Sorry for the late update, I had the flu this weekend.

Sophia's POV

The others didn't seem to notice anything as they joined us on the hill, chatting amongst themselves about the strange sky demon drop. Jake was at the front, hands on his hips, watching me with barely concealed amusement.

"Took you long enough," he muttered under his breath.

I shot him a glare. "Had to grab the goods."

Jake glanced at my closed fist, where the earpieces were tucked safely inside. His gaze flicked up to my face, and I knew he had a million questions. But now wasn't the time.

Tsu'tey cleared his throat and turned to the other hunters. "We should not linger here. The sky demons may return."

The group nodded in agreement, and soon we were making our way back through the dense jungle. The sounds of the forest wrapped around us—rustling leaves, distant calls of creatures hidden in the trees.

Tsu'tey stayed near me, his usual confident stride slightly stiffer than before. I pretended not to notice.

Jake, however, did notice.

He smirked at me, leaning in. "Did I miss something?"

"No," I said too quickly.

His grin widened.

Norm was trailing behind us, eyes locked onto his scanner, likely cataloging some new plant species. He was always more distracted by the science of Pandora than the politics of it, which I usually appreciated.

Except right now, I had bigger concerns.

I flexed my fingers, feeling the smooth edges of the earpieces. We had what we came for, but the uneasy feeling in my chest hadn't left. If anything, it had worsened.

I looked up at the sky through the thick canopy. The shuttle had already disappeared, but its presence lingered in my mind.

Something wasn't right.

Jake must have noticed my shift in expression, because his teasing faded. "What's wrong?"

I hesitated, then shook my head. "Nothing. Just… stay sharp."

He didn't argue.

Tsu'tey suddenly lifted a hand, signaling the group to stop. Everyone froze.

A second later, I heard it.

A distant hum.

Engines.

Low and steady.

A shadow passed overhead, and we all turned our eyes skyward as another ship—smaller than the usual cargo vessels but unmistakably human—cut through the clouds.

Tsu'tey's ears flattened. "They do not leave."

I exhaled slowly, my fingers twitching toward my hidden earpiece.

Jake glanced at me, then at the ship. "We need to get back. Now."

No one argued.

With silent urgency, we moved deeper into the jungle, keeping to the shadows.

I swallowed hard, the weight of the earpiece in my palm suddenly feeling a lot heavier.

Whatever was coming… it wasn't good.

..
..

By the time we returned to the village, the tension from the sky people's presence still lingered in the air. I could feel it in my bones. The unease, the weight of something unseen pressing down. But right now, I had another problem—one that smelled like dried blood and birth.

Tsu'tey walked beside me, his usual proud and composed posture stiff with something unreadable. His tail flicked once, twice, before he turned his head slightly. "You still stink."

I scoffed, pretending not to feel the heat creep up my neck. "As if you smell any better."

His lips twitched. "I do."

"Lies."

He gave me a look, something both challenging and amused, before turning toward a familiar path that led into the deeper parts of the jungle. "Come."

I hesitated for half a second before following him.

The sound of running water greeted my ears before I saw the pond. It was tucked between a crescent of towering trees, glowing softly under the bioluminescent lights of Pandora. the moonlight lazily danced across the water's steaming surface. The scent of damp earth and faint blossoms filled the air.

Tsu'tey was already stepping forward, his body moving with effortless ease as he waded into the warm pond. The water lapped against his thighs before he sunk in deeper, submerging himself completely for a moment before surfacing with a low exhale.

I lingered at the edge, watching the way the water beaded off his skin, catching the faint glow of the surrounding flora.

He glanced at me, raising a brow. "Are you going to stand there all night?"

I rolled my eyes before stepping forward, dipping my hands into the warm water. It sent a pleasant shiver up my arms, washing away the grime of the day. Slowly, I waded in, feeling the weight of exhaustion ease with each step.

Tsu'tey was quiet, his eyes flickering to me as I sank in up to my shoulders. The water rippled between us, distorting the space just enough to feel… different.

I run my fingers through my damp hair, trying to untangle the headpiece from my knotted mess of a hairstyle. I tilt my head, hands caught in the thinner ties as I tried to untangle the braid.

For a moment, the only sound was the soft lapping of water, the distant hum of the forest. Tsu'tey had submerged himself in the water for almost thirty seconds before emerging, catching my gaze for a moment. Our earlier conversation flashed through my mind, a blush on my cheeks.

Tsu'tey was half way through washing his chest as I worked on my hair, honestly I should have asked Jake for help before entering the bath.

"I'll be old and grey before you get that out." Tsu'tey teases.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah. Well this tends to happen when you're running around all day."

He paused at my wince, a tighter knot pulling painfully. His mouth opens and shuts a few times, the two of us falling into a tense silence and I force myself to turn away.

He lasted another thirty seconds before whispering "… I can help… if you want."

I stared at him, trying to figure out if this was some elaborate tease, but his expression was unreadable. Carefully, I turned my back to him, feeling my heart stutter slightly when his fingers grazed the nape of my neck.

He was gentle. Unexpectedly so.

His fingers worked through the knots with surprising patience, moving carefully through the strands, untangling each one as if it were something delicate.

