A/N: Could it be? Less than two weeks, and already another chapter? Not just another chapter, but a chapter with good content that is a decent length? Yes, my faithful readers, you are not imagining this. I, the most inconsistent updater in the history of fanfiction writers, have given you a timely update with good content! I'm quite proud of this chapter, and I'm happy with myself for finally giving all of you another one. I am sorry that I have the unfortunate tendency of keeping you waiting so long.

I also have the unfortunate tendency of dragging a single event out for numerous chapters, so I am going to try to speed things along. I still want to make it flow well and make it interesting, of course. I just want to accomplish my goals for this story a little bit quicker. Dragging it out is as painful for me as it is for you. Thus, one of the events that you have been waiting for is going to happen in this chapter. I know you're excited for it, so thank you all for your patience.

Anyway, enough from me. Enjoy the chapter! :)

Note: I have decided to raise the rating of "Firelight" from T to M. I just thought I would let you know so none of you PM me saying that this story is getting too intense for a T rating. As a responsible adult and fanfiction writer, I raised the rating right before posting this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Part IV: Unraveled: Chapter Forty

Pale peach and blue violet faded with every mile they ascended. Silver slowly crept across the evening sky, and rose-colored clouds transformed into honey. The temperature, which was already bitterly cold, began to dip even lower. A thin coat of frost overtook the violet and indigo foliage. Damiana began worrying that they would have to make camp for the night, which would leave Roy exposed to the elements and half frozen by morning. Once the stars began dotting the sky, accompanied by the materializing lilac moon, it seemed like spending the night in the woods was absolute. Thankfully, these concerns were all for naught.

"Our meal breaks set us back longer than anticipated, but here we are, Lady Fire Phoenix. Welcome to my humble home."

The line of foliage thickened up ahead. This is most likely why Damiana didn't notice it earlier. Beyond the dense bushes and tangles of leaves is a tiny house very similar to that of Tenkan's. It is small, is built with rose stones and a thatched roof, and has a barn standing only a few feet away from it. Illuminating the window facing the forest is what looks like an oil lamp. This baffles her. If this is Tenna's house, why is a lamp lit? Isn't all of Tenna's family besides Caen either deceased or away at war?

"Yay! Aika and Linden are here!"

Whoever is inside their house must be familiar, because Caen flies toward the front door in a sprint. Tenna laughs prior to calling after her little boy.

"Don't get your hopes up, Caen! Linden and the other men are probably still out hunting!" The boy doesn't hear a word, causing Tenna to shake her head. Afterward she turns to face her. "Aika and Linden are our neighbors, Lady Fire Phoenix. They visit our home often."

"Oh... If your neighbor is visiting, Roy and I can go to the barn. After what happened with Tenkan, I can understand if you don't want to introduce us."

Much to Damiana's surprise, the mountain woman smiles kindly. "Actually, Lady Fire Phoenix, if anyone in this village has to meet you and your human, I am happy that it is Aika. She and her husband are…how do I put this…unique? Yes, that's the right word. They are unique from the rest of Whisper Valley. If anyone will accept the two of you, it is them."

Nothing more is said. She dashes ahead in attempt to catch up with Caen. Presumably before he can tell Aika about herself and Roy in his bold, childlike, manner. Hopefully Tenna is right and their neighbors are accepting. After the response they received in Murmur Creek, a break from the hostility would be welcome. At least for tonight, anyway. They probably won't be so lucky when meeting the rest of the village tomorrow.

"Interesting news, Roy. First, we don't have to sleep in the barn tonight. Tenna is allowing us inside her house. Second, we are meeting someone new."

The redhead, who'd previously been trying to untangle the hem of his tunic from a branch, pauses. He scratches his head dumbfounded.

"We are? I thought this is Caen and Tenna's house."

"It is their house. It's just not empty. Their neighbor is visiting."

Roy groans. "Someone else to stare at me like I'm a four-headed beast. Great."

"We're going to be stuck on this planet for weeks. Possibly months. This treatment is something we'll have to get used to. Besides. Tenna says that this neighbor isn't so bad." A single hard tug is what it takes for Damiana to free his tunic from the foliage. "At least we get to be inside a building with a door and a fireplace tonight, so that's good enough for me."

The word 'fireplace' causes emerald eyes to ignite with desire. "You make a good point… I guess I'll deal with it for a decent place to sleep."

As they near the house, the first thing that is heard is the cheerful voice of an exuberant woman. "I'm so happy that you and Caen returned safely! When you didn't come back yesterday, I was starting to get worried. If I was in better condition, I would have traveled to Murmur Creek to check on you."

"Thank you, Aika. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same for you. Fortunately, Caen and I were never in any trouble. I just had to recapture Ula; you know she doesn't like the feed that Tenkan keeps for their village's phoenixes."

"Oh. Is that all? Well, I'm glad it was a problem so simple." She chortles. "But why didn't you ride Ula back? Ula returned here sometime this afternoon while you and Caen were walking."

"Well… We had too many passengers…"

"Too many passengers? What do you mean—"

All it takes is their appearance in the doorway to answer the woman's question. The instant Damiana lays eyes on the woman, she is unable to conceal her astonishment. Tenna's neighbor is not a woman. She is a mere girl. Aika has a round face, wide doe-like eyes, and the premature curves of a young adolescent who has not yet completed puberty. If Damiana had to guess Aika's age, she would place her at fourteen years old. It is for this reason that one feature in particular is astonishing. Her stomach is swollen to the size of a basketball!

Damiana would love to say that it is Aika's long, silky, hair that she stares at, or her magnificent, full, eyelashes. Or how her features aren't lime green with surprise, but an interesting shade of jade. Sadly, the Noble Lady cannot force her gaze to any of these features. Her eyes remain glued to the large mass that is this otherwise tiny girl's stomach.

Aika seems to be having a similar struggle. Jade orbs do not rest on Damiana, but on Roy. Exactly like the redhaired archer stated only moments prior, the clearly pregnant girl gawks as if he is the strangest creature she has ever seen.

"Sweet Fates," Aika says at last. "Caen isn't full of nonsense after all! Tenna, is that man really an alien?"

"Yes. He is. Meet Lady Fire Phoenix, a noblewoman from the Capital City, and her human."

Unfortunately, Damiana's filter experiences a temporary fracture. "For the last time, he isn't 'my human', Tenna. He is my friend, and his name is Roy."

"Until he can speak the Dabnodian language and tell me that himself, he will remain 'your human', Lady Fire Phoenix. I am not insulting him. That is just the plain truth."

