Osgood the Mimic: Part One (rough draft)

I feel a yearning for my home when I wake up in the mornings. I lay there in bed, missing the feeling of being cradled high up above the ground. I hadn’t seen my family in a few years, not since I left to explore the world.

Before that I had never met another human, which was part of the initial journey. My family didn’t want me to leave the nest, but they thought it would be best for me to spend time around my own kind. They gave me some clothes and treasure from their hoard and sent me on my way, though not without a fight from some.

While it took me time to adjust, I found that flashing the treasure my family had bestowed me with usually got me my way. Though there were some, I had to teach a lesson or two. I was taken in by a lonesome old woman who said it was improper for young women to go around fighting and shredding my clothes.

Lady Blackwood had a similar attitude like my mother, so I took to her in a protective way. She was widowed with no children, and had a lot of treasure as well. This caused her to be hounded by much younger suitors and distant relatives sniffing around her money. I decided to protect her, as I would want someone to do for my mother.

“You look forlorn, Tiecia,” Lady Blackwood tutted as I came from my room. “You’ve been looking rather bleak these last few days.”

“I keep missing my family,” I sighed.

“Then why not invite them?” She asked.

I furrowed my brow at her. “Here? In your home?”

She patted the seat beside her. “Is that a problem?”

“Considering how you met me, aren’t you curious about how I was raised?” I hadn’t told her much about my family, only that it was an unconventional childhood compared to what she knew.

Lady Blackwood smiled at me with that knowing twinkle in her eye. “I am curious, my child, to know your past. You seem to keep it so close to your chest.”

I frowned and nodded. “It’s not something most people would be understanding of. My mother told me some people wouldn’t take kindly to it, let alone believe me.”

“I don’t see why you would lie to me,” she chortled. “Besides, I would like to meet them so I could tell them how I plan to take care of you.”

“I know my mother would appreciate that.” I fiddled with the ends of my long hair, coiling it around and around my fingers until I could no longer close them.

Lady Blackwood smiled. “Then let’s send them an invitation to come to our home.”

I shook my head. “No. I would have to go get them myself. I doubt anyone would deliver a letter to them.”

Lady Blackwood gasped in mild alarm, placing her small hands over her chest. “My goodness, do they live somewhere dangerous?”

I squeezed my face together and hummed. “You could say that.”

“No wonder you’re a fighter! Alright then, I will send you with the carriage, you can go fetch them yourself.” She looked very happy about it.

I took her hand in mine and held it gently. “My lady, I really don’t think you understand. If my family comes here, it could cause quite a stir. I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your hospitality.”

“How bad could they be?”

“They eat people.”

She was silent for a moment. “Well, some people need to be eaten.”

I watched in complete silence. “They live in Tulgey Wood. The deep parts. The parts with really bad creatures.”

Lady Blackwood squeezed my hand back. “But they raised you. They must be better than the fools who abandoned you there.”

I smiled. “My lady, are you nuts?”

She nodded her head with a simple smile.“Years of being hounded by the supposed civil beings around me have led me that way, yes. I would much rather spend the rest of my days watching you bite solicitors and scaring fairweather friends than anything.”

“Well, only if you’re sure.”

“I have never been more certain,” she chortled. “I would love to meet them, and I would love for you to have them here.”

I thought for a long moment before I agreed. Once I nodded, Lady Blackwood had the carriage prepared for me. I don’t think such a fancy thing had ever been through the Tulgey Wood before, and I would probably have to make my way on foot at some point. I was excited nonetheless, as I was getting to visit my home.

It was a long journey to reach the section of Tulgey Wood where my family lived, and because of the danger in the area, I hadn’t passed a soul. I parked the buggy just outside, releasing the horses so they could graze as they pleased. If they ran, that was fine, I wasn’t worried about the journey back to Lady Blackwood.

