by Lily Thomas
A thoughtful look entered her eyes. It was a yes. His sabertooth grumbled in displeasure.
“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t think we were right for each other, although I could have done much worse than him.”
Good. That meant her heart was free for him to win, and his sabertooth once more purred with pleasure.
“And you?”
“Me?”
Aiyre met his gaze as she folded her arms in front of her chest, only accenting her breasts under all that fur clothing. He swallowed hard. What he wouldn’t give to see her naked.
Aiyre didn’t know what to make of their situation. The sabertooths had destroyed her village, and now she was sitting around a fire talking to one of the possible killers. He claimed to not have participated, but could she trust the word of a sabertooth shifter after what they’d done?
She just wasn’t sure. So far, the men had done nothing to indicate any sort of hostility, but after recent events, she found herself a bit jumpy and untrusting.
Daerk scooted closer to her. His scent washed over her. It was so masculine and strangely comforting, pure leather and man. Aiyre almost felt like she could snuggle up into him, but of course, she wasn’t about to do that. Instead, she raised her eyebrows, waiting for a reply to her question.
“I have no one that I am mated to as of yet.” He supplied.
“Mated?” The phrase seemed odd to her.
“We sabertooths have mates. We do not get to choose, as you would say.” His golden eyes roamed over her.
Aiyre glanced over to where Tor was paying Ezi too much attention. Could it be? She’d do whatever she needed to do to keep Ezi safe from Tor if that was what was going on over there.
She turned her attention back to Daerk who was still watching her.
“So, you’re saying that you only… get intimate… with someone once you’re mated?” She asked. Maybe Tor was interested in Ezi for a more basic reason. Although in Ezi’s current condition, she couldn’t imagine someone thinking about her in that way.
Daerk frowned. “There are a few who join with others before they find their mate, but it is generally frowned upon. It can cause… problems after one person in an unmated couple finds their mate. But it does happen, especially as one grows older and continues to go mateless.”
Aiyre shifted uncomfortably under his intense gaze. She rose suddenly from her seat and busied herself with a soup she had started over the fire. She ignored Daerk as she poured a bowl for Ezi and then chased a reluctant Tor away from Ezi’s resting place.
The three sabertooth shifters left the cave, leaving Aiyre to think in peace while she fed her friend.
Tor’s interest didn’t bode well for Ezi, one way or the other. They needed to find another clan to take them in before spring, but the journey would be harsh. As Ezi drifted off to sleep, Aiyre decided they would stay long enough for her friend to heal. Until then, she would do her best to keep Tor away.
In the morning, the men took their leave. Aiyre suspected they had spent most of the night outside in their sabertooth forms, leaving enough of their scent around the cave to scare off potential predators.
“We will have to leave you two alone for a while, maybe a day or two, to keep up appearances at our village,” Daerk told them.
“Will you two be all right?” Daerk asked his eyes falling on her once more.
“Of course. I can hunt, and we have the cave for protection. And I shouldn’t have to hunt with all the bear meat you’ve provided for us.” She waved a hand at the meat that was now stockpiled in the cave.
“Is there anything else you need before we leave?” This time it was Tor who asked, and he only had eyes for Ezi.
Aiyre stepped between them. “We’ll be fine.” She repeated.
Daerk placed his hand on Tor’s shoulder. “We’ll be on our way, then. Grab your bags.” He said to the other two men, and then they were gone, but not before Tor gave Ezi another long look.
Once they were gone, Aiyre turned to Ezi with a sigh of relief. “I thought they might never leave. Tor unnerves me, lingering so close to you.”
Ezi snorted, “He’s nothing compared to the way Daerk hangs on your every word.”
Aiyre looked at her in puzzlement. “What are you talking about?”
Ezi gave her a look. “Last night you mentioned that we had a small supply of firewood, and not an hour later, that man had enough kindling and logs stacked in here to keep us warm all winter.”
Aiyre shook her head. “They all brought in firewood.”
“Yes, but it was Daerk who made them do it.” Ezi laughed at Aiyre’s expression, but in the next moment, she winced as she shifted her leg. Aiyre immediately made her way over to her friend’s side and bent down next to Ezi’s leg so she could get a look at it. She told herself she wasn’t relieved by the excuse to end their conversation. “Is the leg feeling any better?”
“Not really. The herbs don’t seem to be working as well as this morning.”
That wasn’t good. “Let’s take a look then.”
Aiyre slowly unwrapped the bandage, having to lift Ezi’s leg every once in a while. Ezi would wince, but she put on a brave face when Aiyre knew the leg had to be extremely painful.
Aiyre tried to keep her face expressionless as the last bandage fell away. The wound had turned a weird shade of purple around the edges. “Can you feel this?” She gave a light poke to the discolored leg.
“Maybe. I don’t know. Did you do something?”
“Let’s hope they do bring their shaman, and they don’t wait two days to do it.” Aiyre couldn’t believe how bad Ezi’s leg had gotten. It was a weird shade of purple, something Aiyre had never seen before.
“And if they take two days?” Ezi asked her voice barely a whisper, but Aiyre could hear the fear in there.