At long last, Damiana pulls her eyes away from Aika's stomach. True, the reason she does this is to scowl at Tenna, but at least she is no longer being impolite by staring. Tenna rolls her eyes dismissively in annoyance, as if dealing with a petulant toddler.

"Anyway, Aika, Lady Fire Phoenix is new to the ninth province. She's very similar to how you and your husband were a year ago. Hopefully Lady Fire Phoenix and her human adjust as well as you and Linden."

The doe-eyed girl smiles and nods. "Linden and I would be happy to give them the company. It will be nice finally having other newcomers." With help from Caen, she manages to stand from the wooden rocking chair beside the fireplace and give a respectful bow. "Welcome to Whisper Valley, Lady Fire Phoenix. Our little village is much smaller than the Fire Phoenix compound, but I'm sure it will still be to your liking. My name is Aika. It is wonderful to meet you."

Innumerable thoughts rush through Damiana's mind at once. How is a girl younger than her married, pregnant, and living in the middle of nowhere? Where are Aika and her husband from? There is also the fact that Damiana did not live at the Fire Phoenix compound with the rest of her clan. She never visited the compound more than once per month! Is this something that should be revealed? Not to mention that she hasn't lived on Dabnod in many years. Is that something that Tenna will tell the villagers, or will Damiana have to fill in that blank?

It takes an expression of concern from the other three Dabnodians for Damiana to finally respond. Realizing her rudeness, the girl immediately forces a pleasant smile. "Thank you, Aika. I'm happy to meet you, too. Roy and I have been very lost since our…umm…unexpected arrival…on Dabnod. Seeing friendly faces makes everything easier."

Aika's jade features transform; her eyes into a lovely, summery, yellow and silky tresses into butter yellow. She appears somewhere between inquisitiveness and elation. "A noblewoman and a human man lost together in the wilderness. It must be some story as to how you ended up here!"

"The story is long and complex. Explaining it would take all night."

Aika smiles, not pleasantly, but mysteriously. "Then don't explain. You're in Whisper Valley. Nobody is going to ask questions here."

The noblewoman raises a brow, unable to decided between feeling relieved or uneasy…

"But they will be leery of you," Tenna adds at last. "Which is why Aika will not say a word about your arrival until tomorrow. Caen and I will also keep our silence."

Both brows raise this time, and baffled lime-colored eyes widen. "I appreciate the privacy Tenna, but that really isn't necessary. Roy and I will be fine."

"No, Lady Fire Phoenix. You will be fine. Roy will be torn apart by the end of the frost!"

"Hold on! Did you just use Roy's name?!"

"If it will get you to take me seriously, then yes." The mountain lady takes Caen by the hand while turning to her neighbor. "Linden and the other men won't come back from their hunting trip for another day or two. Right, Aika? I don't want to leave you alone. Especially not in your current condition. Caen and I will spend the night with you. Lady Fire Phoenix and Roy can sleep here."

"Wait. What?!"

Caen and Aika are ushered out the front door so quickly that Damiana doesn't have time to ask questions. "We will see you in the morning, Lady Fire Phoenix." Tenna slams the door shut behind them.

"Tenna and Caen are spending the night with Aika. Her husband is away, and they're afraid that the baby is going to come."

"Oh, well that's fine. Aika seems nice. I don't mind if we stay at her house instead."

"Actually, you're misunderstanding me. Tenna and Caen are spending the night with Aika. We are staying here."

That conversation had been an entire fifteen minutes ago, and Roy still doesn't know how to react to Tenna. Shoving them in the barn last night had been understandable. That was her brother's doing. Tonight, however, is a different story completely. Why is she leaving them in her house all alone? Does she think that an alien like him could spread some sort of infectious disease to that pregnant girl? Could Tenna dislike him for some reason? Or is her grudge against Damiana for being nobility, similar to her brother's grudge?

Of course, no matter Tenna's reasoning, Damiana and he are still isolated in this cabin together. If it means getting the fireplace all to himself, then Roy does not have a single complaint. He did not want to tell anyone earlier for fear that it would slow their progress, but the archer was another hour away from turning into a human popsicle. He stokes the fire using a long, metallic, poker, unleashing high flames in a wave of heat. It surprises Roy that his fingers and toes are still intact after that daylong journey! The fireplace is as close as it can get without causing harm. Roy takes in the warmth as desperately as he would if it were another essential need like food or air.

Meanwhile, Damiana is scurrying about the mountain lady's miniscule dwelling. Similar to Tenkan's house, there are shelves lining the back wall that are meant for sleeping. However, rather than being arranged both on top and underneath, the bedrolls only occupy the topmost shelf. Unlike Tenkan's home, there are no foodstuffs strung up from the ceiling by hooks, either. The hooks hanging from the ceiling remain, but instead of being in use, food, pots and pans, bowls, and wooden spoons are arranged on the floor beneath the shelf. The only thing hanging from the ceiling is netting, which appears to be filled with clothing and blankets.

Damiana loosens said netting and removes two blankets. After refastening the net, she carries them to the center of the floor along with two bedrolls. The girl unrolls both bedrolls and smooths them out prior to tucking heavy, fur, quilts around each one. Roy watches quietly, fascinated by the precise way she folds the quilts' corners. Eventually Damiana looks up and smiles.

"There are extra blankets if you need them, Roy. Dabnodian clothing is way too thin for a human. You can't adjust your body temperature to warm yourself because you don't have a second heart, and I don't think Tenna realizes this. I will try talking to her about it tomorrow to see if we can make something for you that works better. For now, extra blankets will have to do if you get cold."

Mind reading abilities. Damiana must have mind-reading abilities! The archer chuckles ironically.

"Is it that obvious that I'm cold?"

"Yes. There isn't anything wrong with that, though. Dabnodian bodies are different from human bodies."

Roy stand from his spot beside the fire, tugs his bedroll as close to the hearth as is safe, and wraps himself up in a blanket. "You can control the elements, you can learn multiple languages incredibly fast, you can transfer languages to other species, and now you can use your second heart to control your body temperature. Is there anything you can't do?"

Damiana moves her bedroll as well, smirking the entire time. "Let's see… I can't fly. I don't have laser vision or x-ray vision. I don't have super strength. I can't read minds, run at light speed, or teleport. I can't breathe underwater or talk to animals. I don't know how to shoot arrows or use hand-to-hand combat either. Is there anything I'm missing?"