I ventured into the forest, whistling my mother’s lullaby as I did. The forest was lush and dark, and the earth here was soft and moist. My feet sunk into the soil as I walked, so I removed my shoes and left them on a stone.

As a baby I had been left here, or so my mother told me. She said she found me in the soft, warm earth screaming my little head off. I was soiled and filthy, and she said I smelled worse than a rotting corpse. She had considered eating me, but my smell was revolting so she decided to wash me off in the river. But then, she told me, as I smiled up at her and held my little hands up, her heart changed. She took me home and, rather than eat me, she found a way to feed me.

I heard something scuttle through the trees, whipping the branches back and forth. Then everything grew still again. Birds stopped singing, the breeze stopped humming with me. I kept my breath steady and my ears focused on any noises set to reappear. I turned my head slightly, seeing something glow from the corner of my eye. The flash of light vanished as soon as it appeared.

Everything was silent and far too still. I bit my tongue between my teeth, focusing as hard as I could to have the predator announce itself to me. I had lived in the Tulgey Wood’s most hidden depths long enough to know how to handle myself. But after a few years in Miror society, had I grown soft? That small grain of doubt was enough to make me take one wrong step forward and I was suddenly whipped into the air, flung into the trees and the bird continued to sing.

I was suspended in the branches of an old tree. The limbs had been shucked bare, allowing the web to be strung tightly between them. I exhaled loudly in frustration and waited for whomever was going to show themselves.

That flash of light came to the corner of my eye. I squinted, glaring at it as the bright red light flooded over me.

“Are you done?” I scoffed.

The light flickered and went out so I could see the outline of the great teapot on the limb across from me. Legs unfurled from the base, stretching out to reveal coarse fur, long fingers, and sharpened claws painted gold from the sap of the tree we were in. The top of the teapot opened and long, gangly arms stretched out.

“You were way too easy to catch,” he laughed.

I scowled at him. “You sound way too smug.” I sat down within the web, waiting for him to stop his showy reveal. “Nice to see you, Osgood.”

The red eye on the center of the teapot glowed again and Osgood came closer towards me. “Tiecia, where the hell have you been?”

I took his hand, standing on the strands of his web. “Out and about.” I broke into a smile, flinging myself against the teapot and his arms grabbed me up tight.

“It’s been too long though. I thought for sure you’d get sick of humans.”

I laughed, sitting on his forearm. “I am one.”

His long finger poked into my chest. “But in here you’re a teapot, and you always will be.”

I grabbed his hand before he pulled it away. “What are you doing so far from home? You’re not having to hunt here, are you?”

Osgood started climbing to the top of the tree. “My mother keeps insisting on me finding a mate, I had to get some space from all that nagging.”

I gripped onto his arm that wrapped around me as he went diagonal. “I’m surprised you didn’t take her offer.” His hand gripped onto my rear to hold me upright.

“Yeah, well-” he scoffed. “It just doesn’t seem like my thing. At least, not with anyone in the pack, you know?”

We came out onto the canopy of the trees and the sky had become a shimmering sheet of candy pink.

“I have missed this view,” I murmured.

Osgood placed me back into the crook of his arm. The lid of his teapot opened and a tongue reached out and tapped my cheek.

“You’ve been missed.”

I rubbed my wet cheek with a gracious smile. “Actually, I came here to invite you to my new home.”

He raised one of his four legs and pointed a claw at himself. “Me?”

“Not just you,” I chuckled. “Mother for certain, and my sisters. My caretaker, Lady Blackwood, insisted.”

“You need a caretaker?” Osgood snorted.

I shook my head. “You would not believe how weird the rules are out there. Apparently, a young woman can’t be on her own?”

Osgood jerked. “How else does she learn to hunt?”

I flapped my arms out to express my frustration about this topic. “They don’t! That’s the thing! Me fighting people was seen as weird!”

“That’s what's weird!”

I was overcome with how much I had missed Osgood and how much I had missed home. I hugged him again, resting my cheek upon the cool, smooth surface of his teapot.

