She looks outraged on my behalf, as if she expected I'rec and the others to shower me with praise. That is not our way, though. My lack of proving was a shameful thing, and now the shame is gone. There is nothing to celebrate or praise in their eyes…and I would not want it any other way.
"It is enough," I tell my pretty mate. I turn and cup her face, exhausted. My hands are grimy against her pale skin, my claws crusted with the filth of days of hard living. I should not touch her, not while I am this unclean, but I cannot help it. I have needed her so badly through this journey, even if it was only the thought of coming home to her. To see her smile with pride up at me. "Am I enough for you, now?"
Her hands cover mine. "You have always been enough," she tells me fiercely, a smile curving her pink mouth. "Always."
I feel even lighter. I grin at her, and to my surprise, my vision is clouding with black at the edges. How curious. I am floating and yet it is growing dark…
R'ven's worried expression is the last thing I see before the ground rushes up to meet me.
There is a steady humming in my ears that will not go away. My nose twitches, and I try to swat at it, but my hand feels heavy. All of my body feels heavy, as if something is weighing me down, pressing on me. Snow, perhaps? Did I sleep for too long? Is the ringing in my ears my starving body reacting to the fact that I have not eaten in at least two days? My mind feels sleepy, as if I am not quite ready to acknowledge any of these things, and I continue to drift along.
Or at least, I want to. But the humming keeps getting louder. No, not quite humming. More like a drumming.
Has…someone stolen my drum? I frown.
"I think he's waking up," a voice whispers.
A gentle hand caresses my brow. "U'dron? Babe? You in there?"
R'ven's voice pulls me out of the drifting darkness. I struggle to open my eyes, and a soft, wet cloth moves over my forehead. "R…Raaaven?"
"Oh sure, now you say my name correctly." Her voice is light and teasing and she takes my hand in hers. A moment later, I feel her press a kiss to my fingertips. I am exhausted, every bit of my body aching with fatigue…but my cock still responds.
It is difficult to open my eyes, but I somehow manage. My vision is blurry at first, then her lovely face sharpens into focus. She smiles lovingly down at me, my hand cradled to her teats. "How are you feeling?"
I smack my lips, disoriented. "Tired." The drumming keeps pounding away, and I want to protest that they are clearly celebrating my return without me. "What…"
"Happened?" R'ven continues, smiling. "You passed out. It's just exhaustion, thank goodness, but Veronica worked on you for a bit anyhow. You've been sleeping for several hours now." She holds my hand to her cheek, rubbing it against her skin, and I notice that it is no longer dirty. She reaches over me, leaning forward, and my cock stirs when her teats rub against my hand. I am achingly hard for her. I have missed her so much in the time I have been away. "She wants you to stay in her tent overnight so she can check on you, but says you really just need sleep. You thirsty? Hungry?" R'ven adjusts the wet cloth on my brow, then touches my cheek. "Can I get you anything?"
"You can kiss me." It feels like effort just to say those small words, but I am glad I do.
Her face lights up and she leans over and presses her lips to mine. "Better?"
"Lower."
R'ven's eyes widen and she laughs. "Yeah, you're getting better." She slides my hand—still cradled against her chest—to one of her teats and gives me a sultry look. "Are parts of you aching as much as parts of me are?"
She has no idea. I close my eyes, loving the feel of her teat and tight nipple against my hand. It makes my cock ache even more, and I can feel a bead of pre-cum slide down my shaft. Odd that I am so exhausted and yet so utterly aroused. I have no strength in my limbs, but if R'ven climbed onto my lap and straddled me, I would not say no.