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.And honestly, some that were willing to do that were likely too damaged to hold the interest of a Rownt.Ondry might like him submissive, but he had never shown any sign of preferring Liam be weak.If anything, Ondry got an unholy glee out of watching Liam make a good trade.“Palteia are valued,” Ondry said.“Many things are.”“When I first met you, I thought I was feeling a need to parent an eggling.”Liam grimaced.“That is a very disturbing statement from a human point of view.I am not a child.”“No, you are not.” Ondry tightened the shoulder straps on the harness before using his free hand to caress Liam’s neck as they walked.“But I wanted to touch, and you looked at me like you might allow it.Rownt do not get to touch or be touched.When I was fifty and stood in the temple to declare that I was an adult, I planned to never touch another until I had proved myself capable enough that a female would trust me with the care of her eggling.There is a need, and only a child or a palteia can offer the companionship even Rownt need from time to time.”Ondry’s cheeks then paled.Liam hurried to reassure him.“I’m complimented, and more than a little relieved to know that Rownt do have an ability to be lonely.It seems strange to have a species so individualistic that no one feels a need to curl up with someone in a nest.”“I feel the need to curl up with you right now,” Ondry said.Liam rolled his eyes.“No, you don’t.You feel a need to move toward the profits and get home so you do not have to spend so much time with Diallo.”“I feel that also,” Ondry agreed after a time.“But you are more important than any need to get away from the female.”“And I am fine.”Ondry stared at him.“I feel a little weird, but that’s probably because we’re not home.I lived a long time in one room on the human base, and when I came to live with you, our home was uncomfortable.Now I’m used to our home, and traveling is uncomfortable.”“I should have brought more pillows,” Ondry said.Liam frowned.“I know I used the word for emotionally uncomfortable, yes?”“Yes.” Ondry gave him another strange look.“Do not pillows make you more comfortable emotionally?”Every time Liam swore he understood the Rownt mind, something new came at him.“No,” he said slowly.“They make me physically comfortable, though.”Ondry huffed, which often meant he was confused.“I find you emotionally comforting, and you’re here,” Liam said, tightening his hold on Ondry’s arm.“You make me feel very secure in my ka status,” Ondry said with a slight rumble in his voice.Liam smiled.They walked in silence for some time, and Liam let himself enjoy the beauty.The land was getting lusher, and low bushes and small yellow and red flowers decorated the ground under the trees.This area was much more fertile than Janatjanay with its dry roads and one narrow strip of fertile cropland and orchards following the river.The slope of the land allowed Liam to see for miles ahead and to the left of them.The trail led them around and up the rockier terrain to their right, but the path was well cleared.The air had a heavier smell.Liam truly couldn’t describe it any better than that.He suspected there were a lot more blooming plants around.Hopefully Diallo didn’t have hay fever.Ondry had his hand on Liam’s neck, and he was tracing comforting circles against his skin when a pained cry came from behind them.Liam whirled around, and Diallo was on the ground, holding her ankle.“Captain?” Liam ran back to where she sat in the dust of the path, which at this point was two ruts marking the passage of carts.“Ow.Crap.” She had her pant leg pulled up, and she was rubbing her ankle.“How bad is it?” Liam asked as he went to his knees next to her.“Not sure.” She grunted as she reached for her boot.“I have it,” Liam said.He pulled each strap free and then slid the boot off, followed by her white sock.“I don’t see any swelling.”“That’s good,” Diallo said.“Maybe I just need to rest it for a second.” She reached down and touched the bony knob of her ankle carefully.“I could check,” Liam offered.Ondry’s hand came to rest on the back of Liam’s neck, and Liam leaned closer, more to comfort Ondry than himself.Rownt were far tougher than humans, and injuries had to be serious for them to pay much attention.Diallo nodded.“Please.”Liam took her ankle in both hands.He’d had field training, so he quickly felt for weaknesses.Diallo flinched and pulled her leg back when he hit the sore spot.“I’m pretty sure you’ve twisted your ankle.” He looked up at Ondry, who was pretty pale.“It’s not a serious injury, but she’s probably not going to be walking on it for a couple of days, and she needs a bandage, something that has some elasticity to it, to wrap the joint.”“She can’t walk?” Ondry seemed concerned, and then he glanced back toward their very well-packed cart.“Maybe you should head back to the town and get a human vehicle,” Diallo suggested.Ondry tightened his nose, and Liam understood.Human vehicles had a fairly strong stench of oil and fuel that Rownt vehicles didn’t.They were wasteful and injudicious.“I mean, what would you do if one of you were injured?” Diallo asked.“Make a nest and wait for the injury to heal,” Ondry said, and his nose tightened more.“Three people in a nest is one too many,” Liam said softly.Last night Liam and Ondry had curled together under most of the blankets while Captain Diallo slept under the cart.Ondry shared some blankets with her, but he made it clear he didn’t want her too near.However, the nest had been less than comfortable.At least, it was for Liam, and he could only guess that Diallo felt equally uncomfortable being shut out.Rownt might not be terribly social, but humans were.“Could we call for help?” Liam asked.Ondry’s low whine made his answer pretty damn clear.It would hurt his status to beg for help as if he couldn’t take care of his own charges.“Not that a twisted ankle is really any sort of medical emergency,” Liam added before Ondry asked for help despite the damage to his status.“Honestly,” Diallo said, “the human base would be more than happy to lend some sort of small transport.They have motorcycles there.They even have a solar-charged cycle, which would have minimal impact on the environment.”Ondry stood and caught Liam’s arm in a strong grip.He pulled him back down the path, past the cart and to a more private spot.“Human ankles can twist?” Ondry asked.“It looks like the toes are pointed the correct direction.”Liam smiled.“No, the human word can be used in more than one way.The word ‘twist’ can be used when a joint is pulled too far in one direction and muscles get damaged
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