“I’m so glad to see you,” I murmured.

“Don’t get too soft on me now.” His arms tightened around me. He then let me go, tossing me up into the air and grabbing me as he slung himself forward.

“So tell me about this new home of yours!”

I squealed in excitement as he tossed me around, swinging from tree to tree before we descended back into the forest.

“It’s this great big house. Lady Blackwood has no relatives and she keeps getting hounded by supposed relatives and solicitors. She took me in and I kept them at bay.”

“So you haven’t lost too much of your edge,” Osgood chuckled.

“She’s a very sweet woman and she’s really interested in meeting my family.” The forest grew dark and the light from Osgood’s eye grew brighter and brighter.

I breathed in and my whole body relaxed. That dark, thick scent of earth and decaying wood brought me back in time to when I was small and would ride on Osgood’s back.

More red lights appeared, flickering on and focusing upon us. From the darkest depths, a teapot that was twice the size of the carriage emerged.

“Mother!” I rushed forward, slipping down from Osgood’s arms and dashing along the limbs of a tree until her hands reached out to hold me.

“My child, my Tiecia!” Mother embraced me then held me aloft to get a look at me. “What have you been doing out there? You’ve not grown at all.”

“Humans stop growing at a certain point,” I laughed.

She pulled me back in, cradling me in her arms like when I was a baby. “It doesn’t matter, you’re home now.”

Whistles emitted from around us as the rest of the pack cheered for my return. I was greeted by my sisters, who swarmed me with questions of Miror and my time there. I was hugged and tossed around between them, carried to the canopy and back down as they filled me in on all I had missed.

“My friend wants to meet you all,” I said. “She’s invited you back to her home.”

Mother growled. “We’ve never been far from Tulgey Wood. How do we know this isn’t an attempt for her to hunt us and steal our treasures.”

I took hold of Mother’s great big hand. “She’s already got treasure, and Lady Blackwood wouldn’t harm a fly. She cares about me and she wants to meet my family.”

“It would be fun to see,” one of my sisters whispered.

“But we can’t just leave, what if our nest gets taken over,” another hissed.

“I know it’s a strange request, and one you might not consider. But I would really like you to meet her, or at least, let her understand how I was raised.”

“She does know we eat humans like her, right?” Mother asked.

“She doesn’t seem too bothered by it.”

Mother whispered to some of the other teapots. “It’s getting too close to when the leaves change, and we’ll be preparing our nests for egg-laying. How could you have forgotten this?”

I pouted. “I guess I was just excited to see you.”

“Why not stay?” Mother held out her hands to me. “This is where you’re happy, isn’t it? This is your home, your family.”

“I know, but-” I felt a sinking guilt. “I feel as though I have a responsibility to Lady Blackwood. She has no one and I protect her. As much as I would love to stay here, I fear I can’t. Not for long anyways.”

Mother sighed. “I cannot complain about you wanting to protect the weaker of your own. That is how I raised you. But I do miss my child horribly.”

I wanted to stay home more than anything, but I also didn’t want to leave Lady Blackwood alone. She had made me feel so welcomed and loved, even without my family.

“I can go back with her,” Osgood spoke up.

“No, you can’t! You have to find a mate!” His mother hissed as she lurched forward from behind my mother.

“No, no,” Mother said gently. “This would be a good idea. We can spare Osgood.”

His mother sputtered and whipped around. “You cannot be serious!”

“I am. Osgood is unmatched, he has no nest to build, no eggs to tend to. Having him go and be our representative for Tiecia’s friend would be beneficial.”

“He needs a mate! He’s not a child anymore!” His mother roared.

I heard Osgood grumble under his breath beside me and an old thought popped into my head. “What if I become Osgood’s mate.”

There was a whittling through the pack and Osgood jerked at my arm to pull me closer to him.

“What are you saying?” he hissed.

“You’re human!” His mother squealed.

