Hunger and Thirst

I sat on the soft grass, still chuckling as Pan glared suspiciously at the bird that refused to move from my lap.

‘He’s been staring at me for ten minutes,’ Pan muttered, narrowing his eyes at the fluffball. The bird blinked.

’You could’ve helped me start the fire.’ Pan complained to the bird.

Oh yeah! This bird was like a lighter! A small fire forms when it’s yawning.

I giggled again, wiping my tears.

‘You’re being dramatic. Why does it feel like you and this bird go a long way back?’

‘He’s judging me. With his entire soul.’

Pan poked a stick toward the bird. Little one nipped it and chirped smugly.

‘See? Judging.’

My laughter bubbled over again, full and free. Pan was also eventually infected with my laugh.

’We need to name him.’

The moment shattered with a sudden thump.

Riye landed hard a few feet away, his lion form kicking up dust and leaves. Between his powerful jaws and over his back, several large, strange animals lay limp. Thick-bodied boar like beasts with spiral tusks, and long-necked, chicken-sized birds with shimmering blue plumage. Their feathers gave off a faint bioluminescent glow.

He is actually so beautiful, once you get over the fear. Almost the same level as Celphi. Well, dragon is still cuter. Well the small version that I snuggled with at night anyways. Not the force of nature Quetzalcoatl like version.

‘Are those glowing?’ I asked, bewildered.

Pan stood slowly. ‘I think the lion just brought dinner.’

The giant guardian lion let out a low, satisfied grunt and then shifted. Muscle and magic folded into one another in a golden blur. When it cleared, Riye stood there, barefoot, shirtless, soaked in sweat and transformation smoke.

His chest heaved. His abs could probably cut through the bridge I passed earlier. Steam rose faintly off his bronze skin as his transformation settled. Veins ran down his arms like etched rivers of battle. I forgot what air was.

Pan’s blinking eyes were almost audible. ‘…what the hell.’

Riye looked at us with genuine innocence. ‘What?’

I just stared. At everything.

Pan pointed a slow finger at him. ‘Did you have to show up like that?’

Riye looked down at himself, then shrugged. ‘I just ran with a boar in my mouth. You expect me to wear a formal coat?’

Pan’s eye twitched. That one I definitely heard. He looked back at me, trying to obscure my vision.

‘You were just complimenting me.’ He shook me, back to reality, or in offence.

I finally remember to breathe once my vision was fully covered by a furiously jealous Pan.

‘I…uh…yes…you’re both…uh…meat looks great! I mean the animals. The…food. That you hunted. Great meat. Very meaty.’

The little bird let out the smuggest bird snort in bird history.

’If she wants to look, then she can look.’ Riye stated.

Pan was still trying to cover my vision, the bird was squawking furiously, and Riye was probably starting to prepare to cook behind Pan, where I couldn’t see. I covered my face in utter embarrassment.

Ok… Now it is common knowledge that I like viewing pecs and abs…

‘Let me just quickly run back into the mist just up there.’ I said in resignation.

Once everything somehow settled, we all got into cooking positions. Riye calmly began plucking feathers off the glowing birds, muscles still flexing with each motion. I wiped some leaves to use for makeshift plates. Pan, arms crossed, stood between me and Riye.

‘For the record, I can turn into something majestic too. I just don’t show off.’

‘...You said you were a silly horse.’

Pan smirked. ‘A sexy silly horse.’

The bird chirped so loud it echoed.

*****

The fire crackled to life, and the glowing-feathered birds began to roast over it, their iridescent skins crackling slightly. The boar-like meat filled the air with the scent of wild herbs and smoke. I stayed close. Too close to the fire, too close to Pan, and too aware of Riye. I tried not to look, I really did. But every now and then, my eyes betrayed me.

He wasn’t shirtless anymore. Thank every kingdom in this world. But he rolled up his sleeves, and somehow that made things worse. Muscles flexed with every motion. He was focused, determined, precise.

Pan noticed. Subtly, smoothly, he stepped just slightly to the left, sliding into line of sight like a sentient privacy curtain.

‘...Pan.’

‘Hm?’

‘You’re standing in front of me.’

‘Am I?’ He blinked innocently, clearly enjoying the moment.

From behind him, Riye’s voice came. Deadpan and gruff. ‘Pan, you’re blocking my view of Ina.’

Pan turned slightly, arching a brow. ‘And?’

‘I can’t protect her if I can’t see her.’

Pan scoffed. ‘She’s ten steps away. Not trapped in the talons of a dragon.’

I once was. Not a recommended activity. -3/10.

‘Still counts.’

‘You’re protecting her from what? A burnt piece of meat?’ Pan continued.

Riye met his stare. ‘Poison can look like a spice.’

I burst out laughing.

‘You two are ridiculous.’

Girl it’s your fault. Just look away.

‘And while you’re busy protecting me from dinner, let me help prepare it.’

Pan turned, surprised. ‘You want to cook?’

‘Well, I’d rather not be useless. And maybe it’ll stop you two from circling each other like predator birds.’

Riye gave a slight smirk at that. I felt my cheeks immediately warm in response.

‘Ina, you don’t have to.’

‘I want to. But first... question.’

Both men looked at me.

‘Do you even have to cook this? You’re part magical creatures. Don’t you guys eat raw meat?’

‘I mean, we can... but just because I could eat grass doesn't mean I want to.’

I tilted my head.

‘You're not a deer, Pan.’

‘No. I’m a majestic horse.’

‘You said ‘‘silly horse’’ last time.’

‘Rebranding.’

I snorted. Riye exhaled through his nose, clearly amused despite himself.

‘We eat like humans when we’re in this form. Raw meat tastes like regret. It is only a last resort.’

Marik also used that word to describe his cooking! Did he copy that from Riye too?

I giggled again and started peeling something that looked like vegetables using scales of animals from Riye’s catch.

‘Good to know… ‘ I trailed. ‘So why is Celphi more… wild?’

Riye paused, glanced at Pan. Pan shrugged.

‘Celphi is firstly, not warm-blooded like us. Lion, horse, human. He is more towards reptile territory. Thought that is not entirely correct either. Secondly, he was away a lot. Travelling this world in search of you for years, in search of a way to bring you back, or to go to you.’ Pan explained.

Oh no…

’So he isn't very… civilized…per se.’ Pan gently continued, watching my reaction.

’Oh… of course!’

My poor Celphi… I can’t believe what he’s been through. And he is a beautiful dragon too. On top of being a gorgeous human. He didn’t deserve to live in poverty and solitude. In fact, he should be ruling his own kingdom where people serve him.

The little bird let out a loud, indignant squawk. Its feathers looked fully restored, not that I knew how it looked before. He was a shimmering bird again, sat on a smooth rock beside the fire. He fluffed up dramatically, tiny wings crossed, red eyes narrowed.

Is the bird reacting now to my thoughts of Celphi? What a smart bird.

‘Mmm. That smells good.’

The fire crackled as the scent of roasting wild meat. Something that looked suspiciously like a cross between a chicken and a feathered lizard was added eventually, its fragrance filled the air.

When I looked up to the fire, I was back in trouble. The sweat glistened on Riye’s forearms as he slowly roasted the wild beast skewers. The muscles in his arms flexed as he turned the meat over, the smoke circled around him like it knew who the main course really was.