I exhaled, letting my eyes close for a brief second. "Thanks."

He hummed in response, quiet and low.

For once, neither of us said anything.

We simply stayed there, bathed in the glow of the forest, surrounded by nothing but water and the distant call of creatures beyond.

Tsu'tey's fingers moved with surprising patience, carefully untangling each knot in my hair as the warm water lapped around us. It was strange—this quiet, this lack of biting remarks or teasing challenges. We had been at odds before, circling each other like two creatures unsure whether to fight or coexist.

But here, under the soft glow of Pandora's forests, there was something… different.

I exhaled slowly, the tension in my shoulders ebbing away with each careful motion of his fingers. "Didn't take you for someone who knew how to braid," I murmured, half expecting him to scoff.

He didn't.

"My mother braids my brother's hair," he said after a pause. "She made me learn."

I turned slightly, trying to catch his expression, but he was focused on his work. His usual sharp gaze was softer, his lips pressed in something unreadable.

"Smart woman," I said. "Clearly, she knew you'd be stuck dealing with a mess like me one day."

Tsu'tey huffed, his tail flicking against the water. "A mess, yes. But one I can fix."

I rolled my eyes but didn't argue.

The forest hummed around us, a distant call of nocturnal creatures filling the space. Somewhere above, the faint glimmer of a ship blinked in the sky—a reminder of the war that still loomed on the horizon. A reminder that this peace, this moment, would not last forever.

I swallowed, forcing the thought away. "Why were you really awake this morning?"

He didn't look at me at first, eyes fixed on the water. His tail flicked once, disturbing the surface.

"I was anxious all night," he admitted finally, voice quieter than I expected. "Something felt… wrong. I thought if I did not get up, something bad would happen."

A chill ran down my spine, but I kept my expression even. "And did something bad happen?"

Tsu'tey exhaled through his nose. "No. I found you instead."

His gaze flickered to mine, unreadable, then back to the water. "I was… glad I went."

I swallowed, shifting slightly. His words shouldn't have affected me as much as they did, but something about them settled deep. Before I could think too much about it, he reached out, gathering my braid and gently moving it over my shoulder, his fingers brushing against the nape of my neck.

I turned to face him fully, heart stumbling for just a second. The touch, the small gesture—it reminded me of something.

The dream.

The one where I had seen him with his first love, the way he had kissed her, the weight of his feelings so tangible I had felt it too.

I bit my lip, forcing myself to look away. That wasn't my place. It wasn't my memory to linger on.

Turning back to the water, I focused on washing, running soap over my arms, then my back. Tsu'tey had his own scars, and I could still see the faintest traces of the wounds he had taken before—the scars clinging to his muscles.

Without thinking, I reached out, lathering my hands before brushing them over his back.

Tsu'tey tensed instantly.

Before I could pull away, he moved—spinning in the water with startling speed, his hand catching my wrist in a firm grip.

I froze.

His eyes were wide, pupils blown in surprise, his chest rising and falling fast. My own heart hammered in response, the heat of his skin burning where he touched me.

"I—" I started, but my voice was softer than I meant it to be. "I'm sorry…"

He swallowed, then exhaled slowly, as if forcing himself to relax. "I am… sorry." His grip loosened, fingers brushing against mine before letting go.

I shook my head. "No, I should've—"

"You should not do that," he said, not unkindly. His voice was steady now, but I could still feel the tension in him. "I am still… jumpy."

I searched his face, noting the way his shoulders held a rigid stiffness, the way his tail remained just barely above the water as if on alert.

"It will fade," I murmured.

Tsu'tey frowned slightly, his ears flicking back.

"The energy… from the arrowhead," I added, watching the way his brows pulled together at that.

He hesitated before speaking again. "Do you always feel like this?"

I didn't answer right away. Instead, my hand moved without thinking, brushing across his chest in a slow, thoughtful motion. He shivered beneath the touch.

"I got used to it," I said simply.

I pulled my hand back, drawing more energy into my body and we both shiver slightly. When I go to do it again Tsu'tey held my scared hand for a moment longer, something unreadable passing through his expression. Then, he exhaled, closing his eyes for just a second, like he was trying to understand something he wasn't sure he wanted to.

I could see the frustration in his posture, the tension in his shoulders. He wasn't just mad—he was worried.

I softened slightly. "I'm fine, you know."

His eyes flickered back to me, unreadable. "For now."

I didn't have a response to that.

The truth was, he wasn't wrong. We were walking on a fragile line, balancing between war and survival. The sky people weren't done, and neither were we.

For a moment, the only sound was the rustling of leaves, the gentle ripple of water as I shifted slightly.

Then, before I could stop myself, I reached out and flicked a bit of water at him.

Tsu'tey blinked. Slowly.

I grinned. "You were brooding."

His ears twitched, and before I could react, he flicked water back—except with the full force of his hand, sending a wave right into my face.

I gasped, sputtering. "You—"

Tsu'tey smirked, and in that moment, I knew this was war.

The next few minutes were filled with splashes, laughter, and half-hearted insults, water flying in every direction. For once, we weren't warriors or strategists. We weren't people on opposite sides of an inevitable war.

We were just… us.

And for now, that was enough.

Read and Review, Peace.