My mother yanked her back, tossing her back into the trees behind her. “I had always hoped you would mate amongst the pack. A human would not have done well enough for you. Osgood, do you accept this?”

“But she-” Osgood’s mother struggled as she tried to make her argument.

Osgood stammered, fumbling with his hands and words. “I mean...I had always hoped it would be Tiecia.”

I tried my best not to react, but my heart kicked to life. I had always wanted Osgood as my mate, but since he was my closest friend I kept that thought close to my chest until now.

“Do humans even lay eggs?” Osgood’s mother huffed.

Mother sighed and patted the top of my head. “We will find out, won’t we?” She stroked my hair, curling a few strands around her fingers. “Then as mates, it only makes sense Osgood should attend to you out there.”

“I will,” Osgood was breathless.

“Are you sure?” I whispered.

His red light focused upon me. “It’s always been you, Tiecia.”

My whole body surged and tears sprang up into my eyes.

“Then it’s settled,” Mother announced. “Stay here a few days, and when you must, return to your little human back in Miror.”

Late that night I was laid down, resting but very far from sleep. My heart had not stopped beating wildly since Osgood said those words. I then felt something brush against my cheek. I rolled over, opening my eyes to Osgood’s red light. I held up my hand, allowing him to pull me up into the trees.

“I know you must be tired,” he spoke quietly. “But I can’t get what you said out of my head.”

I nodded. “Did you mean what you said?”

Osgood’s long fingers brushed against my cheek then cupped around the side of my neck. “I could never think about anyone else,” he confessed. “That’s why my mom was so adamant.”

I smiled shyly and nuzzled my cheek to the side of his hand. “I’m not used to humans. I don’t think I could ever be comfortable with one.”

“Well, I could,” he laughed. “But, just one.”

My cheeks grew warm and I moved his hand so I could kiss the pad of his finger. I felt him flinch, but I kissed again.

“That’s weird,” he muttered. “But nice.” His tongue stretched out, tapping my cheek then gliding over my lips. He jerked it back in a hurry.

I touched my lips and smiled. “See, humans just don’t get romance like that.”

Osgood chuckled. “Such a shame.”

I curled up against his side, resting my cheek upon his teapot. The glow of his eye dimmed and his big hand curled around my back to cradle me.

“I’m glad you came back,” he murmured.

“Me too,” I said dreamily. “I can’t wait for you to meet Lady Blackwood, I think she’ll like you a lot.”

Osgood was quiet. He placed both arms around me, holding me up protectively. I rested in his arms, quickly falling asleep, feeling safe and warm.

I watched the sunrise over the canopy of trees as the sky faded from black, to purple, to pinks and oranges that radiated warmth along the horizon. The rays of the sun stretched out, reaching the Tugly Wood which caused an uproar of singing from the creatures within.

“Don’t you miss this?” Osgood asked.

I breathed in the dewy, cool air. “I see sunrises where I am now.”

“I mean, here, like this. Sitting on top of Tulgey Wood, close to the heavens. Do you do that where you’ve made a nest for yourself?” he chuckled.

I looked up at him, and the way the colors of the sky reflected off his teapot gave him a watercolor appearance. “Not exactly. But we are near the ocean, and the way the sun comes out of the water is almost as breathtaking.”

One of his hands came out from under the lid and patted the top of my head. His long fingers curled within my hair, gently pulling at the nap of my neck. It was a strange sensation, part annoying, part pleasurable.

“What are you doing?” I huffed.

“I’m not sure.” Osgood recoiled his hand.  “You don’t have a handle I can pull on. How am I supposed to...you know?”

I bit my lips to suppress the massive grin trying to grow. “Right here? Right now?”

His big red eye glowed dimly. “Well, I mean, we should try. But not here! Of course not.We’d fall to our deaths.” He jabbed a foot through the canopy.

I chuckled and tried to cover it. “It’s so early, everyone will be waking up.”

