He was starting to thoroughly enjoy this feeling.
Once everything was wrapped up, Idir guided Nina back to their quarters. Just as she was about to head to the bath, something suddenly jogged Idir’s memory.
"Nina, our Serpent City produces a specific kind of floral nectar that is excellent for a female’s skin. I hear it’s a massive favorite among females. One of my subordinates gifted me a flask of it a while ago, and I left it in the storehouse. Let me go check if it’s still there."
"Don’t go to any trouble, tomorrow is fine too," Nina said.
"I’d rather go grab it now. They say it works best when applied right after a bath. If you like it, I’ll use what time we have left to forage for more so we can pack plenty for the road. Wait for me here, I’ll be right back." With that, Idir hurried off toward the storehouse.
Catching sight of Idir’s sudden departure from his post outside the room, Setan’s heart leaped with joy. Shifting into his little lion form, he trotted toward the bedchamber.
Nina was lounging idly on the daybed when she noticed a tiny lion head peeking tentatively through the doorway. Amused, she looked over at him. "What are you doing skulking around the door?" And he had even gone to the trouble of shifting into his cub form.
Setan padded inside. "Nina, where did Idir run off to?"
"He went to retrieve something. What brings you over here?" Nina asked.
Plucking up his courage, Setan stepped closer. "Nina... could you give me a massage too, just this once?" Recalling how she had rejected his little lion form once before, his chest tightened with a nervous flutter. Did Nina truly dislike little lions?
Truthfully, he had always deeply envied Mino and the others because Nina seemed absolutely enamored with their beast forms. He had been plagued by a constant worry that his own beast form wasn’t handsome enough and that she wouldn’t care for it.
Setan carefully tugged at the hem of Nina’s dress with his paw. "Nina, please?"
Faced with such an adorable little lion, how could Nina possibly say no? She scooped Setan up into her arms immediately. "Of course I can!"
She then fell into a highly practiced rhythm, petting and kneading his fur. Setan narrowed his eyes in pure bliss, melting into a soft puddle in her lap. Heaven above, having Nina massage you is incredible! He had missed out on far too much. In the future, he vowed to actively hunt for opportunities to beg her for more. And, of course, he would make sure to return the favor and give her massages too.
When Idir returned, this exact domestic scene was the first thing that met his eyes. He ground his teeth in silence. When did this wretched lion slip inside?
Holding the floral nectar, he walked over to Nina’s side. "Nina, I found it."
Nina set Setan down and took the flask to inspect it. "So this is the floral nectar?" She leaned in close, and a crisp, sweet floral fragrance immediately wafted into her nose. "It smells lovely."
"Do you like the scent?" Idir asked.
"Very much," Nina replied.
"Then let’s go get washed. I’ll help you apply it afterward," Idir said smoothly.
Hearing the mention of a bath, Setan’s eyes lit up. He bit his lower lip, his cheeks flaring with a sudden heat. "Nina, why don’t... I help you out too? Having two males makes things go much faster." While traditional manners dictated that a male should remain reserved before officially mating, he simply couldn’t bear to let such a perfect opportunity slide. Who knew, maybe he could even manage to crawl into Nina’s bed tonight?
However, before the words could fully leave his mouth, he felt his body suddenly leave the ground. He went airborne, followed by a loud thud as he slammed right into the stone wall outside the corridor.
Idir shot a chilling glare out the door, then slammed it shut with a resounding clack. This brazen lion dared to seduce Nina right in front of my face? Does he take me for a decoration? Today was his designated private night, and he was absolutely not letting anyone crash it.
Nina tilted her head toward the door, listening. "Is he alright?" That impact had sounded rather solid, proving Idir hadn’t held back in the slightest.
Idir scooped Nina up into his arms. "Don’t worry, Nina. We males are thick-skinned and tough; he’ll be perfectly fine. Let’s get to the bath so we can try out this nectar afterward." Nina nodded, and the two of them stepped into the bathing chamber.
Outside, Setan stared at the firmly shut door and grumbled to himself. What a stingy, wretched snake. Still, even though he had been tossed out, he had managed to score a massage from Nina, so he considered it a win. Rubbing his sore backside, he took one last look at the door and trotted away.
***
The following morning.
As soon as Idir woke up, he instructed Vair and his men to search the city for more of the floral nectar.
After breakfast, Momo suddenly flew straight into Nina’s lap, twisting and writhing uncomfortably. Mother, my body feels awful. It’s itchy, and it hurts a little.
Nina quickly channeled her elemental energy to inspect him, but to her confusion, all of Momo’s physical indicators appeared completely normal. Her eyes filled with worry. "What’s wrong with Momo?" Just as she was about to ask Little Bun to run a scan, Idir walked over.
"Don’t worry, Nina. Momo is just shedding his skin. He’ll be fine in a moment." He then knelt down and patiently guided Momo through a few shedding techniques.
After a short while, Momo finally managed to slough off his old skin completely. The exact moment the shedding finished, there was a soft shhhk sound, and Momo suddenly transformed into a plump, fair-skinned toddler.
He lifted his tiny hands, staring at them in pure awe. Wow, he had managed to take human form too! Picking up his discarded snake shed, he proudly offered it to Nina. "Mother, use this to make clothes for yourself."
Idir let out a soft chuckle. "With a tiny shed like that, you wouldn’t even have enough to make your mother a pair of socks."
Momo glared at him, puffing out his cheeks in a pout. "Hmph! I’m going to grow up very fast, and then I’ll be able to make clothes for Mother." He tugged at Nina’s sleeve. "Mother, wait for me to grow big. I’ll make you beautiful clothes in the future."
Nina smiled, gently patting his head. "Alright, Mother will wait for you to grow up." She helped dress Momo in a set of tiny clothes and set him gently onto the floor. "Momo, try taking a few steps."
Unaccustomed to using feet, Momo tottered precariously. His body instinctively wanted to slither and sway, and the moment he tried to twist, he lost his balance and tumbled down, sending the room into fits of roaring laughter.
Momo wrapped his arms around Nina’s leg, looking thoroughly aggrieved. "Mother, they’re making fun of me." He hadn’t realized that walking on two legs would be this difficult; a tail was far more convenient.
Nina scooped him up to comfort him. "It’s alright, sweetheart. You’re just not used to it yet. You’ll get the hang of it with a little practice." She then patiently held his hands, guiding him through his paces. After a few rounds, Momo’s steps grew increasingly steady, and before long, he was practically dashing across the room.
Momo leaped back into Nina’s arms, ecstatic. "Mother, I learned how!"
"Mm, our Momo is incredibly smart," Nina praised.
Yinny and Didi shifted into their human forms and took hold of Momo’s tiny hands. "Little brother Momo, let’s go play in the courtyard!" Momo nodded eagerly, and hand-in-hand, the three of them ran out to the yard, with the rest of the cubs trailing closely behind.
Mimi patted her own little tail, comforting herself that very soon, she too would be able to join her brothers in their games.
As Nina sat in the courtyard watching the cubs play, Harin and the other elders approached her.
Harin bowed respectfully before her. "Lady Nina, there are a few matters we would like to consult you on."
"Go ahead," Nina said.
"First, regarding Alar and the rest of Milt’s former subordinates—how do you intend to deal with them?" Harin asked.
"Handle them according to your own city’s laws," Nina replied neutrally.
"And there is one more thing..." Harin looked at Nina, a trace of nervous anxiety creeping into his eyes.
"What is it?" Nina asked.