My Wild Beast
Chapter 28: Yoa’s Hideout (4)

Chapter 28: Yoa’s Hideout (4)

Yoa scanned Vulcan’s gaze so quickly that he didn’t even think before bursting up to take this threat down from his little mouse. Vulcan’s talon sliced at the jaguar’s eyes as he drew too close. Yoa veered his head back in time before the eagle’s claw pierced through his left eye. A burst eyeball would certainly take longer to heal than the slash now running down his cheek and throat.

With a growl and twist of his body, Yoa landed gracefully on his feet, snarling in pain. Vulcan whistled tauntingly from the sky, telling the cat not to be so arrogant. Yoa glared up at the harpy eagle, his legs already in motion, sprinting and leaping for branches, catching up to the damned winged creature.

Yoa leapt from a branch and caught Vulcan’s talon, his claws shredding into the thick skin. Vulcan screeched and tried to kick him off, his sharp gaze locked on him as he hovered in the air, shaking his leg. Energy thrummed through Yoa as he clung onto the eagle’s leg and began sinking his claws in, climbing up the giant bird.

With another high piercing screech, Vulcan pecked at Yoa’s ribcage, the impact slicing through skin and almost piercing a lung. Yoa released him before he could do that, and the eagle used its other talon to grab him and toss him aside like some insignificant insect.

Yoa flew through the air, spinning, feeling a little disorientated as the world blurred around him, greens, blues, and then he crashed hard into a tree. Vulcan whistled and left him, his focus now intent on finding Nova. He’d caught sight of Yoa coming from around the anacondas, but if he was so attached to that woman, he would never leave her with the snakes.

A rustling snapped Vulcan’s gaze back down, and he noted the trees swaying, following his wingbeat. Each one rustled slightly like a large impact hit it. The eagle noted a black blur catching up to him. Vulcan was right, the girl was still around, and Yoa seemed rather protective of her.

Yoa was usually lethally quiet, and he made sure the trees were always undisturbed unless he was panicked. The great Yoa... panicked? She must be exactly as he thought then.

Yoa surpassed Vulcan, ignoring his injuries. He didn’t need to chase Vulcan if he could get to his little mouse first and protect her. Vulcan disappeared, which was relatively hard for a huge bird like that.

But Yoa was quick. He began descending into the trees and underbrush, keeping himself hidden now as he passed through the capuchins, who stilled but couldn’t understand what sort of threat was among them. Their tense bodies relaxed when he was out of their territory and stalking through the caves of the vampiros, who watched him with their beady eyes before returning to sleep.

That’s when he feels a powerful presence again. Vulcan was nearby meaning he’d shifted back into his human form so he could weave through the trees easier. Yoa slid into the shadows, watching Vulcan in his human form, wings gracefully flapping behind him like he was some sort of angel.

Vulcan could feel a set of eyes on him, so he too flew higher and hid among the trees, watching and waiting on Yoa.

It was clear to Yoa, that the eagle planned on following Yoa in the hopes of discovering where Nova was. He wanted to know what Vulcan’s fascination was with her but he too had been acting strangely protective of her since they met. What wasn’t fascinating about her?

But Vulcan knew something. It was why Ixana had been fixated on Nova. Yoa needed to find out why they were obsessing over his little mouse, but first, he needed to lead Vulcan away from his secret hideout. Even if it meant staying away from Nova for longer, his top priority was to keep her safe. His hideouts were the safest places on this island.

So instead of running straight back to Nova, Yoa acted like he was still searching for Vulcan, sniffing the air, leaping to greater heights to search his surroundings, and ultimately pretending to give up. Then the sneaky cat led the harpy eagle astray, taking him on a detour of the island and lounging in a tree and sunbathing in the little light shining in that particular section.

Vulcan’s wings flapped nearby, and his presence eventually faded, allowing Yoa to lounge a while longer. He wasn’t fooled by any of the eagle’s tricks and knew he could outlast him in a game of patience as he sunned himself on the branch, making sure Vulcan had truly gone before he left. Yoa ventured back to the river where he had left his basket of fish.