Osgood leaned in close, placing a hand under my chin and squeezing my cheeks. “When did you get so modest? What have those other humans been doing to you?” A finger plucked at the lacing on my blouse. “You didn’t use to cover yourself like this.”

I shooed his hand away and laid my hand over my chest. “It’s chilly. And yes, well, maybe I have had to learn a few things out there. But still, if you want to attempt a mating, you could be more inviting than pulling my hair.”

“And how do I invite you?” Osgood teased.

I fluffed out my hair from where he had pulled and tried to buy time. “Well, take me somewhere more private than here for one.”

Osgood scooped me up into one palm. I sort of liked the way his hand felt on my rear, squeezing gently, his fingers pressing into tender areas.

Osgood lowered us down through the canopy. “My new nest might suffice you, but after living in such a fancy home in the kingdom, I dunno if you can rest comfortably without feathers and windows.”

“Are you mocking me?” I jabbed back.

“Maybe I am, Lady Fancy House.” We zoomed through the trees as he leapt and bounced off trunks. His grip became tighter, and his hand around my rear fastened itself. A tickle ran up through my chest and spine and I bit down on my lip.

I gulped as I tried to think of a response. “You’ve gotten an attitude now that you’ve got me!”

“I’m proud of myself, you can’t blame me.” He slammed into a tree and I slammed into him. His teapot felt warm against me.

I wriggled in his hand, causing him to grasp me harder than before. “Stop moving! I don’t want you thrown into oblivion.”

“Your hand is-” I stopped myself as he slipped down the tree. We plummeted faster and faster until he slung us inside the giant trunk. We fell a short distance until we hit his nest, it was a soft landing of moss, downy, and web. Up through the trunk I could see flickering bits of lights.

“Is this private enough for you?” Osgood chuckled as he set me down in the nest.

“This is so nice,” I murmured. “You made this?”

He scoffed. “What? Are you surprised?”

I leaned back in the nest, feeling more comfortable here than I did in my bed back at Lady Blackwood’s home. “Actually? Yes, this is quite nice.”

Osgood turned slightly. “I always hoped you’d come back so I could share it with you. I wanted it to feel...like home.”

I sat back up, bringing my knees to my chest. “I figured you would have found a mate by now, considering well...that it’s you.” I peered up at him. “But thinking that always made me a bit sad. A little angry too.”

He turned back. “Really?”

I nodded. “I’m only human.”

Osgood’s fingers brushed against my cheek. The touch was clumsy but he intended well. He smoothed his fingers back through my hair then reluctantly pulled away.

“Tell me what’s human,” he murmured quietly.

I licked my lips. “As in...you know?”

“Mating, yeah. How do humans do it?”

I stretched my legs back out. “I know they like kissing. And there are spots of me that I enjoy being...touched.”

Osgood lowered himself down and placed his hands on either side of my face. “Have you done it before?”

“Not exactly,” I grumbled. “I almost did, but I just wasn’t into what the guy had. You know?” I felt almost embarrassed by this confession.  “I don’t find humans attractive the same way I do you.”

Osgood’s eye flicked. “I’m attractive?”

I smiled. “To me you are.”

His lid opened up and his tongue stretched out. I stretched out my neck, parting my lips and sticking my own tongue out. His tongue was softy and syrupy, tasing almost like honey. I licked along it until the tip of his went between my lips.

“I like that,” he growled. “Did you?”

I nodded, feeling more shy by the moment. I pressed a hand between my legs, rubbing against the wrist the same way his finger had.

“It’s a good start towards mating,” I breathed. I sat up more, untucking my blouse from my pants and pulled it over my head. I cupped my breasts into my hands, sweeping my fingers over the soft skin and teasing the dark nipples.

Osgood reached out, brushing his knuckles against the side of my breast. “They’re soft.” He unfolded his fingers, grabbing hold and pulling.

