Weijie, who had been standing behind her like a wall of muscle and heat, stiffened slightly at that.
Numa inclined his head. "On the day of your bonding ceremony, I will prepare a gift worthy of your caliber. Something from my own hands."
Ningning blinked.
"A gift? You don't have to—"
"It is already decided." he said firmly, the tone of an elder who had seen too many to be argued with. "Refusing would wound me more than accepting."
"…Okay." She surrendered immediately.
"Then thank you in advance."
That seemed to please him.
"And." Numa added, glancing toward the cave entrance, "preparations are already underway. The fox tribe and the eagle tribe should arrive before the sun climbs high. I can already hear Hauk's screech in the distance."
-_-
More socializing.
Ningning's soul quietly left her body.
Behind her, Weijie's expression had already darkened.
He did not care about gifts.
Did not care about the tribe.
Did not care about visitors.
