BREAKING RULES, Combining two worlds (Part 3)

KOBA & JADA

The following three days passed uneventfully.

Reh'tec's men did their best to win the trust of the women bit by bit, something that was easier with some of the women than others, as some of the women had had nightmarish encounters with the men of the other race. Others had only seen the men from a distance, and a small group, including Jada, had a very different encounter with a Shri'Traccal warrior. One where women were the perpetrators

As she watched her young daughter engaged in animated conversation with the Shri warrior Koba, a pang of guilt shot through her heart. For years she, like many of the women, had hated the Shri'Traccal men with an intensity she could no longer understand. True, there had been men who had treated the women horribly, but in retrospect they should have known better.... At least that's what Jada kept telling herself.

Being so lost in thought, the young woman hadn't noticed that the conversation between her daughter and the warrior had ended and that the man was now watching her closely.

"What are you thinking about?" His dark voice snapped Jada out of her thoughts.

"Oh! Um, nothing in particular..." Her eyes slid along the tall warrior, searching for her daughter.

When she didn't see the little girl at first glance, Jada jumped to her feet in horror.

"Where is Lena?!"

Although Koba was a little sorry that the woman still distrusted him, he had to chuckle to himself and took a small step aside, his thick tail leaving a deep trench in the snow.

"She's making a snowman with Hakal..." He pointed with his thumb at three hunched over figures who were busy making a giant snowball that would probably serve as the base of the snowman.

Relief flooded Jada's mind as she saw the two little girls and the giant warrior busy making the snowman. Kimi, the other girl, had joined the mute warrior and her clanmate, and the three of them seemed to be having the most fun, judging by the giggles of the two girls and the broad smile around the man's mouth.

Embarrassed, Jada's eyes slid from the trio to the warrior in front of her. "I'm sorry, I... well, it's still strange to stand here with you without having to be afraid... I mean, we've hated and distrusted you men for so long, only to find out we were wrong..."

Careful not to frighten her, Koba placed both hands on Jada's shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "You don't need to apologise, Jada... Latarji and his men have caused you all a lot of suffering, it's only natural that you don't trust us right away, I can't blame you!"

Inquiringly, Jada looked at the man. She'd looked at him from a distance before, but it was as if he could sense her gaze, and as soon as it found his hair, she'd quickly looked away. But now that he was standing here in front of her... so close that she could see the wafer-thin scars that crisscrossed his scaly skin, it was as if she was seeing him for the first time. The tiny wrinkles around his eyes, the chipped tip of a cut tooth, the warm look in his beautiful yet strangely unearthly eyes, down to the fresh yet musky masculine scent that surrounded him.

Dead still, Koba remained standing, his hands still on her shoulders. Too afraid to move as her eyes swept curiously over his face. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she was no longer afraid of him, curiosity above all else, and his heart made a cautious leap. Deciding to defy fate, Koba slowly bent his head towards her until his horns slid past her head and his mouth was only inches from hers.

"Jada..."

At the sound of his hoarse voice, Jada's eyes widened as she realised how close he was, but instead of pulling away, she took a small step towards him and bent her head further back.