Even though Nala had stopped trying to leap out of the boat and throw herself into the lake like some melodramatic water spirit, she was still visibly trembling. Her arms were tight around herself, tail coiled anxiously, and her body pressed so close to
Cassius he could feel the tiny shudders running through her skin. She was trying to act calm, but it was obvious. She wasn't.
Cassius noticed it instantly.
"Nala." He murmured, pulling her closer into his arms, his voice lowering into a quiet, warm whisper right by her ear. "Hey. Listen to me. You're alright. Really."
She bit her lip, not answering, just looking off toward the shore where the three figures still were, wondering what they were talking about.
He leaned in closer, brushing his nose against her temple. "You remember what you saw last night?" He said gently. "The three of them. Aisha. Skadi. Julie."
She nodded slowly, still curled against him.
"Well...yeah. It's obvious. They're all mine."
