Three

Cynbel knew it was too sudden. The Elder told Candace everything she needs to know but now she has gone into a comatose state. His leader said it was best to veil nothing, and now his ooman walks beside him completely locked inside her musing.

"Hmmm, I think the Elder broke your item." Tamrat, the Elder's youngest son, conveys. Cynbel growls warningly,

"Watch your mouth, she is no item. She is mine to keep."

"You honestly believe she belongs to you. Just how much does the ooman know of the marks upon her cheek." Cynbel's growling increases in depth as Tamrat, when realizing the ooman knows nothing of what is branded on her skin, burst into fits of laughter.

"You must be awfully desperate to use this female as a replacement for Boudicca!" instantly Cynbel roughly grabs the yautja's throat and slams him into the wall.

"You will not speak of Candace as if she is a mere wench! And if you say anymore insults about her I will make sure your mouth become permanently dysfunctional." Tamrat holds up his hands in mock surrender, though he still chuckles.

"Calm down Cynbel, your frightening your item." And when he turns his head, immediately unhands the giggling yautja. Candace's eyes are wide in shock and fear; her back against the wall, her body still. She is in distress, so he purrs for her.

"There is no danger Candace."

"You, you just fucking attacked him!" she yells,

"It is just as your mate said ooman, there is no danger." Tamrat says and continues down the corridor. Cynebl stifles another growl-one day he'd be shining that brat's skull.

"What does he mean by mate?"

maybe that day would be very soon.

He didn't know what he hated more about the yautja; his smart mouth or the truth to his words. At some point in time he had to explain the meaning behind his mark. But Cynbel is afraid of what she would think. Would she reject him?

There is a great chance he would not survive losing another mate.
"Tamrat is being sarcastic." He replies. She grins,

"You didn't answer the question?"

"…"

"Alright, if it makes you that uncomfortable I won't probe you." And she walks ahead of him, hands on her hips. Cynbel lets out curious clicks. She has overcome her internal predicament so quickly. He hastens his steps to catch up to her.

"Why do you wear the mask?" Candace queries,

"I mean, we're on your spaceship so what' s the point of wearing it?"

"Have you noticed this hall has no doors or intersections." Cynbel says.

"Yeah."

"This hallway only goes from the throne room to your own. We built this space to accommodate you. Earth's oxygen and nitrogen levels can become dangerous to a yautja's health."

"Oh, that makes sense…but, since I'm a yautja now, wouldn't I be able to withstand whatever atmosphere this ship has?"

"That is what the doctor wishes to test."

"Test?" she says cautiously,

"No harm will come to you, Candace. Not while I'm here."

"This isn't going to hurt right?"

"Ooman. If you ask that question once more I will guarantee it." Xochipilli sneers and the ooman frowns at his irritation. The doctor wonders why she's so noisy. Why can't she let him experiment on her in peace? He holds a heat radiator to her arm, gradually increasing the temperature and observing her reaction. So far the temperature has reached ninety six farenheit and she hasn't moved a muscle, as if not bothered at all.

"So…what exactly is a yautja?" she conveys.

"Not an ooman." The doctor retorts causing her to suck her teeth.

"No need to be an asshole." The temperature has reached one hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit; at this point her muscles should already be experiencing severe damage yet the ooman remains calm, meaning her internal heat is much higher than the average ooman. The normal temperature for a yautja is this temperature so the doctor withdrawals the heating device and types the new data into the miniature computer strapped to his forearm. He removes his mask and holds it out to the oomnan,

"Hold this against your face and breathe in deeply." he commands, and she, reluctantly obeys. After a few deep inhales and exhales he records her reaction which is completely normal, even though she is breathing in high levels of nitrogen. She gives him back the mask and he places it back on.

"The ooman will be able to move freely on our clanship," Xochipilli tells Cynbel in their language.

"However, her body is used to the Earth's atmosphere, so it is best we gradually introduce her to our environment."
"That is good news," Cynbel says as he places a hand on Candace's shoulder, and switches back to English

"The doctor says you will be able to move freely on our clanship."

"Oh, that's great…I guess." She looks at anywhere but him as her thumbs begin to fumble each other. Cynbel tilts his head in confusion,

"Is this not good news?"

"Well, yeah it is but… I don't know if I want to stay here." Cynbel's eyes widen in shock. What ooman would pass the chance to explore the universe?
"You have seven days to decide. Do not force yourself to choose now." Xochipilli conveys, calming the ooman and the anxious Honored One beside her.

"You guys still haven't told me what a yautja is." Candace says as she lies down on her bed.

"And I gave you an answer." The doctor sneers,

"You can take your leave Xochipilli." Cynbel orders before his little ooman makes a snarky remark not realizing the doctor has zero patience for comebacks. The older yautja clicks his mandibles in compliance and leaves the room.

"So will my question get answered?" Candace says, her own patience clearly becoming thinner. He looks at her, letting his eyes roam from her magnificent face to her absolute thrilling body. For a female ooman she is rather muscular, though not over the top like he'd seen some of them. Her arms and legs are slim, abdomen showing hints of toning, and her breasts are perky and smaller than a female yautja's. If she could turn over for him he is sure her backside is as marvelous as her beautiful countenance.

"Are you checking me out?" she speaks, breaking him out of his sudden trance. His eyes find her own; a cocky smile graces her lips.

"You were, you were so checking me out."

"Is this 'checking out' a bad thing? I am simply gazing upon a glorious form." The smile turns into a straight line, her eyes slightly widening in surprise. He begins to purr as he joins her on the makeshift fur mattress; she scoots to the side.

"What do you think I should do?" Candace whispers to him; Cynbel knows she refers to the Elder's words.
"I cannot tell you Candace. This is a choice you must make on your own. Now rest, and when you wake I will feed you."

"Heh, what kinds of food will you feed me?"

"What do you prefer?"

"Waffles! Four big waffles with whip cream, maple syrup, strawberries, and blueberries with a big glass of cashew milk."

"That is a large meal for one your size."

"I can handle it."

Her lips part marginally as lax breaths escapes them.

And his ears zone into this soft sound.

He could feel the rising and falling of her chest against him, and he urges her closer until her nose is touching his own torso. His claws comb through her hair, as the gentle vibrations erupting from his body continue to relax Candace. He used to hold Boudicca this same way so this position is very déjà vu for him.

He is happy Candace doesn't snore, unlike his previous lover who did so-and quite loudly. Cynbel's hand left her dreadlocks and moved downward, needing to feel her skin. It wanders along her back, his fingertips pressing into such a smooth and soft membrane, and kneads its way lower until reaching her bottom.

"Mmmm." He hears her quietly moan. His vibrations increase in depth, as his hand grasps her bottom tenderly. He watches her expression, and continues his ministrations when her hands unconsciously wrap around his neck.

"I do not think it would be wise to mate with her at this moment." A voice, suddenly, conveys. Cynbel ceases his purring to growl in annoyance.
"What do you want Afif?"

"I came here for the ooman." His brother replies coolly, and shows the silver bracelet dangling on his middle finger.

A/N: Okay, so I know I haven't updated in, like, forever, but (before you get the pitchforks and shovels and bury me in the ground), I'll admit I had a little writer's block goin' on and I rewrote this chapter like five times (and I still think its kind of...meh.) Trust me I have not forgotten about this story.