+2
Ephraim struck the wood again and again, attempting to flatten out a bottom. It was difficult to visualize where he was supposed to strike without any marks, and after a while he stopped, setting the axe vertically on the ground and leaning on it as he frowned and contemplated his work. He might have to ask for some charcoal to know where to carve out the seating area for the vessel, but he’d work as long as he could up until that point. While he seemed to have no qualms with speaking foolishly to the Guardians, the mind behind that babbling mouth was quite sharp and wary of the boundaries. He was no stranger to acting the omega, submitting and joking, letting himself be bowled over.
As he wiped his sweating paw pads on his fur, panting from exertion and the sunlight seeping into his dark coat, a pale flash caught his eye. Coming out of some nearby bushes was another luperci, a teenager by the look of her. She looked alert as she emerged, as if she wasn’t really supposed to be there—which Ephraim could understand, due to his position as prisoner.
The girl greeted him, introducing herself as Ayasha the scout. He grinned broadly as she asked him if he was new, immediately dropping the axe and taking a deep and exaggerated bow. One might have expected him to break out into a happy shout at the sight of her, but the eunuch knew to keep his voice low.
“Hello there, darling girl,” Ephraim said, smiling softly now. He straightened again and looked her over. “A scout, hmm? You have the build for it, honey.” His gleeful, dumb small talk did not go on long before he addressed the question. “Don’t know how long I’ve been here, but it hasn’t been long.” His brown eyes looked warmly into her blue ones, searching carefully for any indication of her emotions. “Mostly rested up in that cabin, but I suppose your leader needed canoes and weapons and whatnot made.”
