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He tilted his head at her, then took in that she was three feet shorter than him currently. Should he choose to, he could make that much more vast, as he was able to lean upon his tail over halfway before beginning to tip over. Going lower meant he would eventually tip forward and need to walk on his hands to keep his humanoid torso up.

He was aware he was likely over thirty-three feet in total length, if not more, since that was the last measurement Weldir had taken of him, and he’d grown much since then. Nathair was also thicker than her, except for the last few feet of his tail.

She was tiny in comparison, in every sense possible.

The cave tunnel opening of his home immediately shrouded them in sightless nothingness. Linh let out a squeak and reachedher hands out to feel where she was going, unable to see that she was about to walk into a wall.

Nathair reached his arm out so that she might hold on to his forearm. Since he was a Mavka, he was able to see perfectly despite the complete lack of light. He guided her down the right of the narrow tunnel, taking her east.

Once more, Nathair showed her the area in which she could bathe. Due to the constant trickling of water, her scent didn’t linger here, even though she’d already used it.

With his thumb claw, he made a tiny incision in his palm and slapped his hand against the wall. An orange magic circle glowed to life, giving her just enough light to see the entire small area if she squinted hard enough. Which she did, her straight black eyelashes tipping.

She wasn’t surprised by the use of magic, as he’d already done this for her last time.

He pushed her into the room while slithering away – his way of telling her to do what she needed to.

“Y-you better not be watching!” she shouted, her voice echoing down the tunnel.

Nathair answered her with a growl, highlighting his annoyance that she needed to state this once again.

I know humans consider this private.He had enough fragments to understand many human customs, despite how pointless he considered them. No female in his memories appreciated intimate moments being heard, viewed, or smelt, and many males were similar.

“I’m just double-checking!” she whined back. Then, as if she thought he wouldn’t hear, she added, “Grumpypants. Not that hecanwear pants.”

I like this about her.She’d been able to surmise why he’d growled. He liked that she guessed, or asked questions forclarity, and made it seem like he’d stated his intentions verbally, even when he couldn’t.

She also rambled and muttered a lot, and he hoped it was done freely and in comfort. Nathair intended her no purposeful harm, and he appreciated that she could sense this.

He let her know he heard it by opening and closing his maw as silent back-talk. Her cheeks cutely pinkened when she caught the movement upon her return, and realised she’d been heard. She entered the tunnel with her face and hands wet, as if she’d washed both.

Linh guided herself back to him by pressing against the wall, then pushed away from it when she must have seen his glowing orange orbs. Something about having her delicate fingertips searching for him in the dark made his stomach and chest clench. It sent a ripple down his spine until his tail tip flicked to the side when her hot palms touched his cool forearm.

As much as he would have liked to leave his light marking everywhere they went for her benefit, it would be wasted. He could only leave one at a time, otherwise the old one would vanish.

It was a rather nifty trick: a drop of blood for a small amount of light.

He’d discovered the ability before he’d died, as he often came across underwater tunnels. After battling aquatic Demons, he found himself in dark holes and desired additional light, as it was difficult to smell anything lurking below the surface of the water if he was up on land.

It just looked like ink, otherwise.

While he tried to rest and wait to heal, his blood often dripped into the water and brought enemies to him by the taste, which pushed him to plead for light at one point. Light had appeared, glowing as a tiny, hand-sized magical symbol right where he rested.

A peaceful and comforting additional glow.

Linh tentatively held his wrist as he slithered northwest down the tunnel, his long tail creating S patterns behind him. Tiny rocks shifted between his scales, as did a tiny layer of dirt. Her shoes pattered and echoed, the steps hesitant at first, but growing more confident the longer she walked beside him.

Nathair brought his gaze to her hand placement on him, and his sight shifted to bright yellow.She touches me freely.He didn’t think he’d ever not be pleasantly surprised by this.

Many long minutes passed before he took her to a large alcove. He pricked his palm with his thumb again, placing it against the ground in the middle. The orange glow barely reached the walls, but it lit up everything enough to show what was here.

He held his breath the moment a tiny waft of fear came from her.

“Are...” Linh gulped as she shrunk closer to him. “Are they Demonnests?”

He made sure she was looking up at him before he nodded. He slid closer to a partially dismembered nest and grabbed one of the decently sized branches. He yanked it free and then brought it closer to her so she could see.

Her dark brows drew together as she inspected it. She even touched the bark, only to lift a questioning expression up at him.