When the meat was cooked, Nolan handed her a wolf leg. She bit into it without hesitation, swallowing eagerly. Hunger made every bite delicious.
The wolf meat, unseasoned, was chewy and pure, a taste of nature she had never known. In this untouched forest, everything was pristine, unlike anything in modern civilization.
Watching her eat, Nolan smiled fondly. Even with her mouth full, he still found her beautiful.
Sasha rubbed her stomach, burped contentedly, and stood to stretch and digest. She had eaten one leg; the rest Nolan stored in his mustard space. He noted that roasting the meat made it tastier than raw meat, free from the bloody smell, and even he enjoyed it.
Once the meat was gone, Nolan extinguished the fire, gathering the remaining carcasses into his space.
Night fell, and mist rose through the forest. The area was near the center, dangerous, and home to powerful beasts beyond Nolan's current strength. Staying there was unwise.
"This place is not safe. Let's move," Nolan said, his green eyes serious.
Sasha agreed. She knew nothing of this world, and Nolan, the orc who had been a black cat, was her only guide.
He placed her suitcase and bag into mustard space, then shifted back into a massive black cat.
Bigger than any tiger she had ever seen, Nolan moved swiftly through the dense vines. Sasha climbed onto his back, gripping his fur tightly.
He carried her to a hidden cave, his speed exhilarating. When they arrived, Sasha's legs tingled from the ride.
By moonlight, she examined the cave. Only four or five meters deep, it contained a simple hay pile on one side. No furniture, no comforts.
She wanted to lie down but worried the hay would prick her skin. She looked at Nolan, now transformed back into an orc. "Do you have a larger animal skin?"
He nodded, producing the largest tiger skin he had stored. Sasha spread it over the hay, enjoying its soft warmth.
Yawning, she found a corner and lay down, the day's exhaustion catching up with her.
Nolan, watching her, felt a pang of disappointment. She had been gentle with him, holding him close before. Why was she so distant now?
He shook his short black hair and settled close to her, drawn to her unique, faint scent.
When Nolan's arm brushed against her soft, delicate skin, the light touch made him briefly lose focus. He stared at his female, growing more excited the longer he looked at her.
Under the moonlight, her sleeping face was luminous and smooth like jade. Her long, slightly curled lashes, her small refined nose, and her bright red lips—like newly opened blossoms—were all tempting. In the end, he couldn't hold back and secretly pressed a kiss to her lips.
The moment he did, Sasha's eyes snapped open. She frowned at Nolan, her voice filled with displeasure. "What are you doing?"
"I want to mate with you." Nolan gazed at her with complete seriousness and determination.
Mate?
Was she really considered a female orc here? She sat up, wanting to distance herself from the heated orc, but he suddenly pinned her down.
Her body, pressed beneath him, felt soft to the point that Nolan's entire body tingled, as if struck by electricity.
Holding her tightly, Nolan's breath fell hot and fast against her neck. She felt as though a fire had ignited inside her.
Sasha's lips tightened as she looked up at him coldly. "I just met you. We have no foundation at all. If you truly care about me, don't force me. Otherwise, the moment I get a chance, I will leave you."
Her words struck him like a bucket of cold water. Nolan calmed instantly. They had no emotional foundation, nothing built up slowly, and he wanted her willingness. But what if she truly left him in the future?
With that fear settling in his chest, Nolan pulled himself off her body, looking somewhat dispirited, and lay to the side, trying to suppress the heat burning in him.
Sasha moved to the farthest corner she could find, curling up with her back toward him.
After some time, sensing that he was truly quiet, she lowered her guard and drifted back to sleep.
Morning came, and Sasha woke in a soft, warm embrace. Opening her eyes, she saw shiny black fur and immediately sat up, pulling herself away from the grassy nest.
Her sudden movement woke the big cat beside her. Nolan shifted into human form, blinking drowsily. "You're awake? Why not sleep a little longer?"
Sasha gave him a glance. "I'm going to take a shower." She grabbed clothes and toiletries from her suitcase and headed out of the cave.
The moment she left, Nolan's sleepiness vanished. He rose and followed her to the riverside.
The forest air was crisp and fresh. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between leaves, and a winding stream cut through the stone hillside before disappearing again into the jungle.
The stream was not wide or deep. Through the clear water, she could see colorful pebbles and small fish swimming freely.
Her eyes lit up as she watched them, lips curling slightly. She suddenly craved grilled fish.
Noticing her expression, Nolan said gently, "I'll catch some fish. We can eat grilled fish today."
As a feline, he naturally loved fish, and knowing she liked it too made him feel closer to her. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
He jumped into the stream with swift movements. Before she could even track him, he had already grabbed several plump fish and gutted them cleanly.
Sasha realized how attentive he was being. No matter his insistence on partnership and mating, she found herself willing to be friends with him.
Since the stream held fish, she couldn't bathe there and risk polluting the water. She looked around and soon found a small puddle behind several large rocks.
Approaching it, she saw it was just the right size for bathing, clear and hidden well by the rock formations.
After removing her clothes, she entered the cool water and washed herself quickly.
Once finished, she put on a purple slip dress and carried her dirty clothes to wash. Without soap or detergent, all she could do was rinse them with clean water. She wondered whether this world had soap trees. If so, she could make some later.