I told the witch doctor I wanted to go home. And then the witch doctor told me his tragic backstory. Shay almost gets kidnapped...again... and Curtis sings her to sleep with sweet thoughts of warmth and good tea forever while Panther covets his neighbor's 'wife'.

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When she woke up, the panther handed her another leaf-cone cup of tea once more hiding his face by bowing, looking as though he hadn't moved an inch since she'd fallen asleep. But the bright sunlight through the canopy told her it was, at the very least, late morning, so he would have had to move since then.

"Thank you," she said without thinking.

"There is no need to thank him," said Curtis. "Panthers are the children and mates of witch doctors, which tend to the health of homeless beasts exclusively. Panthers are, in a way, homeless beasts themselves, though I had believed the panthers had died after this area's witch doctor had. Either or, he will be duly paid once you are well."

The panther's shoulders hunched. "No payment necessary."

"You will be paid," said Curtis with a hint of a threat.

The panther's head bowed further. "Yes."

"Doesn't that make them the same thing as doctors then?" Shay asked before taking a sip of her tea. It was just as good as last night.

"I know of no other differences besides their clientele," said Curtis.

"There are some others..." said the panther quietly, hesitating.

Shay hung against the snake body against her belly. "Go on."

But the panther glanced at Curtis's face and said nothing.

Mentally, she sighed, and added yet another point to the long list of Curtis's grievances against her. She couldn't even have a proper conversation with anyone. Would he be like this towards Neara?

That gave her pause. Had she already assumed herself stuck with this guy?

Once she finished the tea, though her coughing fits felt much lighter than yesterday, the panther served her a wooden bowl full of some kind of meaty soup. The taste told her chicken, though it was a chicken that made all the chicken from home seem like watery, poop-filled excuses for chicken.

"Oh my gosh," she gasped, before inhaling it.

Sign her up, she wanted a panther.

Once she finished, she tapped the snake to release her, and having been held for so long, her legs had become unfamiliar and strange to her. But, she managed to get her business done and headed towards the stream without some man badgering her about her wellbeing or taking it as an excuse to pick her up again. Honestly.

In an instant, Curtis was beside her.

Spoke too soon?

"Where are you going?"

"To wash up. You know, I don't have to report to you."

Curtis scowled. "Need I remind you that you are mine and others are after you? And we are in the wilds. I assure you, there are much worse ferals than me, and predators that wouldn't hesitate to eat you."

Despite the goosebumps his low hiss sent up her skin, she did her best not to show her fear.

"I believe you...and I guess there really isn't much you can do about this situation, granted you're the one who brought it upon yourself." She knelt and reached for the cold water--

Only for a dark hand to stop her wrist.

She blinked. Hadn't he just been by the fire several yards behind them? How had he gotten here so fast? She hadn't heard a thing.

Curtis hissed and the panther's hand vanished.

"You're still sick," he said in his warm, soft voice. "I have my pot with me. I can warm you water to bathe. You should rest and stay warm."

Before Shay could decide what to do next, Curtis had already picked her up and returned her to the mossy nest.

Happily, however, the panther had also brought with him a square of citrus and mint scented soap, which Shay nearly built a shrine to in praise. Then it was praise for the snake clothing which, being waterproof, were a lot like bathing in a swimsuit, so she was able to stay dressed while bathing. As she changed out her pad and washed down there, however, the panther visibly shivered in his default bowed position and Curtis's pupils dilated till his eyes were almost black.

Just as Shay feared he was going to pounce her again, he swiveled on the spot.

"I need to hunt. Protect her, but I will be able to smell if you touch her."

And, unbelievably, Curtis left, leaving Shay and a crouched, naked man.

The panther barely cocked his head to watch the last of the red and black snake vanish into the ferns of the forest. His eyes stayed there for a long time. The sounds of the forest, birds and many streams, rushed in to fill the quiet.

