Interlude

The fire made a unique popping noise as the wood burned and gave it a healthy vibrant glow, perfect for illumination. Felix spent some time staring intently at it's eloquence, how the shape flickers and floats up high, how the sparks seem never ending somehow. At a certain point, his company's voice began to fade as he looked on, wondering, thinking, hoping. After all the events which led to this moment, this predicament he was stuck in, he had spent so much time in his life living today that he failed to recognize what tomorrow would bring.

Was that it, maybe that was his mistake. Na'Vi would remind him of that flaw, taking advantage of every opportunity to speak of him in a condescending way, pointing his naivety in perspective and raising conflict and doubt in his decisions. Perhaps she was right in challenging him as KuliKuli's mate, maybe had he done things differently they would have avoided being in this mess. He knew it was silly to think this was solely his fault somehow, yet he couldn't resist the approach of thinking what if?

What if... what if he hadn't allowed her to stay when they first met in her true form? She could have left that day, as he remembered it the front door was wide open for her. He was frightened and scared, shocked by her nude beauty and paralyzed from baring witness to a monster in his bed. For all his life, he was led to believe that all Monsters desired to fuck and kill and fuck again, but she showed him differently. He realized that Janette saw through him when she was introduced to their lives, she saw the appeal he had for her, his pet and future mate.

That first day when KuliKuli first stared into his eyes with her large, yellow cat pupils, he saw a bit of himself through her. She was afraid, like him, and suddenly he began to realize this Monster was not like the one he envisioned in his head throughout his life. She was beautiful in that way, her innocence through her amnesia, her curious cat-like nature, and the subtle sex appeal she teased and flaunted him with whether she had meant to or not. That was something she definitely inherits from her mother.

"Ay! Are ye ignorin' me 'ere, hun?"

Felix blinked fast, looking over to Nyitzcha as she waved her empty canteen at him. "Hun?"

She smiled somewhat coyly while raising her hand and wiggling her ring finger, the light from the fire reflecting from its shiny surface. "Married, 'member? Yer mine and I'm yerz, das the deal."

"You mean, slavery?"

"Well isn't marriage a fancy way o' havin' a slave?" She cackled with a mighty laugh, mimicking the high tone of a child who believed they said the funniest joke. Her goggles never slipped away, keeping securely fit atop her head and comically large hair. "Eeeh lighten' up will ye? Ye should be drinkin' with me after all!"

Suddenly, Felix found himself with an empty canteen as she pointed at the carriage behind him. "Rum!"

Right. He nods, standing up on his feet and walking back, stepping besides the horses as they huffed and waved their head, some of them now laying down confortably near the small campfire. Approaching the rear where the barrels were neatly stacked, he raised the open canteen to the nozzle and turned the faucet, waiting as it began to fill with rum. Closing the faucet once it was full, he could smell the sweet strawberry scent as he twisted the cap on before walking back. Passing the side of the carriage, he glanced up to find Janette sat at the edge with a glum look.

Damn, he was stuck thinking in his own world and Nyitzcha that he forgot about her, and the realization left a pained guilt in his gut.

"Janette?"

She looked up and adjusted her eyes as they settled on him. "Huh?"

He blinked, for a second he thought her eyes had emitted a slight glow when they met. "Uh, come over and join us, sit by the fire for a little."

"Oh." She looked down, somewhat contemplating his offer while fumbling with her own thoughts. "I don't know."

"Please? We can spend a bit of time with each other before we get back to searching tomorrow."

"We're not searching, we already know where they are."

Right, wrong choice of words. "My mistake, but my offer stands. Join us Jay, loosen up a little." He really hoped she would say yes, fearful that his lack of experience with emotional support would backfire. He studied her, watching silently as she glanced up and nodded, a subtle smile forming as she did. That lifted his spirit.

Soon, both he and Janette were returning to the campfire, with Nyitzcha rolling her head to a tilt before lifting her arm up, begging for the drink. He placed it to her hand with her quickly biting off the lid and taking in large gulps of the sweet red liquor.

"She really likes the stuff." Janette said, staring at her in a mix of awe and shock. The small dwarf pulled her canteen back and released a furious belch, grinning and patting her small tummy.

"That hit the spot, what took ye so long hun? 'Ere, ye lookin' a bit tired. 'Ave a drink." She tossed her canteen over to Janette, who looked back at Felix.

"Uh no thanks."

"Nuuu! One drink, just one and ye feelin' better 'n no time."

Janette frowned but delicately scanned the bevarage with the tap of her fingers. "Just one?"

"Yes'm, I see ye need it. Been 'n dose days before me-self plenty o' times. Go on." She encouraged, smiling and cheering as her guest accepted the offer and lifted the canteen up with her head thrown back. A few nouthfuls later, Janette squeezed her eyes and coughed, sticking her tongue out.

Nyitzcha hadn't laughed so hard before.

"Now that's a first if I ever seen one!" She beamed, retrieving her drink and rewarding herself. "Had these times where I be thinkin', thinkin' lots 'bout me family, nu friends."

She sighed as she began to have a change in tone, scooting up to Felix and leaning on his side with her drink in hand. "I 'member we had a short life, there were skirmishes and ambushes in 'em times. 'Member it was us versus the elves, we be like cats n' dogs. Found me-self looking up a spear's edge, only t'be saved by an elf o' all things."

She wrapped her arms around Felix's arm, nuzzling against him and humming happily to herself. "Mmm, feels like him a bit. He was smart, n' kind to me. Stupid for thinkin' anythin' about it. Dis was his ye know? He liked inventin' one a his dumb hobbies. How bout ye, was yer mate?"

"Mine?" Janette looked suprised, with the dwarf nodding her head with her eyes closed.

"Ay, waz yer story? Dun keep us waitin'..." Felix looked up and smiled sheepishly, giving her silent support.

Janette nodded and closed her eyes for a quick breath. "Mine was, well she's younger than I am by a lot, I think almost ten years. Never found myself thinking of that however, I don't know it sort of adds to her cuteness. She's enthusiastic, she's eager, she's sweet and kind and supportive and gives the sweetest feeling when I see her smile. Somehow, for some reason she likes me back and I can't say why, only that I feel so lucky to have her, and I won't lose her. Not again. So, there you go. Hot enough story for you?"

Silence, for a moment she awaited for some snarky response of some type but nothing. Looking up, she saw the little dwarf sighing softly as she slept against Felix, who managed to stifle a chuckle when their eyes met. She frowned but giggled a second after, admitting how silly this was.

"I guess we all have our own little stories." Felix said, offering his free hand. She smiled and walked over, sitting down and leaning onto him, snuggling up to him with a soft welcome sigh.

"I guess so."

He smiled, leaning his head against hers as he held both women close.