“Maybe I should head out and see if I can make it to the nearest clan. They’re human, but they should have a healer, someone who can help with this. If the sabertooths take too long, you might... die.” And Aiyre couldn’t handle another death in their clan.
“I should be more scared than I am.”
“Because you’re brave.”
“Or because no matter how you look at our lives, everything seems scary.”
Aiyre cocked her head to the side. “It is true. Our lives keep taking unexpected turns.”
“In this latest turn, we have two overly interested sabertooth shifters.”
Aiyre frowned. She really didn’t want to think about Daerk. “Do you want me to do something about Tor?”
“What could you do?”
“I could attempt to kill him.” Aiyre would do anything to keep them safe.
“Then the others would just kill you.” Ezi snorted, but she wasn’t thinking about her leg anymore, and that was all Aiyre was trying to do.
True. “I don’t know of any other way to get him to lose interest in you, because you’re right, he does seem enamored.”
“Then don’t worry about it for now. Besides, I might be able to convince him to go away.” A twinkle entered her eyes.
“How?” Aiyre was curious. Maybe she could use the same tactic on Daerk.
“I could be pregnant.”
Or not.
“You only spent one night with Drakk.” Aiyre was skeptical. She’d known plenty of couples who waited months, sometimes even years, before the gods blessed them with children.
“But we… a few times that night.” Ezi shrugged, a light blush staining her cheeks. “You never know. He may have left a part of himself with me,” Ezi rubbed her stomach fondly, “and what other man would be interested in that?”
“You’d be surprised.”
Ezi cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Daerk told me about… sabertooth matings. They have mates. As in someone who is destined to be with them.”
“So… Tor’s interest in me could be more than just thinking I’m pretty to look at?” Ezi bit her bottom lip as she waited for Aiyre to resp
ond.
“Yes.”
“I’m not ready for anything. It’s too soon.” Ezi shook her head and looked like a rabbit who had just been told it was tonight’s supper.
Aiyre rushed to calm her friend before she tried to flee the cave in a panic. “We’ll explain it to them. They have no idea you were recently joined and just lost your partner. It might make Tor back off, or I can ask Daerk to make him leave you alone.”
A new worry entered Ezi’s eyes. “But who will make Daerk leave you alone?” She asked.
Aiyre bit her lip and didn’t answer, turning back to the task of rewrapping Ezi’s bandages.
A couple of hours passed, and when Ezi’s condition wasn’t getting any better, Aiyre decided they couldn’t wait. She was beginning to think she might have to find someone else to help them in case the sabertooths didn’t come back soon enough.
Aiyre took all her clothes off as she rushed to her feet.
“What are you doing?” Ezi placed her hands behind her, ready to dart to her feet.
“Seeing if there is anyone else around we can ask to help us.” Aiyre motioned her to sit. “You just sit there and don’t irritate your leg.”
“Don’t think the sabertooths will come back?”
“I can’t rely on them solely. They may not be able to get away from their village, and your wound is beyond anything I know how to heal.” Aiyre wasn’t sure Ezi would live, even if Aiyre tried to tend her wound all day and night long.
“Should I expect you back here at some point?”
“I shouldn’t be longer than two days. You have plenty of wood in here and food.” Aiyre glanced over to their water bags. “And plenty of water.”
“See you soon, then.” Ezi sent her a weak smile, and it looked like the color of her eyes were already growing dull.
Aiyre finished ripping off her clothes and let the shift overtake her. Her snout grew longer, her long ears sprang up on top of her head, and fur spread over her skin. Once she was done, she gave her body a good shake.
With one last look over her shoulder at Ezi, Aiyre bounded out of the cave, her hooves clinking against the stone floor, and then she entered the snowy world around them.
Her legs were built for this though. They were long and slender and allowed her to bound through the snow with speed. She’d be able to cover more ground in her pronghorn form rather than in her human form. Not to mention how good it felt to be in her second skin. It was so freeing.
The snow was falling again, hindering how far she could see and what she was able to smell. All she had to do was either be back before Daerk or find another clan to assist them.
Chapter 8
Daerk and his men strode back into their village. He wanted no one to suspect he had a secret to hide. All they had done was go out for a hunt, and that was all anyone would know.
“Where have you been?” Mira sauntered around the backside of a hut.
“We’ve brought back some bear meat for the village,” Daerk explained, knowing she would most likely report back to Brog. It was no secret Mira liked to get around and win favors with whoever she deemed in charge.
“If you keep hunting like this, we might not have a problem this winter.” She tossed him a smile that rounded her cheeks, the freckles on her skin stood out.
“Doubtful.” Rir strode up to save him from the woman. “The mammoths have moved further south this winter, and a lot of bigger game are joining them. One lonely bear isn’t much hope.”
“I thought with the pronghorn clan gone our meat hut would be full again?” Mira grabbed a hold of his arm.
Daerk detangled her fingers from his arm one by one while he tried not to snap her fingers since she was hanging on like a tar pit. “It was wishful thinking at best, Mira. They had nothing to do with the dwindling supply of food. The harsh winter is driving the game further south than we can reach.”
She sent him a shocked look. Yes, he disagreed with Brog, it wasn’t like it was a secret.