"No," Roy smirks back. "I think you've mentioned pretty much everything."

The archer and the noble lady lapse into comfortable silence. With the blanket, the fireplace, and the surrounding walls, this is as warm and comfortable as he has felt in days. Last night may have been warmer if he hadn't been so foolish as to kiss Damiana by surprise. He ended up sleeping not beside her, but in a pile of hay beside the open-air entrance. As for their journey, had he been willing to walk closer to Damiana, that also would have been warmer. The fire user is what Roy likes to call a living, breathing, furnace. He certainly felt that when Damiana kissed him in the woods earlier!

When she sought revenge for his kiss in the barn last night, he was expecting her to slap him. Not kiss him! True, the brush of her lips was so gentle that it was barely a kiss, but she still did it, nonetheless. Roy doesn't really think it was flirting. Rather, it was probably her way agreeing to try language transference. No matter the reason, she no longer seems afraid. This is all he cares about. The less afraid Damiana is of kissing him, the easier it will be to learn the Dabnodian language.

Roy does not like being selfish, but the quicker he learns the Dabnodian language, the better. Being held up in a cabin with a bunch of strangers he can't understand for several weeks during the frost sounds nothing short of miserable! Not to mention, he and Damiana are going to have to leave Whisper Valley eventually. Navigating this planet and finding a way to repair Black Shadow's machine will be far easier if they both can speak to people.

All of these same thoughts occurred to the archer the night previous. It was these thoughts that made him overly excited to try language transference; a mistake he will not be repeating. This time when he and Damiana kiss, it will be slow and gentle. Hopefully it will give the Dabnodian girl the ability to concentrate. She did say that concentration is key.

Come on, Roy. Say something! Don't lose your nerve! "Hey, Damiana. We're here alone, right?" Be gentle. Don't be pushy and don't be creepy! "After what I did last night, you'll probably hit me for saying this, but it's probably a good time to try passing me your language."

Damiana had previously been curled up beneath her blanket, watching the flames dance. Now, as the small girl turns over and faces him, the orange and golden light shines off of her porcelain, doll-like, features. The glow is cast in a way that the archer can't help but find pretty. When she smiles, the lovely shine of the fiery glow causes his pulse to increase sharply. Thankfully, this only lasts for a brief second.

"Don't worry, Roy. I'm not going to hit you. Actually, it's probably for the best that we try it now. Who knows if we'll get another chance?" To his concern, her smile fades. Then she coughs. "But it's like I told you in the woods this afternoon. I've never kissed anyone… Let alone tried language transference…"

It is here that he takes the opportunity to move closer. "Why are you letting that stop you? Frankly, I don't care if you've never kissed anyone. You don't need to impress me. All we need to worry about is passing the language." Smirking, Roy adds, "Besides. You're kissing me. Give me twenty minutes and you'll be a pro at it."

The girl rolls her eyes. Such a familiar gesture warms his heart. "That's right. I'm in the presence of Titan Speedy, the kissing God with rippling biceps and rock-hard abs. Too much language transference practice, and I might pass out from the sexiness."

"Hey, don't mock me. Who knows? Maybe you will. Or I might make you beg for more."

"Keep talking like that, and you'll be teaching yourself language transference."

Roy can't stop himself from chuckling. He moves closer so that there is little to no space between them. Then he gives her curled locks a playful tug. "I was only kidding. You need to take a joke."

Damiana's hair turns magenta, and her eyes lilac. "Sorry. I guess I'm just nervous…" Another cough. "Don't hold this against me. I meant it! Don't ever hold this request against me! But… Since you're so much more…umm…experienced at this than me… Can you show me how to kiss?" She hides her face behind her hair.

Wide, emerald, eyes gawk dumbfounded. Somehow, the archer is not uncomfortable at all. He merely smiles. "You're turning kissing into something a lot more complicated than it is. There really isn't a method to it. Kissing is something that you just do."

"Oh. Well, I still don't understand…"

Although he is hesitant at first, Roy moves his hand out from beneath his blanket to cup her face. He hovers over her slightly, their lips very close to touching. "Is this okay?"

"Y-yes. This is f-fine."

With that said, Roy softly presses his lips against hers. This certainly isn't his finest kiss. It isn't steamy, it isn't passionate, and it certainly won't knock Damiana's socks off. In fact, this must be the simplest, most matter of fact, kiss he has ever given a girl. It is over in only two seconds. Yet, it seems to get the job done. Damiana's curled tresses are a blinding shade of orange, and her irises glowing copper, exactly as they were in the lake.

"Oh, o-okay. I t-think I get it now." The girl's quivering voice brings him hidden satisfaction. "Now that I get the idea, I'll give it a try."

The kiss that Damiana gives is very similar to the one he received in the forest earlier. It lasts a second longer and her lips press against his more firmly, so at least this one can be considered a legitimate kiss. Roy's highest hopes are that he is going to feel something significant. A buzz of electricity. A jolt. Or a sudden migraine due to hundreds of thousands of new words all entering his mind at once. Sadly, nothing like this happens.

"Na la fronait?"

"No. I can't understand a word."

Damiana repeats the exact same kiss. This continues for several minutes, the only difference being that each attempt is of a different length. The pressure of her lips doesn't change, neither does the inch of space that she tries keeping between them. Roy is well aware that he shouldn't feel insulted; this is not supposed to be romantic. Yet, with each hesitant kiss and the avoidance of bodily contact, the redhead grows more exasperated.

"Lal nan graenlat?"

"No! I still can't understand you! Nothing has changed!"

"What the heck! Why isn't this working? I'm doing everything right!"

"Well, maybe not everything..."

The maroon blush that overtakes the girl's cheeks almost causes him to regret speaking. When she shouts, Roy wishes that he would have thought a little bit more about the words he chose.

"That's right. I almost forgot. I'm in the presence of Speedy! The pimp of the Titans East that the ladies loves to make out with! How could I forget that the man I'm kissing is a legend?!" Her hair has shifted to a lethal shade of midnight blue. "What in your opinion am I doing wrong, Mr. Pimp?"

The inch of space that was between them is now six inches. If Damiana were more like her brother, he has no doubt that she would be shooting fire at him right about now.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that! I was just going to say that maybe you shouldn't be so hesitant."

"What? But I'm not being hesitant. I'm kissing you, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are, and you're doing good. Considering how you've never kissed anyone before, you're doing great! I'm just saying, if you want to increase the chances of language transference happening, you might want to make one or two minor changes."

