Hurrp>
Word Count → 323
Despite the long hours she had spent gazing into it the ceiling held no answers to Neela's questions. Sleep wasn't coming quickly to the restless collie tonight and no amount of breathing exercises or mental tricks to bring on sleep could replace the feeling of a warm body at the side of her. It was strange how much Neela had adjusted to Tony's presence when she was sleeping; she could sleep by herself if she absolutely needed to but in Optime, on her mattress, felt weird without his weight behind her.
Tony should have been back by now. Neela's mate had left earlier to go rid his horse but night had long since fallen and if nothing else his horse, lacking the night vision of canines, would be unable to see in the dark enough to ride this late. Nevermind plans and routines by pure availability of light alone Tony should have been back nearly two hours ago. Yet still he wasn't here and Neela grew more and more worried as the minutes passed.
Finally the front door opened and Neela's head shot up from the pillow, angry words about worrying her and what she would do to him if he did it again bubbling up her throat, then dying before they ever reached her tongue as the smell of blood hit her nostrils. Neela was out of bed as quickly as her pregnant form would manage, rushing over to Tony.
He didn't look good. One arm was clutched protectively to his chest and there was a general quietness around him, sapping his usual cockiness and energy. "Shit. Tony, what happened?" Neela asked, quickly running over to him and fussing around him, franticly licking his face and arm as she checked around him for injuries. Finding nothing immediately obvious she linked an arm under the one he wasn't shielding and helped him over to the bed, gently laying him down on it.
