Boundless

...and Strings

"Besides, your blood tastes good", the Girl added awkwardly.

"It does", he also nodded in agreement.

"So can you agree that my having cravings is not so far-fetched from reality?" she insisted before adding. "Oh, also your blood calms my throat".

"Calms your throat?" Lar'jar echoed. That was easily verifiable.

"I noticed yesterday. My throat was sore because of all that vomiting. After drinking, the burning sensation went away".

Lar'jar was too old to get played. That ooman was cunning, but maybe...

Maybe she has a point.

"Alright. I will report your cravings and suggest they interview some hunters".

If Lance were really serious about cravings, the Girl's answer to the Medic's last statement would be quite telling.

"If I were a betting woman, Lar'jar, I would say some pets even find a way to get blood from time to time".

***

"Ze'ev, I would stay away from your father's quarters unless you want to catch your death", Lar'jar advised.

The Medic had enlisted the help of his nephew to transfer all belongings from one vessel to the other, since Lar'jar was not very keen to have a bunch of Yautjas getting into the hoard of ooman objects Lance had accumulated without any supervision.

"I won't be messing with his things, and I'm not a fucking kid", the hunter promptly retorted, carrying a large container that was supposed to go into his site quarters.

"His trophies are not the problem", Lar'jar explained. "The ooman's pets are".

"Pets?" The shock on Ze'ev's face was priceless. Was that ooman keeping... pets?

"Tiny mammals native to her home planet. Leave the container by the door", the Medic instructed.

"My father is keeping critters?" Ze'ev sounded even more shocked.

"Fer-de-Lance is", Lar'jar corrected. He was fond of using her whole codename since the Medic liked how it sounded.

Ze'ev decided to stop questioning his uncle and simply do as he was told. Those were the last containers with personal things (other than trophies, but those Ah'kaedh would be arranging himself).

"I will help the younglings. Get yourself settled", the Medic advised.

Ah'kaedh's son was determined to spend some time around his father, it seemed. Ze'ev had insisted waiting would not be an issue, since he had no commitments for the next couple of months.

Ze'ev could end up being of some use if he dropped the "outraged son" act. Lar'jar could not remember the name of his nephew's mother - depending on how that Hunter had been brought up, that could prove to be somewhat challenging.

In any case, Lar'jar himself had other things to tend to himself. He had arranged for his class to come and organize their things in the communal quarters. Independent of how much time it would take for their departure, it was now official that the younglings would travel back with Ah'kaedh and Lar'jar..

"There is a whole load waiting in the hangar for my father to sign it off", the Hunter reminded the Medic before leaving for the lower levels.

In Ah'kaedh's absence, Lar'jar could sign off whatever authorizations were needed.

"I will take care of it. Care to see what that ooman brought onboard?", the Medic smiled, keying his wristband, knowing he had hooked his nephew's curiosity.