AARYN

Aaryn only blacked out for a second, he thought. Long enough for his body to hit the cave floor. But he figured it couldn't have been long before he was blinking and sucking in air, finding his bearings. A forest of legs—the disformed watchers—stopped the sunlight from reaching him from the open mouth of the cave to his right, but there were others circling them now, offering help to Gar, and watching Aaryn carefully as he tried to roll over. He groaned as his sore shoulder complained with a burst of pain when he tried to push up on that elbow.

"Fuck,

" he muttered and let himself slump again.

There was a burst of whispering among the watchers and Aaryn put his hands over his face so they wouldn't see the twist on his lips.

He rolled onto his back and clutched his head for a moment. It was still ringing, buzzing. It would pass quickly, he knew. He was going to be fine in a few hours, though he had no right to be. It was a mark of his own tiredness and inexperience that he'd been caught so easily. He suspected Gar had held back—caught him with a well-planned jab, but he hadn't put his full strength behind it. A blow a male with a body like Gar could deliver could kill a man if it landed correctly. And Aaryn had taken it right in the temple. In truth, he was lucky it hadn't broken his neck.

He would have thank Gar later—for not shifting, and for holding himself back in that moment. He'd wanted Gar to win, but he hadn't planned to throw the fight. Now, at least, there would be no awkward questions. At least, not from the other disformed.

He did have to wonder if he'd just dropped them all into chaos.

Well, it was too late now.

With a hasty prayer for the safety of the disformed, Aaryn opened his eyes to find a circle of them leaning over him, babbling to each other and reaching for him. But then a big chest leaned over him and a large hand reached out, offered to him in peace and to help.

Aaryn clapped his own hand into it, and held on, letting Gar pull him to his feet.

He spun dizzily for a couple of breaths, then his head cleared as he blinked. But it wasn't until then that the words made it through the buzzing in his head.

"…okay? He blacked out.

"

"He'll be fine. He'll heal in hours.

"

"Can we bring you anything, Gar? Do you need a healer?

"

"I'm fine,

" Gar's deep voice muttered gruffly and Aaryn felt the beginnings of a smile at the confusion in his tone.

"It's him you need to worry about.

"

"Should we check him here, or take him to the wise-women?

"

"I don't know!

" Gar said.

"Give me a second to catch my breath. Ask him what he wants.

" He seemed to be panting more now than he had during the fight. Aaryn fought a grin.

Three faces appeared in front of Aaryn who had stumbled over to lean against the cave wall and trying to catch his breath. He stood awkwardly with a sore rib and shoulder, and a head that still wanted to spin if he moved it, but at least he was staying on his feet without assistance. Mostly.

"Do you need a healer, Aaryn?

" Eryss asked quietly.

"No, I'll be fine,

" he said calmly.

"Just let me rest a minute.

"

"And bring him a drink of water,

" Gar growled. As Eryss hurried off to find a waterskin, Gar turned those eyes, sharp and angry on him.

"Your reflexes were off. I bet you haven't had anything to drink yet today. Did you even eat?

"

"I…

" He blinked again. He couldn't remember. That was the honest truth.

But Gar huffed and rolled his eyes.

"I knew it. Does anyone have any food?

"

Two of the males muttered something about dried meat and fruit, then scurried back towards the cave mouth and their bags.

Aaryn stifled his smile again when Gar glared at their backs, then he watched, waiting for the moment when it all came home to him. But his brother of the flames just continued barking things to people—and to Aaryn—like he wasn't sure what else to do.

Finally, though, as each of the disformed returned with exactly what he'd asked, and they continued to ask him questions or for direction, Gar frowned and looked around at each of them, then at Aaryn.

Aaryn's gut twisted. The next hour would be the measure of Gar. It was all well and good that Aaryn saw the strength in him—and perfect that the disformed already trusted him. But if Gar threw one of his fits and refused to have anything to do with anyone, they'd all be thrown into chaos, because Aaryn had been beaten fairly.

"What is wrong with everyone?

" Gar spluttered, his voice a touch too high.

"Haven't you all seen a fight before? You need to toughen up, we're going to be fine.

"

A couple of the females at the front looked at him with shining eyes, but the other disformed were beginning to throw uneasy glances at each other, so Aaryn leaped in to make sure Gar couldn't cast any question on what had just happened.

"Haven't you seen a challenge won before, Gar?

" Aaryn said quietly.

"Your people are acknowledging you.

"

"Acknowledging what?

" Gar asked, genuinely confused.

Everyone turned to look at Aaryn then. He knew it was up to him to make certain there was no question among them. So, with only a touch of grief, he dropped his chin and rolled his shoulders.

"As am I,

" he said quietly. Then, very intentionally, he gave Gar the salute of tribesman to Alpha.

Gar looked bemused.

"What the ** are you doing?

"

"Submitting to the rightful Alpha,

" Aaryn said, with only a twinge of bruised pride.

"You beat me, fair and square. I submit myself to the new Alpha of the disformed.

"

Gar's jaw dropped and he and Aaryn stared at each other as Aaryn pleaded with him silently not to reject them. Not to throw these people into further chaos. Then Gar's head snapped back and he opened his mouth and Aaryn inwardly flinched, praying—

"Elreth's going to have a whole **ing litter of kittens,

" Gar said.

Aaryn wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

Gar was right.

*****

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