They paused to stare at her as if she was the crazy one.

“Is this normal? Do all families fight this way?”

Thia sighed. “I don’t know about all families, but it’s the norm for my little brothers. I’m pretty sure they’re all going to grow up to be terrorists.”

Without warning, Hauk dropped Darice. He hit the ground with an audible groan. Stepping over his nephew, the huge Andarion approached Sumi. “Are you sure you don’t have a ship?”

“Quite positive. Sorry. I did have a rifle, but you confiscated it.”

That ferocious tic returned to Hauk’s jaw.

Glaring at his uncle, Darice pushed himself up from the ground. “When we get back, I’m telling Yaya how you have shamed us all with your human behavior!”

Hauk turned toward him with a fierce grimace that would make anyone with a brain back down. “Like I give a minsid fuck. Trust me, boy, my mother did a lot worse to discipline us than tie us in a tent. She’d only be appalled that I have yet to put you in a ring.”

Darice lifted his chin defiantly. “You’re not Andarion enough to face me there!”

Hauk gaped at Darice as if the boy was shy a few charges on his blaster. Snapping his jaw shut, he went to grab a bottle of water before he paused next to Thia. “I’m going hunting. Keep your blaster close and your eyes and ears open.”

As Hauk left, Darice threw dirt in his direction. “That’s it, you coward! Keep walking. That’s all —” His words ended in a grunt of pain as Thia shot him.

Sumi gasped at her cold-blooded actions.

“Relax. I set it to stun first.” She holstered her blaster, and passed an unrepentant smirk to Sumi. “Though I shouldn’t have. It would serve him right to have a giant scar in the center of his chest, or better yet, on his arrogant, entitled ass.” She sat down next to Sumi and called the lorina over to her so that she could calm the beast.

Biting her lip, Sumi was confused by everything that had happened in the last few minutes. “Shouldn’t we take Darice back to his tent?”

Thia gave her a dry stare. “Ever tried to pick up an Andarion male? Even a small one?”

“No.”

“Don’t.” She jutted her chin out for the lorina to nibble on it. “Trust me, that prick’s not worth the hernia. I say we leave him out in the open and hope something foul eats him. Slowly… and with relish.”