Shay used the rest of the warm water to rinse off. Her hair felt a long way from the silky ease proper conditioner would do, but it was better than the dirt and grease squeeze it had been. Without a towel, she was forced to shake herself dry the best she could, though the humidity didn't help either.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the panter finally lift his face to look at her. And look. And look hard.

To avoid further problems with men and 'the estrous cycle,' she went to the otherside of the tree to reinsert a new cotton mass. The panther hadn't moved from his spot when she came back around, but remembering how silently he could move, she doubted she would be able to tell if he had.

She met the golden eyes head on and, for the first time, saw them devoid of fear.

"Um...do you have to stare so hard?" She stepped back into the mossy cradle of the tree's roots, tucked her legs beneath her, and got to work untangling her wet hair with her fingers.

"It is the only chance I'll get," he said. Then sighed and closed them. "Forgive me, I...I am more pathetic than most."

"No, I've been stared at quite a bit since coming here. Don't think that has to do with being pathetic."

"I do not mean it like that. I am pathetic because I-I-I am strong, but I still fear that beast."

"Isn't that natural?" Gall, she wanted a comb so bad, this stank bad. "He has more marks than you and all."

Without a word, he stood, giving Shay her first sight of the man meat between his legs that she had luckily avoided seeing up until then. For a minute, she feared she'd gone blind or her brain had imploded. Why did men have to look so gross!!!

But his hands went to his thigh to undo the leather straps holding the pouch there. When he pulled away the thick strap, another amber stripe was revealed.

Not three marked beast. Four. Just like Curtis.

"E-ever since a snakeman slew my family, poisoned me, and kidnapped my mother, I've had...I've had this irrational fear of snakes that I haven't been able to shake off."

His originally smooth voice had started to tremble, and his knees shook. He turned away from her, head bowed once more and his beautiful face once more hidden.

"I-I couldn't...but I couldn't leave you..."

His body suddenly blurred. The next thing she knew he was across the clearing and in some ferns, the sounds of retching and the lone black foot poking out the only sign he was still around.

Shay felt her stomach twist painfully. When he didn't come back after the retching had ended, she stood and slowly made her way to him. After all, she had never forgotten that he was still a panther, and she wasn't going to be stupid enough to approach a wild animal carelessly.

The closer she got, the more she could make out his rapid breathing.

She pulled back the ferns to reveal his sweaty, vibrating body. Such a well muscled, broad shouldered, strong body that looked as though it could take the lead role in a gladiator film, trembling like a newborn fawn. The two pink, circular scars on his back stared back like eyes.

Ignoring the rancid stink of vomit, she crouched down.

She just stopped herself from touching him.

"Shh shh, you're okay. Take as long as you need to. You're not pathetic at all."

"I am," he croaked. "I want to take you away, I swear, I will--I will rescue you, I can--I'm gonna--"

"You don't have to excuse yourself. I get it. Just breathe, shh shh."

And because empathy had started to tear up in her eyes, she did the only thing she could think of and quietly started to sing, low and crackly, with her cold strained strings. But after a few notes, she cleared her throat, and the sound came out smoother.

This guy's tea really is amazing.

It was one of those kinds of lullabies her mother had sung to her, the kind with a short scale and an easy to follow melody.

His trembling began to die down. He sat back on his haunches, still keeping his face averted from her. He made a sound as though to say something, but never did.

Just as her vocal cords were about to give out, he said. "I'm fine. You're sick. Stop."

She did so, but stayed there, waiting. She remembered having to do this before. She remembered others doing it for her. And it made her insides hurt more than ever.

The tears she thought she had avoided from empathy threatened to push forth again at the memories, but she forced them both down.

"You're...you're such an...unbelievably sweet female..." he said quietly.

Before she could think of what to say, he stiffened.

"He's back," he breathed.

Almost faster than she could see, he warped into a panther and returned by the fireside. The cat gave her a pointed look, and she made to return to her nest--too fast. The blood blocked by her folded knees rushed from her head. Black invaded her vision.

A pair of cool arms caught her.