Daerk strode away before she could talk to him anymore and get himself into any more trouble. She was sure to let Brog know that he still didn’t agree with the handling of the pronghorn clan, but how could he?
That situation had been handled all wrong. Killing another clan? Children, women, and elders? It was cruel, nothing more.
He dragged the meat behind him, as he made his way to the meat hut. It was time to stick some more meat in there. Every little bit was better than nothing, and he was going to do his best to make sure his clan made it through the harsh winter.
Pushing through the tent’s flaps, he brought the meat into the smoky and warm tent. Looking up he found a clanmate tending a fire, smoking the meat that had already been laid out over wooden poles.
“Where would you like this, Ryion?”
The other man looked up and sent him a broad smile. “Just leave it by the door, and I will take care of it.”
Daerk hefted the large amount of meat inside the tent. Then he turned to leave, but Ryion stopped him with a cough.
“Be careful how you tread around Brog. He’s been watching you more frequently, and I fear your hunting trips might cause him to lash out.”
Daerk scoffed. “Brog can try to scare me, but I’m not going to let him. Someone has to feed this clan, and I’m not going to let him stop me. We’ve had several additions to the clan only this last spring, and the women and children will need food.”
“I just want you to be careful.” Ryion shook his head. “Now that he’s killed a whole clan, I fear he might just decide to set his eyes on you.”
“I thank you for your concern, and I promise to be careful.” And he would be.
Ryion was one of the elders in the clan, and Daerk would take his advice into consideration. He knew he was testing Brog’s patience, but his clan needed someone to care about their survival.
He headed out of the warm meat tent. Now he needed to find Eron, the clan shaman. Eron was the one who would be able to assist the injured pronghorn woman.
It was unfortunate his mate was a pronghorn shifter because bringing her among his clanmates could be an issue. Yet he knew the moment Brog and his men were gone, his clanmates wouldn’t be scared into hatred.
Before Brog had come into power Daerk had always remembered an accepting and loving clan. Once they had the freedom to express their feelings, the clan would open up to outsiders, and he’d be able to bring his mate here.
Daerk made his way through the village until he reached Eron’s tent. Pushing aside the tent flap he glanced in to find the tent empty, without even a flicker of light from his fire. He hadn’t been here in a long time then.
“Is he here?”
Daerk turned to find Tor right behind him, trying to glance over his shoulder and into the tent.
“No, he isn’t. He must be in the caves.”
“We should go to him right away.” Tor’s eyes looked frantic.
“Be calm, my friend.” Daerk glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to listen in to his conversation. “The pronghorns don’t have mates, which means we will have a long journey ahead of us. Make sure you aren’t rushing her into anything.”
Tor shook his head. “It might be a journey, but I am pleased with her looks. I only wish she wasn’t injured. I would hate to lose my mate moments after I found her. We must get Eron to her before she gets worse.” A bit more panic entered his friend’s eyes.
Daerk couldn’t agree more, but he also hoped bringing Eron would prove to Aiyre that he meant to help her and wasn’t involved in the initial attack on her people.
Quickly, the both of them made their way through the village and to the edge of the forest.
“If he isn’t at the caves, where else might he be?” Tor asked.
“Let’s get to that if we have to, otherwise let us not think about it.” Daerk really hoped Eron would be in the caves because there was no time to waste if they wanted to save Ezi.
He glanced over at his longtime fri
end, Tor, and prayed to all the gods he knew of that his friend wouldn’t lose his mate right after finding her. It would be a hard blow for a mate to take.
He’d seen his mother have to deal with the death of his father after a hunting accident, and the only thing that helped her through the ordeal was her children. Tor didn’t have children to ground him if he lost his mate.
Thankfully, the caves weren’t too far away from the village, and it took them barely anytime to get there.
Daerk strode into the pitch-dark cave. He’d grown up traversing the length of these caves, and he was sure of every step he took down the dark path. Tor trailed right behind him.
“What if he is in the middle of a ceremony?” Tor whispered in the dark. “We might anger him… or the gods.”
“This involves your mate. Eron will understand if we interrupt him, and I have no doubt the gods will understand as well. Or they wouldn’t have given us mates.” Daerk did not doubt that Eron would assist them, even if it went against Brog and especially because it involved mates. There was nothing more important than one’s mate, except maybe one’s offspring.
That thought had him smiling. He could just imagine Aiyre full with his child. He’d waited a long time to find his mate so he could finally begin a family… a huge family. He wanted as many children as Aiyre would provide him.
He couldn’t wait to teach his children to hunt and show them all the secrets his father taught him. Daerk stopped mid-step causing Tor to run into his back.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.” He continued walking down the corridor, his steps carrying down the stone tunnel.
“It was something.” Tor pressed.
“I was thinking what offspring we would have with pronghorn mates.”
Tor scoffed. “My first worry is saving my mate’s life, then convincing her to be my mate, and finally worrying about our offspring.”
Tor was right. Daerk was getting ahead of himself. He needed to worry first about winning over Aiyre, and then about their possible future offspring. He couldn’t even worry about offspring if she didn’t accept him.