Draki greedily devoured the air, chest rising and falling as if each breath were his first in years. Velmora sat quietly beside him, neither saying a word until the silence grew thick enough to choke on. Finally, Draki decided to break it.
"You from around here?" he asked. The sound of rushing water filled the moment that followed, the gentle fall of the river adding a soft melody to the air.
Velmora shook her head lightly. "No. My village is still far from here—takes about three to four months to reach." She gently squeezed her long hair, wringing out the lingering water that clung to her strands.
"What you did back there… thanks for saving my life," Draki said, trying his best not to look directly at her.
"It's only right to help those who are weak and devoid of strength in times of danger," Velmora replied, her tone devoid of mockery or pity.
Draki knew she meant no insult, yet the words pricked at his pride. Weak. Devoid of strength. It stung more than he wanted to admit. Before he could form a response or mask his frustration, Velmora was already standing.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, extending her hand toward him.
Draki brushed it aside, rising on his own. "Don't worry, I can get up myself," he muttered.
Velmora chuckled softly at his stubbornness. "Cute," she teased, reaching out to pinch his cheek lightly before turning toward the riverbank.
Draki could only watch as she walked away, helplessly caught between annoyance and fascination.
He sat by the riverbank, eyes fixed on the glistening water. Worry gnawed at him—Velmora had been gone for quite a while. Every ripple in the water made his heart jump, hoping she would emerge at any moment. To distract himself, he began counting the small stones scattered on the ground, just to pass the time.
"Oiii…!"
The voice echoed through the clearing. Draki looked up just as Velmora rose from the water, her every movement fluid and unhurried. The droplets that clung to her skin caught the faint light leaking through a crack above, making her brown skin shimmer as if kissed by gold. Her hair dripped in thick strands, her every step slow and deliberate, and the subtle sway of her body as she neared the shore made Draki's throat tighten.
He swallowed hard.
"I only managed to catch this crocodile," Velmora said, adjusting the massive creature slung over her shoulder. "The animals are still in hiding—it took me hours to find even this one. But it should sustain us for a few days."
Only then did Draki fully notice the absurdly large crocodile hanging from her shoulder. He no longer questioned her strength or her strange behavior; he simply accepted both as normal.
"Come on," Velmora said with a soft smile. "Let's get back to the cave. The night will be cold and dark soon—and you look like you're starving."
Draki only nodded. She viewed him as fragile, something to be protected. As he followed behind her, his gaze briefly drifted downward—her hips swaying naturally, her curves moving as if they had a will of their own beneath the thin fabric struggling to contain them. He quickly looked away, feeling heat rise to his face.
Inside the cave, Velmora laid the dead crocodile beside the small stream that flowed from within. Sitting on a rock, Draki watched as she worked. With practiced ease, she skinned and cleaned the beast, her hands swift and precise. The flowing water turned red, like a crime scene painted in motion.
When she finished, Velmora gathered dry leaves and sticks, striking stones together until sparks gave birth to fire. She carved a wooden tray from a nearby tree trunk using nothing but her nails, setting it above the flames before placing slices of meat on top.
Draki watched her closely, every motion captivating—the way her muscles moved under her skin, the sheen of sweat glistening across her chest, the faint glow of firelight caressing her frame. He swallowed hard again. God, she's… ridiculously hot, he muttered under his breath, barely audible.
When the food was ready, Velmora sat beside him, watching the flames dance beneath the wooden tray. Draki decided to press on with a question, feeling the earlier tension fade.
"So, your village… what's it like?" he asked.
She hummed thoughtfully. "It's quite populated but small. To be honest, the situation there is complicated." She turned to him with a teasing glint in her eyes. "And you? Were you out hunting?"
Her tone made him smirk. He caught the subtle mockery—the silent look at this fragile guy; what could he possibly hunt?
"Oh yeah," Draki said smoothly. "Just out for a little evening stroll, catching some fresh breeze."
Velmora chuckled. Their laughter mingled with the crackle of fire and the scent of roasted meat that filled the air. The aroma was intoxicating, enough to make either of them swallow hard.
After a while, Velmora put out the fire and brought the tray closer. She began eating heartily, not caring for formality. Seeing Draki struggle to tear at the meat with his bare hands, she quietly helped, cutting it into smaller pieces.
Before long, the tray lay empty. Draki stared at it in disbelief, surprised at his own appetite.
Velmora stretched gracefully, her body arching as she exhaled with satisfaction. The firelight traced the outline of her skin once more, drawing Draki's gaze despite his best efforts.
"Let's take a bath before we hit the bed," Velmora said casually, heading toward the stream, her every step slow and unhurried, her form moving with effortless allure.
Draki exhaled quietly, unsure if the warmth in his chest came from the fire—or from her.