I swatted his hand away. “Ow! No! Gentle!” I braced my arm over the offended breast. “I’m not a tough kettle! You can’t just yank on me like that.” I exposed myself again, gently lifting my breasts up. I let them drop, jiggle, then caress my palms over them again.

Osgood watched, tilting this way and that. “And that’s supposed to be good?”

“Yeah. I like touching them. If you touch gently, I might like it more.” I arched my back to lean closer to him.

Osgood reached out again, pressing the pads of his fingers into the soft flesh. He circled around the nipple, poking it as it grew harder.

“What the hell is this?” He pinched the nipple and I let out an alarmed but pleased moan. He held still, watching me closely until I gave him an embarrassed smile.

“Was that good or bad?”

“Mostly good.” I arched my back again. “Keep going.”

Osgood hummed to himself then pinched my nipple again. “And this makes you want to mate?”

I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths as his hands ran over my skin. “I know it must seem weird to you-”

“It’s kind of fun. I’m used to you looking so tough, but right now you look...cute.” He slipped a finger under my chin, tilting my head up to look at him. “Do you mean to do that?”

“I guess.” I lifted my hips next, taking off my pants so I sat bare before him. My heart was pounding, but I wanted it so much. “Okay so-” I was trying to keep my thoughts in order.

Osgood’s hands grabbed me, picking me up and holding me close. His lid opened, and the body from inside extended out. The long, slightly hairy form was topped with his long arms, dark red skin glistened and a mouth opened from the midsection.

I whimpered softly as the tongue lapped across my cheek and down my neck. “I like how this feels,” he breathed. “You’re so soft.”

I was laid back down into the nest. He leaned over me so the torso that came from the top of the teapot was almost on top of me. His tongue traveled down my body, lapping at my belly then going further.

“What’s this?” He sat up and moved my legs apart. He looked between, his red light focused there and then his hands began to touch and prod.

“Careful!” I huffed.

“It’s wet,” he murmured. His tongue slapped against me and I yelped.

His tongue squirmed there for a moment, applying pressure then licking upwards. He gulped and thrust his tongue back there. “It tastes good!”

I cried out and whimpered. “Osgood! That’s my-” I lost my breath as his tongue continued to devour me, lapping all over sloppily before applying more pressure.

“It’s open,” he murmured inquisitively.

I shivered as I forced myself to sit up. “That’s my...my mating spot.” I wasn’t exactly sure how to put it into words for him to understand.

Osgood breathed. “I see. I’m sorry, does it hurt or-”

“It felt nice. I liked you uhm-” I opened my legs again and moved my hand down to touch myself. I showed him with my fingers what I liked, slowly moving while that red light focused. I moaned softly, turning it into whimpers as my finger began moving faster.

Osgood grabbed my wrist and moved my hand away. “Well let me do it.” His tongue went back to place, tracing circles around the lips before easing inside.

I held my breath as he entered me. He would pull out, slurp and go back inside. Bit by bit he went deeper, all the while he growled deeply under his breath.

“I like this.” He removed his tongue and placed his fingers back upon me. “The warmth...the taste,” the mouth on his torso opened wider, dripping drool upon my legs. A second tendril extended from within.

Osgood picked me up with one hand, holding me gently but firmly as he brought me closer to his mouth. His tongue slathered against my thighs and ass, but that second tendril placed itself against my loins.

“Osgood,” I moaned.

“This is my...mating place,” he replied awkwardly. “Can they meet?”

I was embarrassed again, but the slick feeling of that bulbous, red tentacle felt nice against my mound.

“Okay,” I breathed.

He pressed gently at first, sliding himself inside me. I choked back my voice, throwing my head back as he plunged deep.

“It’s beautiful,” Osgood moaned. “And so...so very warm.”

I squirmed in his hand as the tendril rolled around inside. I could feel it in my belly, growing warmer and wetter inside. I wanted to reply to him, but I could barely think, especially as his tongue lapped up between my cheeks to clean up the mess.