An irritable sigh escapes. "That depends. What changes are you talking about? Because I'm laying down some ground rules. Our clothes stay on, and your hands are not allowed to stray past my back!"

"What? No! Of course not! I wasn't going to say anything perverted!"

This time her sigh is one of relief. "Good. Because if you were, I might have considered burning you." Midnight blue features fade back to rose red and soft pink. In turn, Roy's anxiety fades. "In that case, what were you going to say? If you think it'll get my language to pass, then we'll try it."

"I was just going to say that we need to move closer together. It's hard to get into the kiss with so much space between us."

"Oh, okay… I guess I can do that…"

Roy gulps, afraid that this time she will char his face off. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I was also going to say that you need to be more relaxed. You're too tense. I know you're trying to teach me your language and that this isn't actual kissing, but you still need to try to enjoy it. Being tense might be what's stopping your language from passing."

"That's easier said than done, Roy. I can't just make myself relax."

"Maybe not, but I can help you if you'll let me."

Roy hardly notices the girl's lilac eyes and magenta hair. All of his attention is on her maroon face and her stutter. "Umm…. S-sure… B-but only b-because it might help with the language transference. Not f-for any other reason."

"Don't worry. I promise not to push too far. And don't be afraid to enjoy it. Remember, I don't bite."

If Damiana didn't appear nervous before, then she certainly does now. Roy immediately knows that getting Damiana to relax while kissing him is going to take some effort. Especially after the pond incident. Not to mention, last night's incident. This is why he starts slow. The archer moves closer so that all traces of space between them vanish. For a moment he does nothing. He simply waits for the girl's posture to become lax. That is when Roy tucks a slow, careful, arm around her, and tugs her against his body. Roy takes his time and plays with the girl's hair. He buries his free hand in her soft curls and runs gentle fingers through it, watching as it turns from magenta to orange. Eventually Roy sweeps the curls away from Damiana's face, cups her cheek, and twirls a stray strand around his pinkie finger.

Damiana is fully expecting a kiss on the mouth at this very moment. Which is why Roy feels the need to surprise her. Instead, the archer gives soft kisses to her neck and jawline. An odd squeak from Damiana is the result. For a moment he is horrified that he will be shoved away. Astonishingly, it is the exact opposite that happens. The girl runs small fingers through Roy's short, red, hair and wraps her free arm around his torso. Roy's kisses become less gentle after this. He kisses her deeply and slowly, leaving a trail along Damiana's neck and jawline. More squeaks are elicited from Damiana, and he has to try hard not to grin. In a particularly bold act, he places one long, open-mouthed, kiss on the crevice between her neck and her collar bone; a spot that she likes based on previous squeaks. This is when he hears the single most shocking sound that planet Dabnod has to offer. Damiana moans.

Roy can't stop himself from grinning. Damiana moaning is the most delightful sound he has heard in weeks. He gives a deep kiss to that spot, and then two more open-mouthed, each one as long as he can manage. She moans once more. Making her moan a second time was a mistake, because Roy's mind is starting to journey to erm…unwelcome…places… Deciding that he should move things along before his thoughts stray too far, the archer makes the rash decision to plant a kiss on Damiana's mouth. She doesn't fight against him even slightly.

Somehow, they end up repositioning so that Damiana is laying on her back with Roy hovering above her. He hasn't a clue who initiated the movement. All of Roy's concentration is on sucking and nibbling her lower lip. Damiana has one hand massaging the archer's back and the other one running through his hair. Roy pauses in toying with her lower lip to give Damiana a hard, deep, kiss. Damiana kisses back without any hesitation whatsoever. In fact, after several endless seconds of intense kisses, the girl gains dominance by sucking and nibbling on his lower lip. She is certainly a fast learner.

Before Roy can gain control over his brain, his mouth falls open. Damiana hesitates at first, but then follows suit only a second later. The archer's tongue explores every crevice of her mouth, dances with Damiana's tongue, then the girl takes over and explores his mouth. When their tongues separate, it is only to exchange more deep, intense, kisses. He tries his hardest to prevent it, but once more, his thoughts begin wandering to…umm…other places. A few seconds later…well…his body starts to get the exact same idea… Horrified that Damiana will…erm…notice something that doesn't belong…, he is about to leap off of the poor girl. His goal is to learn the Dabnodian language, not to scare her to death and embarrass himself!

Thankfully, that is when he feels something else. It doesn't feel like being struck by lightning or his mind filling with one million new words. Rather, it feels like dull tingling. This alone is enough for him to move back to his own bedroll and for Damiana to sit up. Apparently, this tingling sensation is a shared experience, because she holds her hand to her mouth. More than that, however, the Dabnodian girl appears awestruck. Astonishingly, this reaction isn't due to the tingling…

"Naxdath! Lal mernix dantalofrix!"

This is what comes out of her mouth, and this is what Roy hears. The single thing that makes these words any different from before is that every single word is suddenly associated with a meaning. If he had to, he could explain what each of these words means in English! The difference between what was gibberish less than five minutes ago, and what is now perfectly clear speech, is astonishing!

"Naxdath! Lal mernix dantalofrix!" has become 'Sweet Fates! That was amazing!'

More than anything, he wants to shout with joy. If he can understand Damiana, then he will be able to understand everyone else, too! This is incredible! Instead, Roy's only focus is on the context of Damiana's words. He hides his satisfied grin beneath a false frown of disappointment.

"Darn it. I can't believe I still can't understand you!"

The girl returns his frown, clearly dismayed. "What? Are you serious?"

"Yes. Sadly, I am very serious." He hides his chuckle with a cough. "But maybe you should say something else in Dabnodian just so we can double check. Say whatever you want."

"Okay. I guess I can do that. Nax zintinnat lal sorchinae. Na martinzalnax" 'Your kisses were incredibly pleasant. You're very good'.

"Wow. I still can't understand you. So sad." Amusement escapes in the form of snickers. "I still think you should say something else, though. Just to triple check. I would prefer it if you kept going with the current topic. Amazing and very good are alright, but what about 'Na tatinax' or 'Nax zintinnat gantan rantinadxx'?"

Roy's chosen phrases translate to 'You're sexy' and 'Your kisses make me want more'. The girl's mouth hangs agape as she has the same realization that Roy had a moment prior. Damiana of the Fire Phoenix can, in fact, perform language transference. A firm punch in the shoulder is the archer's punishment. Of course, this doesn't diminish his laughter.

