I stared blankly in response.
He patted his chest and repeated himself. That's when I noticed the inflections he used. A drawn out R and a sharply accented U.
"Grrr… Ruff."
I did my best to copy him exactly. "Grrr… Ruff." It was his name?
Everyone exchanged looks, surprised, talking excitedly amongst themselves.
He patted his chest once more, "Grrr… Ruff." Then pointed at me.
Oh.
I tapped a finger to my chest. "Luna."
I'd never seen a dog squint before. I tried really hard not to laugh.
"Luuu... naaa. Luna." I drew out the sounds, hoping it would help.
"Rooo-raaa." My name but with a dog accent. That was cute. It reminded me of a cartoon dog from my childhood years.
"Llll. La la la." I showed where my tongue was while pronouncing the L sound. He opened his mouth and tried to copy it. Damned if he didn’t come close! So I showed him moving his tongue back further for the N sound. "Nnnnn. Na na na."
"Lll. Uuu. Nnn. Ahh. Loooonnnaa," he attempted.
I lost it and clapped my hands, scaring them all a little.
"Looonnaa." I nodded at Grrr Ruff, beaming. He smiled, baring a hell of a lot of sharp-looking teeth. Yah, so that part? Not so humanoid.
But a smile meant he didn't want to eat me, right?
Chapter 10
Gr’ruuf
I could not wait to taste her. Her long fur scented of freshly crushed berries, her flesh smelled like blossoms and greens, and her heat was blossoms and spice and musk. I scented it when I brought her liquid to lap up and my oodt instantly responded.
I wanted nothing more than to lap up her spicy heat and wetness, lick her from top fur to bottom paw over and over.
"Thecontainer-otherswill come for her. They will be angry and attack. We have many young and older to protect. Why is she here?" My birther and her mate were concerned for our tribe.
"Loo’na is...mine." My admission stilled our entire cave of all sound. They knew what this meant. The round-in-dark pulled her to me as my very own. Few were as treasured as those fated by the round.
"Wy iss evrywon lukng atme?" My mate’s voice was quiet, and I smelled her fear.
"We will ready ourselves. Unless she chooses to leave, she belongs to our tribe now." My birther’s voice was both soft and stone as our tribe prepared for attack and intruders.
My birther came to rest beside my mate, examining her paws and her pretty colored fur, curious of her coverings. My mate smiled with her blunted mouth bones showing, patient with my birther. I swelled from joy at seeing them together.
There was movement and I saw Aa' wuuf, from our birther’s first litter, watching as well. We did not like each other. Evenas young, we clashed. If he thought to take what was mine, we would fight.
A low, deep rumble stirred from within me. A warning sound.
He looked at me, his eyes not readable. I snapped my mouth bones at him. He ignored me, returning his eager gaze to my mate. I heard his low keen, meant to pull her attention to him.
Never!
So I did what any sane tribe member of my status would do.