"Shay, you are not well. Stay in bed."

When the black peeled back she was already back in the moss and the snake had turned his torso back to the panther. His snake body seemed a bit thicker than before.

"If you need to vomit in fear, do so where it does not disturb my female."

Like a shadow, the panther slipped off into the underbrush.

Curtis sneered.

"The marks must be painted on," he said, mostly to himself. "There's no way..."

Shay said nothing, feeling a return of the hopeless emptiness coming upon her. She hadn't realized she had secretly been hoping for the panther until now. It disgusted her. The poor man bore through his phobia so much it made him sick just to do as much as he did, and here she was just worried about herself.

Then Curtis nuzzled his face up to her neck and she became selfish again.

"C-Curtis?"

"I miss you when I hunt," he whispered. "How can that be so?"

His nose trailed up to her ear and hair, where he stayed after wrapping her back up in his arms.

Shay shivered as his cold skin wrapped about her sick one. She started coughing again, but he only pulled her into a nest of his coils.

"I'll make you many blankets when we get to our home," he said, softly. "Of the softest furs to keep you warm. I'll cover your room from ceiling to floor if you like so you only ever have to touch warmth and softness. And I memorized the panther's medicine so if you get sick like this again, it won't be so bad." He stroked her damp and matted head. "I swear, I'll give you whatever comforts you desire."

His nail tugged on a snarl and she flinched. "Um, any chance you could get me a comb?"

He pulled back and she saw that his expression had enlivened to the point that some color crossed his cheeks.

"You want a comb?"

Wondering if she would regret this, she nodded.

Five minutes later, she had a freshly carved flat comb, a gaping hole in the trunk of the poor elderly tree which held them. Granted, its teeth were a bit uneven, but they were rounded and and smoot and would do the job marvelously.

Amazing to think he'd only done that with his nails.

She couldn't help it. She smiled at him.

"Thank you."

He seemed momentarily overwhelmed with pleasure, his grin nearly reaching his ears. His fingers brushed against her shoulder as she brought her long hair around and got to work.

They stayed in the camp for the rest of the day. Shay had more soup and tea in between bouts of napping in Curtis's coils, and if her coughing fit got too bad the panther would hand Curtis globs of chewed up dark weed to smear on her chest. Whenever he did so, his fingers lingered too long atop the mounds of her breasts and every part of her would tense up. But every time he'd re-tie her top. She almost felt proud of him.

Look at him, defying his instincts.

Too bad she couldn't completely sign off the fact that she didn't think he even knew her. Otherwise, he would have let her go back by now. But, then, those instincts.

Then a thought occurred to her: what if Curtis denying his instincts and way of living was a lot like the panther's fighting through his phobia?

She wasn't sure how that made her feel.

In the middle of the night, she woke up needing to pee. A foggy film left the eyes of the snakehead resting by her when she tried to squirm free. She still couldn't get over the see-through eyelid of snakes. It flicked back into place, though, when she whispered that she just needed to pee.

Just as she pulled up her panties, sleepily celebrating that her period seemed to finally be at its end, a commotion occurred in the branches above her.

Soft black swallowed her. Scaly fingers, ending in talons nearly as long, wrapped about her arms.

A hiss and Curtis whipped about the huge trunk of the tree like a red train. A black blur came up from behind, latching itself onto the back of the snake's head just as he lunged.

Everything became hissing and yowling and branches snapping like distant thunder. Shay swung to and fro, the hot skin of whatever held her rubbing her underarm raw. She cried out, only to choke on her own phlegm.

The bird that held her screamed and the claws gave way. She fell, twigs snapping against her already scratched skin.

But only for a second, as the familiar feel of satin-smooth scales wrapped about her from armpit to hip, followed by a cool, hard torso and arms.

"Shay!"

She gasped for air, coughing. She gripped Curtis's shoulders so hard she felt her knuckles pop.

He gave a loud hiss. "Traitorous panther!"