Osgood lifted up my head so I could face him. Through the haze in my eyes I saw the red glow begin to etch it’s way all over his body. He looked beautiful, warm and bright like a fire lily. He brought me closer, keeping close to his mouth but I was able to reach out and touch him.

The hair on his body felt soft, not as coarse as I had thought. The light under his skin glowed through my fingers, a marvelous sight. He thrust himself inside me, churning the tendril around until it pressed against a revolutionary spot inside me.

I lost my breath and my whole body stiffened. He thrust again and I forgot how to breathe. There was a still moment where all I did was press into his firm palm and then my body went slack. Something dribbled from inside me and he caught it upon his tongue so the nest didn’t get messy. I felt warm and liquid all over, melting as he left something inside.

Osgood pulled away slowly, recoiling the tendril back into his mouth. His tongue lapped around me, cleaning up whatever mess was left behind. I squirmed a bit, grunting in frustration because I was so sensitive below.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered. He slowly laid me back down into his arms, cradling me against the warmth of his teapot.

I was mildly dizzy and could see spots in my eyes. Osgood lai dmy shirt over me to protect me from any could I might feel.

“Did it work?” He spoke softly.

“I think.” I started giggling and clasped my hands around my face.

Osgood plucked at one of my hands, trying to lift it off my face. “What’s that about? Why are you snickering?”

I sputtered and swatted at his hands. “It was good! Give me a second!” I covered my face back again. It was too good really, I was feeling way too great about it. The laughter was my way of getting that goodness out. I was happy, extremely so, that osgood and I could be mates, even if nothing resorted of it, we could still enjoy the benefits of one another.

Osgood waited until I simmered down and peeked through my fingers at him. I showed him my smile and I sat up in his palm, placing soft kisses all over his arm and teapot.

“I liked that so much more than anything I’ve tried before.” I rested my body against his teapot. “I’ve never felt so close to someone.”

“Really? You were shaking a lot so I wasn’t sure. Even inside you were-” He lost his breath for a second. “You did this thing where it would tighten and relax over and over.”

“I was…” I snickered again. “It’s an orgasam, and it’s a good thing.”

“Oh, like when I did my release.” Osgood chuckled. “I see. I see. We aren’t so different after all.” He licked my cheek as his body sank back into the teapot.

After a while of lounging in the nest, I got dressed again and we left to go visit with my Mother. I felt slightly embarrassed while we were around my family. I knew they couldn’t tell what we had done, but I somehow wondered if they did. I would catch glances at Osgood and couldn’t help but breaking into big dumb smiles.

“You seem to be in a good mood, Tiecia,” Mother said. “I trust sleeping in your home again helped?”

I nodded. “Yeah! It was nice, especially seeing the sunrise this morning.” My face and chest felt like they were melting off my bones.

Mother patted my cheek. “You look like you got too much sun. You have to be careful since you don’t have a protective shell. You know this.”

“I’m fine! It’s just uhm...a bit warm for me right now.” I glanced back at Osgood and I think she finally caught on.

“I take it Osgood is proving to be a good match, how wonderful. I had always hoped he would be the.” She then grunted. “But his mother can be so difficult.”

“Yes uhm-” I cupped my hand around my cheek. “I’m sure she’ll come around eventually. After all, Osgood seems very dedicated about this.”

“I knew he would be,” my mother chuckled. “He was always fawning over you when you were children. I knew deep within my eye you two would end up together. I love being right,” she chortled.

I went over to Osgood who was being pestered by my sisters. They scurried away giggling as he sighed heavily.

“Everything alright?” I asked.

“For now,” he grumbled. He reached out and plucked some moss from my hair. His fingers then combed through, making sure it wasn’t tangled.

“Your sisters are just making sure of a few things.” His eyes rolled around before focusing on me again. “They’re worried about our journey back.”

“I’m not. I’m very excited for you to meet Lady Blackwood. I think she’ll like you very much.” I took hold of his hand, beaming with pride.