"You big jerk! You should've said you can understand me!"

"And miss hearing about how I gave you the best first make out of your life? Not a chance." He tugs her curled locks playfully. "There is absolutely nothing wrong about enjoying a steamy make out session."

Crimson cheeks are hidden behind a magenta curtain. "That wasn't a make out session. That was language transference. The two are very different."

"Then why were you moaning?"

"Because I— Umm— Uh— Cut it out, Roy! This is embarrassing!"

"Why do you feel embarrassed? You just taught me the entire Dabnodian language in only a few seconds, and you also got a fun make out session. There is nothing to feel embarrassed about. Everything that happened in this cabin tonight is between us."

At long last, the girl reveals her face. "It is? Really?"

"Absolutely. I won't tell a soul. Our sexy, language-transferring, make out session can be our little secret. If that's what you're worried about, then no more worries."

Cheeks are still crimson. Nevertheless, she manages a smile. "True. I guess I never thought of it that way. And since that's the case, yes. Making out with you was kind of fun."

"See? No shame in admitting it. If anyone ever asks, you taught me your language. Nobody needs to know the details of how we did it. That's for us to know."

"Speaking of language transference, what did you think of it?"

"I liked it a lot. Trust me."

Roy tugs the quilt more fully onto of his lap. He tries to look as natural as possibly when returning the girl's smile. Hopefully, she doesn't notice the nervous sweating. More than that, hopefully she will not notice that language transference had more than one result… Otherwise there is a decent chance that Roy might find the nearest patch of dirt and bury himself.

Cooking breakfast with the door and windows open was always Damiana's favorite thing to do during the early morning on Dabnod. The smell of the crisp breeze wafting inside mingling with the smells of bubbling starberry pudding and baking rintcakes is one of the best aromas in existence. Unfortunately, morning this high up in the mountains is very cold, so the door had to be closed after only five minutes. The draft the comes in through the window causes a slumbering Roy to shiver, so Damiana crosses the room and pulls the shutters closed as well. The girl hates to admit it, but the current temperature is colder than the harshest winter she experienced on Earth.

After shutting the window, Damiana goes over to Roy, tucks the fur quilts snuggly around him, and shoves another log into the fireplace. A single fiery blast from her palm, and the fire is roaring. Thankfully, the redhead stops shaking, enabling her to return to Tenna's woodstove. The pudding is thick and the starberries have completely dissolved aside from the seeds. She removes it from the burner and places the pot on the back of the stove to cool. Next, she opens the oven. The rintcakes are not yet golden. They need to continue baking for three minutes at least. Perhaps four.

Damiana takes this time to turn around and observe her teammate. When she first woke up, the fire had gone completely out, and Roy was partially uncovered. His teeth were chattering, and his lips were beginning to turn blue. In a moment of panic, Damiana tucked his blanket around him and threw her own on top of him as well. She had never built a fire with such haste in her life. She threw four logs into the fireplace and lit them ablaze, almost setting the hearth on fire. Fortunately, the girl gained control of the near inferno. It took fifteen minutes for Roy to start looking normal again, and only because Damiana had raised her body temperature and snuggled close in addition to the blankets and the fire. Only when beads of sweat started appearing on Roy's brow did Damiana crawl out from beneath the quilts to prepare breakfast.

Considering the scare that she suffered a mere two hours ago, seeing the redhead warm and sleeping peacefully brings immense relief. The first thought that goes through her mind should be concern about the frost. If Roy is struggling to keep warm now, what will happen once the frost gets here? Will her teammate be alright? Instead, the first thing that comes to Damiana as she observes Roy's peaceful face is the intensity of last night's make out session.

The girl had been expecting a simple kiss when he had said that he would help her relax. Instead, the kisses made Damiana feel as if her skin was burning with pleasure. She'd witnessed couples kiss each other on the neck on Earth, and it never ceased to confuse her. Now Damiana couldn't understand better. Being kissed on the neck feels amazing! The way Roy kisses is amazing! He wasn't kissing "just to get to the next part" as she has heard women complain about men. The redhead seemed to enjoy the act of kissing in and of itself; of learning which spots felt good for her. Damiana had no idea that her body was capable of feeling that good!

When their mouths actually met, the pleasure doubled! She isn't sure if it was the feeling when Roy opened his mouth or the way he sucked on her lower lip, but Damiana actually did want more. She found herself thinking of touching his biceps, his chest, getting a turn kissing his neck… The only thing that stopped her from doing this was a bizarre, moist, sensation between her legs. It felt nothing at all like urine. The memory is still one that concerns her. What the heck was that?! Hopefully nothing is medically wrong… It was fortunate that her language transferred to Roy at that exact moment. Who knows what other abnormal bodily functions may have occurred?!

Still, making out with Roy was incredibly pleasant… Practically against her will, Damiana wonders if there will ever be another reason for them to kiss each other. Probably not. This reality disappoints her. When the girl removes the rintcakes from the oven, it is with an upset frown.

So caught up is the girl in her thoughts, that she doesn't hear when the door opens. It is Caen's echoing voice that alerts her.

"Zaesa, look! Lady Fire Phoenix made us breakfast!"

For a moment Damiana is surprised. Then she faces Caen with a smile.

"Yes I did. Hopefully starberry pudding and rintcakes are alright. If I had time, I could have churned some butter for reizen, but I figured I would work with what there is."

"It's okay, Lady Fire Phoenix. Zaesa and I don't like reizen because the meat is too chewy. But we love rintcakes! Thank you!"

Caen takes two rintcakes from a tray of twelve. They are incredibly hot considering how they were just removed from the oven, but this does not affect the child in the slightest. While her son is chowing down, Tenna gapes in astonishment.

"Since when do you know how to cook?"

Damiana mirrors Tenna's expression. "What's that supposed to mean? I've been cooking since I was a little girl."

"Didn't your servants do the cooking?"

"No. Of course not! My mother, brother, and I did all of the cooking and chores by ourselves."

The mountain woman responds by approaching the woodstove, picking up the pan of starberry pudding, and sniffing it. Afterward she picks up a rintcakes, licks it suspiciously, then takes a bite.

"Color me surprised. This food is actually edible. It seems you do know how to cook."

If this were anyone else under any other circumstances, Damiana would react coarsely. However, since this is the kind woman who has shown she and Roy mercy by letting them weather out the frost in her home, she keeps her mouth shut. Tenna takes another rintcake, shovels the pudding into a bowl, and eats the food without complaining. In fact, she even compliments Damiana on her cooking. Apparently, people in the ninth province have never heard of starberry pudding, because it is "quite good for a recipe from the Capital City".