His scent was all over them. Nobody would dare take what was his.

Yoa shifted and grabbed his basket, moving it so he could carry it on his back, and glancing at his reflection in the water. A scar was like a badge of honour, but Yoa could heal more rapidly like the vampires. The one slicing down the left side of his face was deep, but the fibres were already knitting themselves back together.

Shifting again and reopening those fibres up, Yoa carried the fish, venturing back towards his hideout, scanning his surroundings for threats and the eagles.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

At the hideout, Nova clutched the animal hides to her chest, keeping her bare self covered. "This is a pleasant surprise," the man grinned wider at Nova, tilting his head, staring at her like she was his new toy to play with.

His golden eyes that now she was focusing more on them were a murky green-gold, bright against the thick black eyeline or paint pointing towards the corner of his eyes shaping them. His long black hair had been loosely plaited running down past his bare chest. Like Yoa he only wore a rag to cover up his lower region, but he wore beaded anklets.

"Who the hell are you?!" Nova’s high pitch turned into a squeak. Dammit, she really was a mouse, that thought almost made her pout but the threat in front of her took precedence.

He looked at her rather mischievously, and the vibe Nova sensed from him was nothing of a threat but mere curiosity, and was that excitement? Did that make him into a threat?

His young features were curious as he observed her like she did him. From his neck down to the tops of his shoulders he was inked in brown-black splodges. He remained crouched on the end of the bed, balancing on the furthest point of the tree.

With a smirk, the man finally answered. "Atia."

Nova waited for him to say more or do something other than stare at her with that smirk. "So, what do you want?!" Nova exclaimed rashly after she couldn’t take the silence and tension brewing in the room.

Nova was completely naked under this animal hide, in a compromising position; she didn’t know what type of beast this man was, but something told her she had no chance of escaping if she sprinted for the corridor. She sensed no danger from him, but that didn’t mean he was harmless.

Atia placed his hands on the bed, crouching forward, like he was going to crawl over her. Nova’s eyes widened, her heart skyrocketing, glancing at the corridor even though she knew it would be useless and a waste of energy. Atia burst into laughter and elegantly hopped off the bed, landing gracefully, without making any sound as he stretched his arms and placed his hands on the back of his head, turning to look at her, appearing nonchalant. "I came here for Yoa and instead find he has cooped up a snack."

"I am not your food!" Nova clipped immediately, feeling her cheeks redden at the way he spoke to her.

Atia laughed again, his grin wide, revealing dimples, finding enjoyment in teasing the girl. "But you look like a tasty snack..." His gaze lowered like he could see through the animal hide.

It took everything in Nova not to check whether this man could see through it or not. She knew the hides didn’t have holes or were thin and see-through; it was just angst at the very thought of it.

Nova narrowed her eyes at him, reaching for something, anything that might act as a weapon she could use against him, anything for a little protection. Atia followed her hand, his body language still relaxed and casual, like she was no threat to him at all. Well, who was she kidding? She wasn’t!

"Well, as you can see..." Nova spoke slowly as she began sitting up, clutching at the animal hide and trying to appear bigger, confident even before a man who was lean and definitely past 6 feet in height. "Yoa is not here."

Atia’s eyes gleamed as he turned slowly to face her, his fingers still threaded together behind his head. Wait, was he... posing? Nova’s lips opened and shut as she tried to process that. No, that couldn’t be right?

"But he’ll be back real soon!" Nova added quickly as the Atia started to prowl towards her. She scrambled backwards, ready to kick him if she needed to. Dammit why did she have to be so vulnerable right now?!

Atia stopped and smirked just in front of the bed. "So he left his snack all defenceless like this..." He tilted his head, then whipped his braid behind him, then mock gasped. "Or did I just walk in on some raunchy moment meant to be between the two of you?!"

"Wait... what?!" Nova gaped at him, her cheeks heating.