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“Sure,” he signed with a nod. “But first, I would like to teach you some words in case we need them. You must also make me a promise.”

“Oooh, a promise,” she teased, making him huff.

“You must promise that no matter what happens, you will not be afraid.”

Oh, that was a lot more serious than she was expecting. “Of course. I’ll have you to protect me, so it’ll be fine.”

“Yes, but...” He paused, only to lift one of his hands and brush it over the top of his skull as he looked away momentarily. He brought it back down with a sigh. “If we are attacked, you must remain calm. I doubt your singing will pull me from a rage. I can battle Demons, but if your scent of fear is overwhelming, I will turn on you. Trust that you are safe with me, no matter howfrightening it may be. No matter what I must do to keep you safe.”

Linh reached forward and grabbed one of his hands to hold it in both her own. “Don’t worry, Nathair. I’m a big girl.”

He pulled his hand away to sign, “You must also not interfere. Do not try to help or get in the way. If I hurt you with a stray claw...”

Linh put her hand up, pressed all her fingers together against her thumb, and flapped it open and closed. “Blah, blah, blah.”

Nathair dived forward and scooped her into his arms before she could get a single step away to escape. He opened his maw to clomp it against her neck and nibbled while being careful of his sharp lower jaw fangs.

“Oh nooo! I’m being eaten. Whatever shall I do?” Linh placed her hand against one of her temples and went limp as if she’d fainted.

Then she let her tongue fall out. He chuckled deeply and pulled back to grab the tip of her tongue, giving it a light yank.

“See. I told you it’s not believable when you stick your tongue out,” she stated with a laugh.

Like he wished to punish her, he shoved her over his shoulder so she was forced to lie over it. He slithered over to her belongings, and her black slippers were waved in her face.

“I don’t need them if you’re just going to be a brute and carry me the whole way, like I’m a sack of potatoes.”

She squealed when he accidentally tickled her foot as he was shoving her shoe onto it. Once they were both on, he bent forward to tuck her fire-starting kit into her lantern and picked it up.

“Why are you bringing that with us?”

He didn’t answer her, just headed into the dark opening of his tunnel. She shrugged.

“I have a question for you,” she started, digging an elbow into his shoulder so she could put her chin on top of her fist. “If you were to wear pants, would you just wear one leg and let the other flap about? That would look silly then, wouldn’t it? What about a skirt? I think you’d look cute in a mini-skirt. Should we get one made for you? With ruffles like your fins?”

When he paused in their descent just to laugh, Linh giggled along with him.

Linh proceeded to have a one-sided conversation, all of which was designed to humour them both on their travels.

When they were closer to the exit, he slipped her forward so she could fall into a cradle. He didn’t put her down as he ducked into the opening where the damaged ship lay. She looked out beyond the alcove.

“Oh wow. Look how close the water has gotten now.”

Usually it was a rather large distance to walk to the shoreline, but it’d crept halfway up the sand. The sky was dim, and she could tell it wouldn’t be long until dusk coloured its expanse. The shade of the cliff side reached way past where the shore would normally be.

As Nathair climbed down the rocky ledges, Linh remained unafraid. Even when he exited the alcove and she spotted a legless Demon flailing in the shallow waves, she wasn’t scared. Nervous, sure. Her heart did pick up at seeing it, but she felt safe in his arms even when he took them further onto the sand.

The legless Demon looked like some kind of furry sea animal and completely lacked any humanoid qualities. Two large fangs shot down from its mouth, and it roared as it bounced towards them on its flabby gut. Its red eyes never left her face.

Surprisingly, Nathair placed her feet upon the sand.

Moving so fast she only saw him as a blur, he spiralled around her until she was protected on all sides with two rows deep of tail walls. Then he placed his clawed hands on the ledge of himself,bent towards the Demon, and let out a horrible, high-pitchedhisswith his venomous fangs on full show.

The Demon cowered a little.

Nathair got in her line of sight, just to shield her from it, and let out a loud, beastly growl. The sound of it had the little hairs on her body sticking up as a titillating shiver rushed down her spine to sucker punch her in the pussy.

With her thumbs pressing into her cheeks and her fingers wiggling up near her ears, she leaned to the side and stuck her tongue out at its retreating form.