Thankfully, it is Caen who changes the topic from her city of origin. "Lady Fire Phoenix, is Roy going to wake up and have breakfast?"

Damiana glances over at the redhead. She is grateful to note that the fire is still roaring and both blankets are still over him.

"Actually, I was going to let Roy sleep longer. He was really cold earlier this morning. I thought some more time under the blankets and next to the fire would do him some good."

Tenna scoffs. "A grown man should be able to handle a slight chill."

"If we were on Earth, I would say the same. I haven't traveled far on that planet, but the places I have been weren't as cold as it was this morning. Roy doesn't have a second heart, either, so he will have a harder time withstanding the weather here. He can't just raise his body temperature like we can. If Roy is cold, he's stuck that way."

"Are you sure? Honestly, Lady Fire Phoenix. There must be some places on Earth that get as cold as it does here in the mountains."

"I'm not sure. Maybe Russia. Roy has been to Russia, so I'll have to ask him which is colder." Damiana clears her throat. "Regardless, Roy is going to need some extra clothes. When it gets cold, humans have to wear extra layers. That's how they keep warm."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Meanwhile, Caen ignores every solitary word she said to him. The child is shaking Roy awake, talking a mile a minute. Again, if the circumstances were different, Damiana would scold the child. It is utterly baffling that Tenna rarely scolds him.

"Hey, wake up! You're missing breakfast! We're repairing the yertkitz today! You'll never have enough energy if you don't eat!"

The redhead turns so that he faces away from the child, grumbling the whole time. "No, I'm warm. I don't want to get up."

Miraculously, he understood Caen without struggle. Not so miraculously, Roy's response was in English. Smiling at the mere fact that he can understand them, Damiana says something. For the first time, she knowingly speaks to him in her own language.

"Roy, Caen and Tenna cannot understand you. You need to try speaking in Dabnodian."

"Oh, yeah. That's right. I forgot." He yawns. "Cut me some slack. I just woke up thirty seconds ago."

In less than twenty minutes, Tenna gawks twice. "Lady Fire Phoenix, can your human understand us?"

Fortunately, Damiana doesn't have to say anything. Roy yawns once more, rubs his eyes, and sits up. He has a bit of an accent. 'ae' comes out sounding like a long 'i' when Roy speaks it. 't' and 's', which are spoken softly in the Dabnodian language, sound very harsh and abrasive when spoken by the redhead. Still, every word he says is completely decipherable.

"Kid…um…Caen? Caen is your name, right? Please get off of me. You're crushing my lungs, and I cannot breathe."

Stunned, Caen stands up and backs away. "Oh! Um… Sorry, Mister!"

Roy stretches and gives one final yawn. Then he folds his quilt, rolls up his bedroll, and puts them back in their places. It takes him a moment to figure out how to place quilt inside the net, and a second more to string it back up, but he accomplishes the task successfully. The entire time, he speaks to Tenna. Roy sounds more peeved than Damiana has allowed herself to feel since meeting the woman.

"'Her human'? Is that what you've been calling me? I don't know how much Damiana has told you, but I am not her property! I have fought countless villains and survived multiple deadly situations on Earth! I didn't survive a battle with a madman, getting sucked through a black void to another planet, and being lost in the wilderness for four days to be considered someone else's property!"

For the longest moment, Damiana is afraid that Roy and Tenna are going to brawl. Astonishingly, Tenna doesn't shout back. Instead the woman puts three rintcakes on a plate, places four large scoops of starberry pudding in a bowl and gives them both to Roy with a satisfied grin.

"You misunderstand me, human— err…Roy. You were Damiana's property yesterday, but today you aren't. She no longer has to translate for you, and you no longer have to follow her around like a pet. As long as you can speak to everyone on your own like a man, then you're nobody's property."

Roy takes the food and sits beside Caen on the shelf against the wall. He has not yet tasted the food. Instead he stares at the mountain lady in confusion.

"Is this your way of complimenting me?"

"No. It is my way of complimenting Lady Fire Phoenix. She did not continue denying you your independence. I'm not sure how things work on Earth or in the Capital City, but here in Whisper Valley, a man's independence is his greatest treasure. There is no crueler punishment then taking that from him." At last, Tenna's grin morphs into commanding scowl. "Now eat! There isn't much longer until the frost arrives, and our village has yet to patch the yertkitz and collect the wood! Most of our men are away, so our village needs every man we can get."

Much to Roy's surprise, it wasn't learning all of the new words that gave him a migraine. It is trying to speak them aloud that has this effect. Sifting through his new vocabulary for the proper words, stringing them into a coherent sentence, and then pronouncing them correctly is exhausting. His speech isn't perfect. Based on a comment that Caen made during breakfast, "you sound funny when you talk", it is blindingly obvious that he has an accent. Regardless, Roy feels fortunate that he can understand everyone now. Despite having an accent, everyone seems to be able to understand him as well. On this day in particular, communication has never felt more vital.

The duo of Titans follows Tenna and Caen down a simple, earthen, trail that supposedly leads to the village center. Based on their current surroundings, the village center probably won't contain anything grand or spectacular. It didn't seem possible, but Whisper Valley is an even sparser settlement that Murmur Creek. Tenna's home is a mansion compared to the other dwellings. They do not appear like homes, but rather, like huts. They look no bigger than Tenkan's miniscule barn that he and Damiana slept in; possibly smaller. As for barns, most houses do not have those. Instead, their uikin are confined by wooden fences. What they lack in constructions, however, they seem to make up for with farmland. There are numerous acres of bare ground, their crops most likely already harvested.

They certainly have enough food to survive the frost. Roy gives them credit for that much.

Meanwhile, Tenna speaks from up ahead. "Lady Fire Phoenix, you will accompany me and the other women. You will help us prepare the rest of our food for storage, and if we have the time, we will gather more firewood. Roy, you will go with Caen to help repair the yertkitz with the remainder of the men. There are holes in it that need to be patched and sections that need to be replaced. We should have built a new yertkitz for this season's frost, but that cursed Councilman from the Capital City showed up with Royal Knights and recruited many of our men. Because of this, we will have to work with what we have. It's old and rickety, but it will survive another season with the proper maintenance."

The archer furrows his brow as he works to process everything. He and Damiana will spend the entire day apart? He hates to admit it, but that sounds nerve-wracking. Especially if there are more people like the mountain woman's prejudice brother around.

