Chapter 37
The next morning Mathias took the time to fully tend his nest for the first time in months before heading to the shallows where he hoped to see one of the harpies. He had spent more time than usual on nest tending, so once they got to the shallowest area it didn't take long for someone to show up.
Mathias felt a warm glow when he noticed Cora's legs wading towards him through the water. He started to eagerly swim over but slowed as the happiness morphed into guilt. So when he got to her he slowly popped up out of the water to nuzzle into her belly as he let out a soft contrite, "Sorry."
Alarmed, she cupped a wing protectively around him and counted the swarming merlings before asking confusedly, "Why?"
He wasn't sure what to say, but he tried, "I've been acting..."
When he petered off Cora helpfully supplied, "Off?" At his silent nod her demeanor softened considerably. She combed the tips of her talons over the top of his head as she gently told him, "It's okay. Do you want to talk about it?"
Mathias shook his head and pushed himself up further so she could more easily reach the top of his head and he could wrap his arms around her torso. Sighing contentedly he rested his face between her pleasing little mounds as she caressed his head and sang a soothing lullaby.
Part way through the third repetition Mathias suddenly spoke up, "So do you remember talking about the girls competing to challenge me in a year?" He'd been thinking about what he could do for the harpies since the day before and he thought he might have something.
Chuckling Cora nodded and folded her wing back up as she spoke, "Yes, but we wouldn't want to keep you from your merlings that long."
Mathias shook his head against her chest before asking, "What if I asked Tito if he was interested?"
She hummed thoughtfully for a moment before asking, "Is he as good at catching things on the wing as you are?"
Smiling slightly, he couldn't stop himself from licking between her boobs before answering as she squeaked, "If anything he's better at it. Well at least the aim part. He's smaller than me, so he was able to hunt seabirds longer than I was."
Grinning, she teased a talon tip behind his ear as she said, "Well, we haven't been hired for a proper fight in years so the girls will be eager to compete over the chance." She hummed thoughtfully again as he turned his head to kiss her wrist before warning him, "The competition will take a week though."
Mathias gazed soulfully up at her as he hesitantly remarked, "I still need to talk with Tito, he might not want his first time to be after a fight."
Cora gaped at him, Mathias had given her the impression that merfolk were just as free with sex, although differently so, as harpies, and asked in confusion, "How is he still a virgin?"
With a brief wry smile Mathias shrugged a shoulder and said, "He wants to be his lover's equal, and he's not attracted to men."
"I see," Cora muttered darkly before brightly pointing out, "There are a handful of harpies that fish in the lagoon near the healthier coral."
Nodding thoughtfully he murmured, "I'll let him know."
Ruffling his hair she cheerfully reassured him, "Even if he doesn't want to spar with the winner, I'm sure the captain can come up with some sort of reward to make everyone do their best in the competition."
He relaxed at that and let out a soft, "Alright," before hooking her head down for a deep searing kiss.
Pulling away Cora asked huskily, "What are your plans for the rest of the day?"
"Hmm," Mathias said thoughtfully, "I was thinking of going up river and seeing if I could pull a deer into the water. And then depending on how that goes I might take the merlings further up to check out the swamp you and Callie told me of."
Her eyes lit up as she gushed gleefully, "Oh that sounds exciting to watch!"
Mustering up a chuckle, he gave her a wink as he teased playfully, "Maybe you should see if Callie wants to watch too."
"I should!" she exclaimed eagerly and pulled away to quickly wade back towards land.
Almost immediately she stopped to pat and greet each merling. When she resumed her journey Mathias called after her affectionately, "I'll see you in a bit!"
Waving a wing at him she called back cheerfully, "Most definitely."
He watched longingly until she took off, and then he sank back into the water to take his merlings up river.