The Ugly Duckling Of The Tiger Tribe-Chapter 325: Damar volunteered to leave

I opened my mouth to argue, but Damar stepped forward, his movements fluid and silent. He looked at Noah, then back at me, his expression unreadable.

"I remember the way," he stated simply. "My kin do not forget the layout of the land once we have tasted its dust. I can lead a party through the blind spots of the predators. I can navigate the marshes where a wolf would sink and a bear would be too loud."

Noah tilted his head, his dark eyes meeting Damar’s. "It is a long journey. The spring rains will make the rivers swell. You would be leading a tribe of timid rabbits—hundreds of them—through territory that views them as nothing but a traveling feast. It will be the most grueling march of your life."

"I am aware," Damar replied. He looked at me then, and for a split second, the cool mask of the strategist slipped. I saw the flicker of something sharp and painful in his eyes—not fear of the journey, but the anticipation of the distance between us. "But if this is what Ari requires to build her kingdom to the point she envisions, then it is what will be done."

My breath hitched. "Damar, a month there and a month back... plus the time to convince them... you’ll be gone for so long."

I thought of Lyra. Our little chubby girl was growing so fast. By the time he returned, she might already be shifting, finding her second form for the first time. The thought of him missing that—missing us—while he was out in the wilderness made my chest ache.

Damar seemed to read my thoughts. He walked over and stood before me, tall and steady. "Better I am gone for a month to secure your throne, than stay and watch it crumble because we lack the stores to survive the winter." He lowered his voice so only I could hear. "And perhaps... some distance is what I need right now, while the ’salt-air’ is still so thick in this camp."

He was talking about Thalor. He was choosing the hardship of the road over the slow burn of watching me establish my connection to the merman.

"We haven’t even spoken to the Elders yet," I whispered, my eyes stinging. "They might say no."

It’s not like I plan to give them a chance to say no, but the thought of being away from Damar made me want to come up with all sorts of excuses to keep him near.

"They won’t," Noah grunted, standing up and carefully transferring the sleeping pup to a nearby basket. He stood tall, his massive frame radiating a sudden, fierce authority. "Because tomorrow, the Queen and I are going to tell them exactly how the West Way is going to change. And if they roar, we’ll remind them that a King with forty hungry children is a very dangerous man to argue with."

I looked at Damar, my vision blurring with tears. I took in a shuddering breath and then released it. A month. Two months. In this world, a month wasn’t just thirty days; it was a gauntlet of storms, predators, and the terrifying silence of not knowing if the person you loved was still breathing.

"Two months, Damar," I whispered, my voice cracking. I reached out, my fingers trembling as I gripped his forearm. "Lyra... she’s going to change. She’s going to morph, and you won’t be here to see the color of her hair or the shape of her ears once she changes. You missed her first steps, and now you’re going to miss this, too?"

Damar’s jaw tightened, a small muscle jumping in his cheek. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he placed his other hand over mine, his touch steadying me even as his emerald eyes darkened with a quiet, simmering grief.

"I know," he murmured, his voice like silk over stone. "Do you think I wish to be away from you, Ari? Do you think I want to sleep on the cold earth while another male stands guard over your tent?"

His gaze flicked briefly toward the west, where the salt scent lingered, before returning to me. The raw honesty in his eyes hit me harder than any shout. He wasn’t just going for the kingdom. He was going because staying meant watching me navigate a destiny that included the merman. For a prideful serpent like Damar, the road was a mercy compared to that slow sting.

"Then don’t go," I pleaded, my grip tightening until my knuckles were white. "Send someone else. Send a scout, or we can all go together."

"No, Ari, we can’t all go," Damar interrupted softly, a small, weary smile touching his lips. "And a scout will only cause the rabbits to fear. The Rabbits need to see at least one of us whom they are familiar with. They need to know the protection we promise is real."

Noah stepped up behind me, his large hand resting heavily on my shoulder. "As much as I don’t want to say it, Little Tiger, Damar seems like the only reliable choice if we are to go ahead with your plans."

Then is it because of me that he has to leave?

"Then let us postpone it," I said. "We can do this in the summer."

"There will be no time to plant and harvest in that time if I set out in the summer," Damar said, a cruel reality hitting me, and I bit my bottom lip.

I leaned my head against Noah’s chest, but my eyes never left Damar’s. I felt like a wife watching her husband sharpen his spear for a war he might not return from. I know he will return. Nothing can stop Damar, nothing can pull him down, but even then, he is my husband, whom I love; I don’t want to be away from him for two months. I don’t want him to be away from his daughter.

The feeling was awful in my chest.

"I’ll be back before the heat of Summer peaks," Damar promised, leaning down until his forehead pressed against mine. "I will bring you the rabbits in top shape, and I will bring myself back to you. I am a creature of the deep earth, Ari. Even if I were to shed my skin and lose my silver scales, it takes more than a long road to lose me."

"You better," I choked out, a sob finally escaping despite all my efforts. "Because if you aren’t back to see Lyra shift, I’ll hunt you down myself."

Damar let out a low, vibrating hum of a laugh, his fingers brushing a tear from my cheek. "I look forward to being hunted by you, then."

Noah cleared his throat, his dark eyes fixed on the distant gathering hall. "Get some rest then. Tomorrow morning, we shall face the Elders. But tonight..." He looked at Damar, a silent understanding passing between the two males. "Tonight, you two can spend as much time together as you want. Fenric and I will watch the cubs."

I looked at Noah, surprised. He was giving us the night. No arguments, no sharing, just... time.

But just one night wasn’t enough to make up for the plenty of nights we shall miss together.

"Sure," I said. "Shall we go on a date then, Damar?" I asked, extending my hand to him. "Let’s go by the pool,"

He looked at my hand and then nodded, a smile playing on his lips.

"I would love that, Ari."