As I lay down on my makeshift bed of animal skins, I found myself pulling it closer to where Allmer usually slept, at the opposite end. If we’re going to try this relationship, I might as well get comfortable being near him. The word “date” feels out of place here, in a world where instincts and survival rule over civilized norms. But I’ve made up my mind—no turning back now.

Allmer was still outside, tending to the fire and finishing up the cleanup. The crackling of burning wood and the faint rustling of leaves echoed softly in the night, but my mind was elsewhere. I couldn’t stop replaying our earlier conversation at dinner, trying to make sense of it.

I’d noticed something odd the whole time. There were these little hints Allmer had dropped—things that didn’t quite add up. The first time we talked in the cave, he’d told me no one had returned from my world. But then, he somehow knew about the time flow difference between our worlds.

At the makeshift dinner table, Allmer’s hand on the roasting stick had paused when I brought it up, and Ace had furrowed his brows, watching us both but staying silent. The flicker of tension in the air was impossible to ignore.

Allmer’s expression had shifted into a lopsided smile, almost amused. “I didn’t think you’d notice,” he said, his voice carrying a note of approval.

“Maybe I’m clueless sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I’m not sharp,” I’d replied, with a hint of self-praise. I knew I’d hit a nerve. There was more to this story than he was letting on.

He’d looked at Ace, who merely gave a slight nod, seemingly aware of whatever Allmer was about to share. “He already knows, so I don’t see a problem,” I had added, encouraging him to continue.

Allmer sighed, his gaze distant for a moment as if reaching into memories he’d rather not revisit. “Alright then. I suppose it’s time you knew, little one.”

The way he began was almost casual, but the undercurrent of something darker crept into his voice as he explained how he’d briefly crossed into my world. It was unnerving to think that, for a few fleeting minutes, he had been somewhere on Earth.

He recounted it with a kind of detached curiosity. “I was a four-striped back then, bored out of my mind, so I decided to eat a bunch of emeralds all at once to see what would happen. Next thing I knew, I was in this dark alley with tall buildings and bright lights everywhere. People were rushing past in strange clothes, and there were these big screens up in the sky.”

“A busy crosswalk, probably,” I’d muttered, picturing the scene in my head. The thought of Allmer standing in the middle of a crowded city, out of place and disoriented, sent a shiver down my spine.

“Maybe. I couldn’t shift into my snake form while I was there, so most of those few minutes were spent figuring out what was wrong with me,” he’d continued, his tone calm, almost clinical.

“And then?” I pressed, though part of me wasn’t sure I wanted to know more.

“Then I was back here. But it wasn’t the same—it was winter. I’d eaten the emeralds in spring, so months had passed in the blink of an eye. That’s how I realized the time difference.”

I couldn’t stop the flood of questions that followed. “Didn’t you try eating those emeralds again? Did you investigate? How did you know it was even another world?”

Allmer’s expression had grown darker, more guarded. “I was barely alive when I returned. The shift between worlds nearly tore me apart. If that ape hadn’t found me, I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”

“Ape?” Ace had interjected, clearly skeptical. “Why would some random ape help a feral like you?”

“Because I’d saved him from deathbed few days earlier,” Allmer had replied nonchalantly. “And as for the human connection, it was his mate who recognized the description of the world I described to him. That’s how I knew it was the world of those few females.”

There was something unsettling about the way he spoke, like he was recounting a nightmare rather than just a bizarre experience. Even Ace seemed on edge, his usually relaxed demeanor replaced by unease.

As I lay there now, Allmer’s words echoed in my mind, painting a picture that left me cold. The idea that the boundaries between worlds could be breached, however briefly, opened up more questions than it answered. What will happen if I consume all 15-20 emeralds I got from Felix together? But the fact that Allmer had come so close to death during that experience gnawed at me. How many secrets did this world still hold? How many more dangers lurked just out of sight?

Suddenly, I felt Allmer’s presence again—warm and solid behind me. His chest pressed gently against my back, and his arm looped around my waist with a possessiveness that was becoming familiar. My stomach fluttered, that nervous tension of having someone so close still strange to me.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?” he whispered in my ear, his voice low, almost tender.

“I was just thinking about your story,” I admitted quietly. “It’s a lot to take in.”

He didn’t respond right away, just tightened his hold around me, as if he could sense the unease I was trying to hide. “Don’t dwell on it, little one. It was a long time ago, and I’m not that reckless anymore.”

But even as he spoke those reassuring words, I could feel the weight of something unspoken between us.

It stretched out between us for what felt like an eternity, the quiet only broken by the distant crackle of the dying fire outside and the rustling of leaves in the wind. Just as my thoughts began to drift into sleep, Allmer's voice cut through the silence, startling me awake. It was quiet, almost too calm, but there was a roughness to it that sent a jolt of unease straight to my chest.

"Shira… you should find a new mate."

-------------------- **I know it's been so long. I'm sorry! I had 2 months of continuous exams and after that I went out of town for summer internship at my dream company!! And the work was so hectic (I legit worked 14 hours everyday, weekend included ><) And guess what, I again have my exams starting next week •_• Any guesses who the new mate will be??