When he speaks, it is with an obvious question. "If you don't mind me asking, what is a yertkitz, and why are we repairing it?"

Tenna does not seize the opportunity to explain. Instead, she allows Caen to grab him by the hand and drag him away. At this point, Roy can't decide if he likes or dislikes the kid. Caen acts way too boldly for a kid who would be in second grade in the USA. Why doesn't Tenna discipline her son?

"A yertkitz is a big house where everyone stays during the frost. Don't worry, Mister Roy. I'll show you!"

Before the archer knows it, he is being dragged farther up the path against his will. He shoots an apologetic glance to Damiana and a questioning look to Tenna.

"Alright. I guess we'll see you both later!"

"You'll be seeing us nonstop in a few more days, so enjoy the separation while you can, human!"

Caen drags him up the path with such force that it nearly removes his arm from its socket. "I wish you could meet Linden, but he's still in the woods with the rest of the hunters. Kish is here, though, and so is his daddy. Their daddy used to be best friends with Zaetaka, and Kish with my big brothers. That's why I like them."

That's right! This kid has three older brothers and his dad, all who were lost to the war. A pang of sympathy hits Roy squarely in the chest. Perhaps he shouldn't be so hard on the kid after all…

That, however, is when Roy becomes distracted. Standing at the end of the path, in the center of a massive clearing, is a structure unlike anything else that has been seen in these remote mountain villages. Every building that has been seen so far has been crafted from pink-gray stones and has been incredibly small, only having a single room. This building, on the other hand, is very large. There is a chance that Roy is overestimating, but it appears to be more than ninety meters long and approximately seven meters wide. If Caen's earlier remark is any indication, it must be large enough to house every family in Whisper Valley.

Also unlike Whisper Valley's other buildings, this structure is wooden. Bark, which was probably as white as fresh parchment a few frosts ago, is now the color of yellowed and aging parchment. Overlaying flat panels of tree bark are logs arranged at very specific intervals to secure the panels. The structure, most likely the "yertkitz" he has heard so much about, looks very secure for something that is a year old or more. It doesn't appear wobbly or unstable in the slightest. As they move into the clearing and closer to the yertkitz, however, Roy starts to understand. There are chinks in the bark, and visible cracks where the logs and bark panels come together. If this structure is meant to keep them warm during the frost, it won't achieve its purpose in this condition.

The rest of the men seem to have experienced this same thought, because a group of ten surrounds the yertkitz. They stand in different areas performing a variety of tasks. Some are replacing cracked slabs of bark with pure white, uncracked, slabs while others fasten down the overlaying logs with rope. Some are breaking apart the unusable panels into smaller pieces using blade-like shafts of air. Others use the broken pieces of bark to patch small holes, and the cracks left between the logs and the panels. This isn't accomplished using hammers and nails. The miniscule pieces are fastened using a dark blue, glue-like, substance.

Roy isn't sure what his task will be, and it looks like he won't have to make that inquiry. The instant they near the yertkitz, all eyes immediately shoot in their direction. If the redhead was thankful that the language transference worked earlier, then he is doubly thankful now. Without having Damiana around to translate, understanding exactly what's going on would be impossible.

"Well, I shouldn't be surprised. Caen and Tenna disappear for little more than a day, and when they come back, there's another stray with them."

Later when he and Damiana are alone, he needs to ask the girl in English what these Dabnodian men eat. Similar to Tenna's brother back in Murmur Creek, the man speaking is huge! True, Tenkan might have a couple inches on this guy. Nonetheless, he still looks like Goliath! Somehow, being able to understand this guy makes him all the more intimidating. His baritone voice could rival The Batman! Caen, however, is not afraid in the slightest.

"Hi, Mister Raezik. This is Roy! Mister Roy, this is Raezik. He is Kish's daddy."

This man, Raezik, stares at Roy in a way that might make weaker men soil themselves. He feels like he is at a police station and like a brutal interrogation is about to ensue. Once Raezik replies, he sounds as if he has found out some dirty secret that Roy tried hiding from him.

"Roy isn't from Dabnod. Is he?

"Nope. Roy is a human friend of Lady Fire Phoenix. I would let you meet her, but Lady Fire Phoenix is with the women at the smokehouse. Roy isn't from Dabnod, but he's still a man, so I brought him here."

"Caen, remind me to tell your mother what a fool she is. She can't keep bringing these strangers to Whisper Valley!"

"Why not? Roy and Lady Fire Phoenix are nice. Lady Fire Phoenix made us breakfast!"

"They may be nice, Caen, but are they helpful? I'm not even sure if this human can understand me!"

Any intimidation that Roy felt previously completely vanishes. It takes a moment to scroll through the new words that have been shoved into his brain, and an additional moment to string them together, but he still manages a rather swift response.

"Actually, you're wrong about that. I can understand you fine. And if it's strangers that you're worried about, don't worry. Damiana and I are only here to survive the frost, then we'll be on our way."

Raezik gawks at Roy as if he is a talking, two-headed, dragon. The other nine men gawk open-mouthed as well. The archer groans in frustration.

"Yes, fellas. I can talk! I'm a sentient species!"

Surprisingly enough, this earns a laugh from one of the other men. Not really a man, but an adolescent. He probably isn't much older than Roy.

"I'm sorry, Zaetaka, but I'm going to have to disagree with you. I like this guy!"

The massive man unleashes a low growl. "Kish, my son, I didn't say anything about liking him. My only concern is if these strangers can work! If this human man and his woman are staying for the frost, then they need to help provide. They can't just walk into our village, use up our resources, and leave!"

"Then Damiana and I won't do that!" Roy interjects. "We will help you provide in every way we can. After all, I didn't come to the village center to argue. I came here to work."

"You came here to work, did you? Then tell me. What element do you use?"

Raezik is baiting him. It is obvious by the cynical look that is reflected in his midnight blue eyes. Roy doesn't give into him. He merely shrugs and answers calmly.

"Humans can't control the elements like Dabnodians can, but that doesn't matter. Anything you want me to do to help fix the yertkitz, I can do without a problem."

"A bit overconfident, aren't you?"

"No. Not at all. I'm just stating a fact. I have gone on countless deadly missions on Earth without superpowers. If I manage without superpowers on Earth, then I'll manage on Dabnod."

