S.O.S. [Daglobster] [M]

[DragonSong]

Maya squeezed back when he took her hand, but otherwise kept her presence as unobtrusive as possible as Elaros led her down the statue-lined hall. The emergency lighting washed the pastels of her skin and hair into deeper, bolder shades, and her eyes flickered a bit as they occasionally reflected the light.

She’d never been in a situation like this; she wasn’t a combatant, and while she’d had a few close calls in The Mirage—that was partially how she’d gotten here after all—she’d never come so close to real conflict before. Though she did her best to keep her emotions stable, there were little flickers of trepidation and anxiety that would trickle through the contact of Elaros’s hand over hers every so often.

[Daglobster]

The guards fanned ahead to clear the junction, while one stayed behind to guard Elaros and Maya. Elaros took the chance to look back to Maya. He could feel her stress through their contact, and while they had a moment, he wanted to do what he could for her.

He didn't say anything to soothe her, instead opting for a more animalistic gesture. With a low purr and a few chuffles, he nuzzled his snout into her shoulder. A cold Drakkon was often an anxious one, and Elaros naturally sought to share some of his warmth with her. She herself was warm-blooded, but the intent and primal purpose of the action shone through.

"It will be fine," Elaros murmured, pushing up with his snout until he could give her a brief nuzzle beneath the jaw, an action that was adorably chaste by Drakkon standards.

One of the guards, an orange-streaked male, gave Maya a very short, jealous glance at the display.

A guard came back and hissed the all-clear to Elaros, who finally parted his snout from Maya.

"My quarters are just up ahead. The guards will take me the rest of the way..." he started, meeting her eyes.

[DragonSong]

She tried to force herself to calm as Elaros nuzzled against her; she didn’t want his gesture to be poorly received, but she knew her own anxiety was bleeding through the contact. She gave him a smile and squeezed his arm lightly, hoping the affection and gratitude would override any negative emotion that may be playing at the edges of her communication.

Be safe, she urged silently when the guard returned, reaching up to cup his jaw in her palm for a moment as she met his eyes earnestly. She tried for another smile. I will see you soon.

Reluctantly, she stepped back, breaking the physical connection between them. She could still read ambient emotion—and even if she couldn’t, that look from his guard would likely have been something she’d notice. As she turned to head back in the direction they’d come, she reached out to brush her fingers lightly over the guard’s arm.

Thank you for protecting him, she projected, with as much goodwill and affection as she thought might be received. Aside from the captain and Elaros himself, she hadn’t actually spoke directly with any of his crew—but she thought she understood enough of the culture on this ship to attempt to assure this drakkon that she wasn’t trying to steal all of Elaros’s attention.

One last glance back over her shoulder, then she picked up her pace as she made her way back down the hall, making her way toward where she’d left the Mirage. She just had to hope some part of this plan would work.