There came an answering cat's yowl.

"Hand her over," said another from above. "Otherwise I'll kill her."

Despite the chilling words, Shay found herself doubting it. Kidnap and rape, yes, but killing a female would be such a waste in this world. It chilled her how easily she was able to objectify herself.

Curtis's arms around her became just shy of crushing.

"Just try it," he hissed.

"The pride of the eagle clan won't be dirtied so easily. My mission only allows success, not failure. If she dies, everyone will think that it is your fault, not mine."

...Okay, that sounded a little more real.

Curtis's arms vanished and Shay found herself falling down the eye of a tornado of coils.

"Anyone who harms Shay will die!" cried Curtis.

Moss caught her feet and knees.

Run! Screamed a voice in her head. Now's your chance! Call for the panther!

But her legs didn't move, and she found herself unwilling to call out for anyone.

Because, really, no male here could be on her side.

"Neara," she gasped. "Neara."

The turret of scales about her began to rebuild itself. A soft hiss ran past her ear, and the flutter of a tongue across her brow, like the touch of a finger.

"It's okay now, Shay. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"You'll hurt me." Her mouth moved on its own.

"No," Curtis sounded pained. "No, I swear. Shay, it's okay, you're safe."

And only when his arms wrapped about her did she realize how hard she shook.

But when she tried to take a deep breath to calm herself, it only brought on another coughing fit.

Curtis sighed and adjusted her more comfortably in his arms, nestling her deep into his protective coils.

After a moment of her careful breathing, the warmth within his body steadily rising at it captured her body heat, she felt his hair brush across her bare shoulders, smooth and untangled as strips of silk.

"Do you like water, Shay?"

She sniffed and longed for the precious handkerchief, wherever it had fallen. "Very much so. I love the rain and I love swimming."

Despite the darkness, she could almost sense his wide smile.

"As I thought. You really are made for me." His fingertips gently brushed strands of her hair from her brow. "Then you will love the beach I have intended for you. The sands are white as snow and the waters crystal clear. At night you can see the stars all the way to the horizon, uninterrupted by hill or tree." His forehead pressed against hers and his rosemary breath puffed across her face. "Think of there. I promise, all of this will just be a bad dream. We'll play on the sands and swim in the warm waters..." he pulled back to kiss the corner of her eye, where a tear had escaped her notice. "No more lung sickness. No more interrupted nights."

Despite Shay's misgivings, the words charmed and soothed her, like the sound of her mother's favorite lullaby. His tone had become so kind, and unbelievably gentle, and she couldn't quite believe that it wasn't just a snake-shape-shifter talking to her like this, but a man. No man in her entire life, or in the life of anyone she knew, could have ever sounded like so.

She sniffed again, absentmindedly wiping her nose with her forearm.

"And a room covered in fur?" she asked with a smile.

"Of course," he purred, as though catching the joke.

"...Curtis...you don't have to cover a room in fur. That sounds like a pain--I mean, that sounds like too much work."

"Nothing for your comfort or joy is too much work, my Shay. Sometimes you say the strangest things. As your male, it is my pleasure and delight to provide for you."

She hugged herself with her snotty arms.

"Then...then could I ask for one thing?"

His arms about her pulled her closer, pressing her against his chest. "Anything but letting you go."

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his collarbone. "I miss my friend. She's the only one from my...my village. The only one who can...can you take me to her?"

He took only a few moments to think about it.

"After you have my eggs, we can."

Shay bit her lip. She didn't need to ask why. Even if he forced his mark on her, didn't they say that marriages could be dissolved and that men could only ever be married once? But Curtis had said that he believed females loved the male more if they had babies with them, so if he could be reassured that she loved him even the smallest bit, he wouldn't have to fear being cut off.

And what if she couldn't even have eggs, being human?

Suddenly, Curtis jerked back and lifted his head. A stream of chilly air slipped in, making her shiver.

"What is it?"

"The ground is vibrating," he said. "A horde is heading this way."