Yoa pressed his palm against the rock, pausing as it rumbled and slid away.
Another scent now blended with Nova’s and Yoa’s staler ones.
A growl, long and low, vibrated along his chest, eyes glowing brightly like the burning sun in the midday heat. The noise shook along the earth all the way through the secret pathways leading to where Nova was currently gaping at Atia.
Atia’s laughter stopped, and his head whipped to the side with the tremor of the ground. His eyes brightened in excitent. What was up with this guy? And what was that sound-
In a matter of seconds Nova had been staring at the entrance to this beautiful hideout to seeing Yoa appear out of nowhere, pouncing on Atia in human form, a basket full of huge fish tipped over on the side.
Yoa’s forearm pressed into Atia’s throat as he held him down to the ground. Both n growled at each other, their eyes shining brightly like damn light sabres—don’t get her started on how she knows what light sabres are; an ex forced her to watch those films.
Yoa snarled in Atia’s face, drawing closer, his back muscles rippling with authority. Atia had been so imposing, but now, under Yoa, he looked tiny. Nova knew that wasn’t the case—Yoa was simply a massive beast of a man, muscles upon muscles moulded together, towering at seven feet.
Atia’s growl halted, and grinned up at Yoa. "You never told your good news, brother." His gaze slid to Nova.
Brother? As in blood-related?!
Yoa moved his head to block Atia’s line of sight to Nova. "What. Were. You. Doing?" Yoa snarled, his voice a low warning, a threat.
"Ouch, I see how it is now." Atia dramatically sighed, completely unfazed by Yoa’s intimidating presence. Were they actually brothers? They didn’t look alike. "You no longer care about ." Atia sighs again, then smirks in Nova’s direction. "Maybe I can see why, though. I’d choose a tasty snack over you, too- ugh-"
Yoa’s arm pushed further into his throat in warning, eyes blazing, but he lessened the pressure when he saw Atia’s face go a little red from lack of air. Atia inhaled deeply. "Yeash," he coughed a little. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Calm down, big boy, she’s your snack. Don’t worry, I won’t go anywhere near her." He rolled his eyes.
Yoa’s jaw clenched, trying not to grind his teeth at Atia’s comntary. He was always like that. Trying to get under Yoa’s skin for the sake of it. The guy had far too few responsibilities and nothing to worry about besides finding a potential mate. With so little to choose from, Yoa could see why Atia might happily remain a rogue for a while.
Yoa released his friend. "Why are you here?" He remained in Atia’s space as Nova’s movents could be heard behind them. No doubt trying to put more distance between them or... Yoa’s thoughts plumted as he looked behind him to check over Nova, to make sure his sense of sll wasn’t betraying him and she really was okay; in the process, he saw just how little was covering the girl.
A muscle ticked in his jaw, his eyes darkening as Nova held the animal hide over her body. Her hair was damp, pulled away from her features. The paint she wore on her face was gone, revealing tiny splodges of brown freckles along her nose. He counted about twenty with a single glance.
They were cute. Cute?!
His heart did a funny fluttering, and his beast wanted to ravage her and claw Atia’s eyes out for being near what was his. His? Yoa forced his gaze away from Nova, whose chest had started to rise and fall quicker like she’d sensed the inferno that had ignited in his veins.
Yoa’s distraction cost him by a millisecond as Atia clocked him in the jaw and manoeuvered him off him and hopped to his feet like nothing happened between them. Yoa glared up at him but did nothing else as he rubbed his jaw.
"Stop acting like a baby; I barely touched you," Atia snickered, noting the big cat was probably unintentionally trying to draw attention to the injury so his snack would fret over him. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
"Let’s speak outside," Yoa grumbled, getting to his feet, offering Nova so more privacy as he set aside the basket of fish, picking up the few that had slid out from his attack earlier and placing them inside.
"Nah, I’d much like your new company-"
"Atia," Yoa snapped, eyes glimring brightly as he locked Atia’s gaze with his own.
Atia huffed and held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I don’t particularly want my ass handed to again. How about we talk over the fire? I’m starving as well, and there seems to be enough fish for seven sunrises."
Yoa glared at his friend and glanced at Nova, looking away swiftly and staring at the fire pit. "This is Atia. He is a friend. If you feel unsafe with him around, we will leave," he said, keeping his gaze focused on the black soot on the stone ground.
Atia tilted his head, smirking as he watched Yoa appear a little bashful. He never thought he’d see the day Yoa would act so submissive to another, even if she was his potential mate.
Nova gripped the animal hide, looking at Atia. She’d never sensed any threat from the man despite if he did have an intimidating aura that couldn’t quite fade even with the boyish charm. "I’m fine. He never touched ; he just spoke a bunch of nonsense," Nova replied, her gaze flicking between the two n.
"Hey!" Atia exclaid, acting hurt and stepping forward only to pause upon one intense glance from Yoa. A silent warning.
That warning lted as he chuckled at Nova’s words. "Yes, this one does blabber a lot."
Atia gasped and looked between them. "I’m seriously distraught right now. How could you both gang up on like this?!"
"Get to the point. You don’t usually seek out here, and with good reason, I prefer my solitude and sanctuary, which remain a secret." Yoa crouched down in front of the fire pit, assorting so branches, tinder and flint, ignoring Atia’s usual ways like normal. Nova, on the other hand, couldn’t help but crack a smile.
Atia sighed and kneeled beside Yoa, his casual deanour dropping, his smile thinning as his eyes locked onto his friend. "I ca to find out what happened to Kanti."
Kanti? Nova frowned, sitting down on the bed again, looking between them. The atmosphere was suddenly tense again.
"Did you kill her?"
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