Redtail Rise It’s Chemical

Riley pressed back, which was encouraging enough on its own. Then she felt his muzzle drop ever so slightly to rest on the crest of her head. It wasn’t the crown she’d expected to wear, though Masquerade’s heart skipped a beat. She felt a jolt of giddiness for the first time in many days.

The tips of his teeth pressed into the longer fur of her nape, which sent a peculiar tingle down her spine. Masque visibly shivered, marveling at yet another batch of entirely new feelings coursing through her. They were as bewildering as the furious jealousy, yet not nearly as unpleasant. She wouldn’t use that word at all.

Actions spoke louder than words, she knew. As much as she enjoyed the grooming, she pulled away from Riley to look him in the eye. She found she couldn’t resist the urge to close the gap again, briefly, Masque’s nose touching his before she took a step back.

I know I told you to go after my sister, she said, breathing a little shakily, and I know you said no take-backs. But I take it back.

I take it all back! a voice cried in her head before her own echo replayed: “I want to rule. I want the right to choose a mate and build a family.” Just because she’d lost the first to Redd didn’t mean she had to lose the rest to her too.

I know I’ve given you mixed signals. I’ve given myself mixed signals. She laughed softly, then admitted, I don’t know what I’m doing. I can’t explain what changed, even to myself. But maybe we could…

She wasn’t even sure how to finish that sentence. It felt right to reach out and touch him again, so she did. Masque pressed the tip of her red snout against his again, the intimacy almost overwhelming her. She drew in a breath and then pressed her tongue to his nose in a proper kiss.