CHAPTER 194: CJAPTER-194

"Get off me, mutt," he muttered, trying to shake him loose.

Instead of letting go, the man thumped Veer’s shoulder hard enough to make him grunt.

"Well, well, look who flew in! Don’t tell me you’ve been wandering the skies because you missed me."

Veer gave him a sidelong glare. "Miss you? I was hoping the wolves finally chased you off their mountain."

The man feigned a wounded gasp. "Ouch. And here I was, thinking you’d be grateful to see a friendly face."

"Friendly?" Veer scoffed. "The last time I saw you, you tried to ’welcome’ me by throwing me in a snowdrift."

The man grinned wider. "And you still remember! See? I make a lasting impression."

"You make a lasting bruise," Veer shot back.

Kaya, watching from the side, blinked between them. From the easy way they jabbed at each other, she could tell this wasn’t real hostility — more like two brothers locked in an endless competition neither planned to win.

As the two were still bickering, Veer shoving and swatting at him like he was shooing away an overly clingy cat, the man’s gaze suddenly slid past Veer and landed on Kaya.

He froze mid-move. The grin shifted, the roughness vanished, and he let go of Veer as if the scuffle had never happened. Straightening his posture, he strolled toward her with the easy grace of someone who’d been raised under chandeliers and polished marble floors.

A smooth smile spread across his face.

"Ah... hello, miss. What brings you here?"

Kaya blinked, momentarily thrown. Seconds ago, he’d been all wild energy and elbows, practically tackling Veer. Now? He looked like he’d just stepped out of some noble family’s portrait.

She matched his politeness with a small smile of her own, lifting her hand. "Kaya, I—"

"She came with me," Veer cut in, sharp as a blade. He stepped in front of her, blocking her from view, his broad frame acting like a shield.

The man tilted his head, eyes glinting with mischief as they moved from Veer... to Kaya... back to Veer again. Slowly, his lips curved into a sly grin.

"If he kidnapped you," he said with the utmost sincerity, "just blink twice."

Kaya’s eyes went wide, a startled laugh threatening to escape—

"You—! You damn mutt!" Veer erupted, like a volcano going off. "Stop right there!"

The man didn’t even flinch. Instead, his grin widened, the tease practically glowing in his eyes.

After another five minutes of back-and-forth jabs and muttered insults, the two finally cooled off—though Veer still looked like he was one remark away from starting round two.

The man straightened his shoulders and said with a grin, "Alright, enough of that. My name’s Tara."

Kaya returned the smile with a polite nod. "Kaya."

Tara’s grin only widened. He raised his hand again, clasping hers in a firm shake. "Hello, Kaya. Welcome to our tribe."

From the side, Veer piped up, "Kaya, this is Tara—my friend. He’s also the tribe leader."

Kaya blinked at him. Yes, Veer, thank you for repeating what he literally just said. But she kept her thoughts to herself and smiled instead. "Oh, is that so?"

Tara chuckled and gestured for them to follow. "Come on, I’ll show you my place."

He led them to a large cave set against the mountainside. A wooden door—yes, a proper door—marked the entrance. Inside, Kaya was surprised. Wow... okay, this is actually nice.

The cave walls had been shaped into separate sections, forming three smaller rooms. The stone surfaces were smooth in places, decorated with furs and wooden fixtures.

As they stepped inside, two more men emerged from one of the rooms. Both were slightly shorter than Tara, but with the same black hair, the same sharp black eyes, and the same sun-warmed tan skin.

Kaya took one look at them and thought, Yep... younger brothers. No DNA test needed.

.....

They served Kaya a wooden cup of water and a small handful of wild cherries, their bright red skins glistening in the light.

Veer, however, got... something else.

One of the younger brothers strolled in carrying what could only be described as a wild rooster that had lost the battle of life moments ago. With zero ceremony, he plopped it down in front of Veer.

"Here. Dinner," he said, deadpan.

Kaya glanced at her cup of water, then at Veer’s very deceased dinner, and she had to fight the urge to applaud. Finally. Someone treating him the way he deserves.

Still, she managed an awkward smile, nodding at her hosts. "Thank you." She took a few long sips—thirst winning over manners.

Veer stared at the bird. Then at Tara.

"You..." he started, voice heavy with warning.

But Tara’s smile only widened, his teeth flashing like he was enjoying every second. "You see, we believe in hospitality. And you, my friend—" he slapped Veer’s shoulder hard enough to make him sway—"I know exactly what you like."

Kaya tried not to laugh at the way Veer’s jaw tightened. His patience was clearly hanging by a thread.

"So, Mr. Tara—" Veer began.

"Don’t ’Mr.’ me," Tara cut in immediately, waving a dismissive hand. "You’re making me sound like an elder. Just call me Tara, like everyone else."

Kaya gave a polite smile and sat down. "Okay, um... you see, we were just traveling through this area and, uh, we need a place to stay for a few days. Is it possible to—"

Before she could finish, Tara’s eyes went wide, almost comically so.

"You mean... you want to stay here?" he blurted.

His tone wasn’t suspicious—it was excited. In fact, his eyes were shining like someone had just handed him a gift.

Kaya blinked, a little thrown off by the sudden shift. "Yes...?" she said slowly, her voice carrying a hint of concern. "Is there... anything wrong with that?"

Hearing her cautious question, Tara leaned back with an easy grin, waving a hand as if to brush off her concern.

"What were you talking about? Of course you can stay!" he said, almost sounding offended she’d even asked. Then he leaned in a little, his voice dropping in a mock-conspiratorial tone. "I mean... it’s not every day a guest drops out of the sky with him." He jerked his chin toward Veer.