The mammoth Dabnodian man, yet again, stares him down. The archer isn't intimidated. He holds the man's stony gaze without faltering. After being thrown out of Tenkan's house like a dog in Murmur Creek and being deemed 'Damiana's human' during breakfast, he is not about to tolerate being called weak for not having cool powers like the rest of them. Holding his own against Raezik must be effective because the man finally relents.

"Kish, Roy can help you patch the holes near the storage room. If we can finish repairing the largest holes and if we can replace the bark on the left side before nightfall, then we might be able to complete the rest of the minor patchwork as early as tomorrow afternoon. In which case, there might be time for another hunting expedition."

"See, Zaetaka? Another pair of hands comes in handy."

"Even human hands, I suppose," Raezik grumbles. "As for you, Caen, you can go collect the sap buckets with the rest of the children. It won't be long until we run out."

Collective groans are heard from the edge of the clearing. Turning, Roy sees a group of twelve boys. Some appear as young as six, and others as old as eleven. One thing they have in common are annoyed scowls.

"Can't Caen go help his mom at the smokehouse?"

"He's completely useless, Mister Raezik! We don't want him to come with us!"

The man's long, bushy, beard turns a deep shade of blue. It is nearly black. Each boy winces visibly in fear, more than likely regretting their comments.

"Caen will go with you! If I hear another complaint, or if I hear that any harm comes to him, I will take the sap you collect and bury you in it! Am I clear?!"

"Y-yes sir!"

Although he barely knows this child, Roy feels the need to step between Caen and the rest of the children. It could be their hateful expressions, the anxiety painting Caen's face, or perhaps the way the kid grasps the sleeve of his tunic. Practically against his will, the archer finds himself resting a hand on Caen's shoulder.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"He'll be fine!" Raezik tugs Caen away from his sleeve and shoves the boy toward the group. "Return quickly, and if you're late, don't blame your tardiness on Caen. You don't need to be a skilled air user to carry a bucket. For the last time, that excuse doesn't work!"

"But it's true. Caen always drops the buckets, and it's because he's awful with his air!"

Pointed glares from adults in the vicinity is all it takes for the children to shut their mouths. Despite their reluctance, they motion for Caen to follow and take off toward the edge of the forest. More than anything, he would like to ask why the rest of the kids are so averse to Tenna's son. Sure, he's a bit hyperactive and chatty, but what eight-year-old isn't?

"Don't worry. The boy will be fine. After everything else he's been through, a little teasing won't harm him. His dad learned to cope with very little air using abilities, and so will he." The man known as Kish is the one who says this. "Roy is what you're called, right? Nice to meet you, Roy. Come on. I'll show you how to patch holes. Until the kids get back with more sap, we'll start with the smaller holes. It'll be an easy way to start until you get the hang of it."

It takes all of his effort, but Roy finally tugs his gaze away from the group of children. Erasing the concern from his features takes double the effort. For the first time, all of the archer's concentration is on Kish. The teen is tall, lanky, has a long chin, and a pointed nose. His hair is exceptionally long; possibly the length of Adriel's Rapunzel-like tresses. Unlike Adriel, however, Kish's hair is the color of bronze and his eyes are honey colored. He also sports a friendly grin. More out of politeness than sincerity, Roy returns the stranger's smile.

"We're repairing the yertkitz with sap? I can catch on to that pretty easy. Just show me what to do, and I've got it from there."

Little did Roy know that this would be one of the longest, most grueling, days of his young life. Patching holes with a very distinct amount of sap and very precise cuts of scrap wood was only the beginning. Too much sap, he learned, was wasteful, and it made everybody besides Kish enraged. Too little sap, and the patchwork would fall apart only to have to be repaired once more. Thankfully, Roy learned the exact amount of sap for each size gap rather quickly.

Even more difficult was replacing the bark slabs. They were heavy enough to be mistaken for metal! Raezik learned very quickly that Roy has more upper body strength than most adolescents, because Roy and Raezik spent the entire afternoon lifting the slabs while the others secured them using logs, sap, and rope. The archer's muscles ached by the time the sun was high in the sky, and although the air was icy, he was coated in sweat.

Alas, the day still was not finished. After replacing the entire left wall and patching the largest gaps, they began replacing the bark slabs on the roof. It dumbfounded the village men that Roy was able to climb up there without utilizing air using abilities, but nevertheless, they were happy for his assistance. Hoisting the slabs from the ground to the roof required an immense amount of muscle that, quite frankly, nobody besides himself and Raezik possessed.

"I didn't plan on making it to the roof today," Raezik said while they were working to secure the final slab of the roof. "With the strongest of our village either fighting in the war or out hunting, I thought it would be impossible. You're quite useful for an Earth man."

Roy's response was a mere "I'm glad to help".

The time to return home did not arrive until the sun was nearly setting. During the trip back to Tenna's house, there were three things that surprised him. First was that Raezik gave him a pat on the back before they parted ways; not just Kish. Second was that Roy enjoyed every moment of Caen's company on the way up the path. He asked every question he could think of from "What are Earth animals like?" to "Do all humans have orange hair?", and the archer answered every question with ease. What astonishes him the most, however, is the thought that occurs to him at this very moment.

At the end of such a long, exhausting day, it will be wonderful to talk to Damiana.

A/N: As I stated earlier, I am quite proud of this chapter. Although I had to raise the rating, I greatly enjoyed writing the language transference scene. Introducing Aika, Raezik, and Kish was also very enjoyable. Yes, I know that Roy getting a boner was a little intense, but I thought I would make it realistic. Guys get boners. It happens. The reason I wanted to include that is because there are too many stories out there where a guy turns into an animal the moment he experiences a bodily urge. In reality, this doesn't happen. Men are fully capable of controlling themselves exactly as Roy did with Damiana. He had a few sexy thoughts and he got a boner, but did he try having sex with Damiana? No, he did not, because he has self-control. Self-control with sex is something that needs to be explored more in stories, and I am excited to do that.

Damiana getting wet was also a little intense, but she does not know much about sex; if anything. I think there are a lot of teenagers that don't know much their bodies simply because nobody ever talks to them. This will be something interesting to explore with Damiana, in addition to her new experiences on her home planet as a whole.

Aika giving birth, the frost, Roy's and Damiana's time with the villagers of Whisper Valley, I'm excited to write all of it! I'm even more excited for what will happen when they leave Whisper Valley after the frost, but I won't get too far ahead of myself. I might accidentally give my readers spoilers, and I wouldn't want that.

Anyhow, thank you all for reading! Until the next chapter!

Forever and Always,

~OCQ