coldly looked back at Nokoovo and equally as coldly spoke, “Remember what I said, daughter.”

  “And she says I need to have manners, she could at least use your name,” Kenneth couldn’t help but say out loud.

  However, Nokoovo simply stood up and closed her robe. “Let’s get back to work. Soon I won’t be able to do more for you.”

  ‘One last hurrah, it is then,’ Kenneth thought as he followed.

  Kolu was also more than ready to leave the baths. While he enjoyed it, Nokuji's sudden appearance had given him quite the shock, and he’d stayed hidden, a very smart decision.

  Though one thing he came to understand was that Nok didn’t use towels to get dry… and he should probably have seen this coming… used sand. Electing not to get that stuck in every crack, he took the Kolu approach and shook it off, and for the time being, went commando, stuffing his underwear in his pocket.

  Kolu, on the other hand, had to live with wet pants for the time being.

  “So then, more drawings I need to approve?”

  She was already sitting at her desk, pencil in hand, robe still wet and covered in sand, “No. I’ll translate.”

  “Well, I haven’t written down any other part regarding medical procedures or organ function. And I know most of it will just be my ramblings that are not so straight to the point,” Kenneth explained.

  “That is fine.”

  With that, Kenneth began explaining about first aid procedures, applying pressure to a wound, what to do when someone has a seizure, and mouth-to-mouth, without the mouth part. Snouts really made that a problem.

  “And that brings us to the hime…” He let out a big yawn, tiredness and drowsiness finally catching up to him. “Himeplick maneuver.”

  Nokoovo noticed his tiredness but didn’t say a word as she kept writhing.

  Yet Kenneth was reaching the end of his rope, and that bath certainly hadn’t done him any favors. Kolu was already fast asleep.

  “In the unlikely event a Nok can’t swallow, the himeplick maneuver can be used to dislodge any blockage,” Kenneth explained as he lay down.

  Nokoovo let out a sigh. “Shall we stop now?”

  “No, no,” He assured her in a tired voice. “Step one: get behind the person choking. Step two: wrap your arms around their sto…mach and… and then… with your thumb…”

  “Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz”

  “Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz”

  ‘Er… must have fallen asleep,’ Kenneth internally realized as his drowsy mind came to, feeling arms wrapped around him and the sound of light snoring. ‘When did I get back to those fou…r…”

  He suddenly broke into a cold sweat as he looked to the side and saw Nokoovo cuddling up against him, her scales that beautiful sunset.

  ‘Dammit, I fell asleep! All I need now is for her parents to walk in, thinking whatever they would. I should leave,’ he thought, but he didn’t.

  Yes, it was hot. Yes, he was sweating, but even so, it wasn’t unpleasant. Feeling this close to someone was… nice… just nice.

  There wasn’t any other word for it. And like many sleepless nights, it gave him time to think.

  ‘Why did I agree to let those four spoon me? Was I really afraid they would just crush me to death, or was I missing this?’ He carefully moved his hand and felt Nokoovo’s. ‘This closeness to someone like… like… did I just want it somehow someway?’

  His movements, as subtle as they were, did not go unnoticed as she began to stir and her eyes slowly opened. She noticed he was awake as well and went to caress his face, but before she could, he stopped her.

  He wanted to explain himself. He wanted to apologize for how this looked. He wanted to say so much, but the only word he could muster was, “Sorry.”

  She looked slightly confused, even as he quietly got up and took Kolu with him. He turned to look at her one last time before proceeding.

  It was a bit of trouble opening the door, but apparently, Split was still outside of it and gave him a helping hand. She didn’t say a word, only followed as he quickly left and went back to his dwelling.

  The four guards were deep asleep, it being the middle of the night, probably close to dawn. Once Split closed the door, he just found a place to lie down. And, strangely, for the first time in a long while, as he drifted off to sleep, he felt cold.

  That feeling didn’t change as he eventually woke, drenched in a cold sweat while everyone else was still asleep. ‘Did I even sleep?’

  It was a question that lingered for some time, but as he heard the familiar sound of the door opening along with a crack of light making its way in, he figured he might as well get something to eat.

  But as the door fully opened and he sat up, it wasn’t Split who walked down the steps, it was Nokoovo. They both looked at each other silently while all others still slept.

  “…I’m sorry, I should probably ex—“

  “Why are you apologizing?” She questioned.

  “Listen, I didn’t mean for things to go the way they did. I was just tired and I didn’t mean to imply anything,” Kenneth tried to explain.

  But she only looked at him with confusion, just like before, “Did you not mean anything you said?”

  “No! I did…” Kenneth admitted wondering if he was just blowing all of this out of proportion. He’d been spooned by every woman in this room, and none of them had any feelings for him. Maybe it was just all in his mind.

  “I never imagined myself calling someone strange, but you are a little,” Nokoovo said with a slight smile.

  “Only a little,” Kenneth sighed.

  “Listen, I… I like what you said, and… and. Oh, I’m not good at this,” she said to herself, looking down at the ground as her scales fluctuated in color. “I’ll show you.”

  She stepped to the side, and behind her stood Nokstella.

  She looked at Kenneth for a moment while he was at a loss for words, and then ran over and jumped into his lab, hugging him tightly. “Papa! I miss!”

  “I… I did too,” he said, holding back his emotions, while she softly hissed like a purring cat.

  That sound, however, woke up Kolu, who stood to the side and watched her with a predator's gaze and his fingers spread and tail slowly rising.