Predator: Survivor

Chapter 23

Izara watched from the water's edge as Bor stepped into the milky turquoise water first. Each step plunged his long, taut body deeper and deeper into the warm water until he settled himself comfortably on the side of the steaming pool. From where she stood, Izara could see the sheer depth of the mysterious pool of water and it freaked her out.

Whose idea was it to come up here anyways?

Bor let out a rumbling sigh as the steaming water hit his injured back. Izara made a regretful face. Yeah, it was her idea, damn it all. Damn her bleeding heart. That morning she had suggested the mysterious hot spring to soak in when she caught a glimpse of his wounded back. Even if yautjas healed fast she knew Bor had to be sore at the very least.

But she was regretting that decision now.

"Ok, this was a bad idea," she called out as she took a hesitant step forward.

She stopped and gave the silent yautja a bitter stare. The big bastard had his eyes closed. With the water coming up to his chest the big reptilian asshole looked at home in the steaming waters.

"I can't swim," she reminded him with a whine. Stepping into the warm water she couldn't even enjoy the feeling. Every step forward across the soft muddy bottom seemed to drop off with huge chunks, plunging her deeper and deeper. Izara had to clutch the sides of the embankment holding desperately onto a few plants just to make sure she didn't sink like a stone in the impossibly deep hole. "Bor, don't let me drown!"

Bor opened his eyes and stared at her flatly. "You will not drown," he informed her.

Still clutching onto two plants, Izara threw him a furious glare over her shoulder. "How do you know that?! I'm sure people drown all the time."

Unperturbed by her near meltdown, Bor spread his arms along the embankment. Just what the hell was he standing on?

"Instinct will prevent you from drowning."

"That's the biggest load of shit I've ever...Bor!" she squealed just as her footing against the floor slipped and the nothingness of the deep pool met her flailing feet.

The poor little plants she clutched onto held no resistance in trying to save her life or their own and snapped almost immediately at her full weight. Warm water rushed up over her mouth as she began to sink. Only the solid arm that calmly reached out and slid around her middle prevented her from going any further under.

Inelegantly, Izara sputtered for air as she felt herself pulled back against the yautja. Without a shred of shame, she clutched his arm around her middle and happily let him pull her against him in support.

"See! I almost drowned," she coughed, looking at him over her shoulder.

Directly behind her now, Bor made a deep sound in his chest and Izara scowled at him. Animilistic growl or not, she knew his sound when she was being dismissed.

Feeling around under the water, her hands paused as she brushed his bare thigh. Today they were both in their respective undergarments. He was wearing that infernal leather loincloth while she was wearing a matching set of black underwear she printed. For the past few days, she had been wearing the underwear she printed like a swimsuit. It wasn't very sturdy and threatened to slip out of place often or broke at any real resistance but she wore them nonetheless. Every time a strap broke or the material stretched she could just throw it back in the printer to be used as raw material and simply print herself a new set.

Not looking up at Bor, she carefully continued her search away from his muscular leg until she found an underwater ledge against the embankment next to him.