Providence went back out the door and walked around the balcony encircling the 'mile high' house. Dagaa wasn't kidding. The deck looked out through a clearing in the trees. She could see across the valley for miles. The sun was nearly at its zenith in the violet sky. It cast a rainbow of colors over the horizon, much like the sunsets back home. Providence plopped in one of the chairs on the deck and sighed as Dagaa and Madhava joined her.
"Surprised?" Dagaa asked.
"Beyond words." Providence beamed.
The wind blew through the trees, lazily rustling her hair, as the birds and insects called out their melodies amongst the verdant foliage just a handful of yards away. Providence reached out and took Dagaa and Madhava's hands. As her small fingers twined with their larger ones, Providence felt a true sense of peace wash over her for the first time in a long while. This moment was truly a gift. Providence felt her misgivings about their odd threesome drop away as she stared at the stunning beauty around her and soaked up the presence of her men. It felt like they were partaking in some sort of divine communion as if the Creator was smiling down on them.
Providence didn't know how long they sat before Dagaa broke the silence, his finger stroking her wrist.
"Not far from here is a manx stable. I thought we'd go for a ride and check out one of the caverns." Dagaa suggested.
"Sounds good." Madhava agreed.
Providence recalled seeing the manx in the stable at Kagan's home. The giant tan and black, stripped feline was the size of an overgrown horse, yet still had the temperament of a tiger. Though surprisingly it had nuzzled Giselle like a house cat when she introduced Providence to it.
"I've never ridden a horse much less a giant cat." Providence said.
"It’s okay, these manx are very tame. They're trained for trails not war, like Idris back home." Madhava encouraged.
"I think you'll enjoy riding." Dagaa added.
It wasn't long before Providence was sitting in a saddle on top of a manx of her very own as a stable hand held the creature steady.
"Hold onto the reigns. It will follow us, so don't worry about steering." Dagaa said as he leapt onto his own mount.
They were off an instant later, trotting down the trail with Dagaa in the lead and Madhava behind her. Providence held on tight, though the ride was graceful and smooth, as the feline traversed rocky inclines that would have been difficult on foot or even by horseback.
They passed over several ridges then began a steep descent into the valley. At the bottom was the fast-moving river they'd followed earlier. A tributary branched off, and they traveled its banks for a few miles, till it disappeared into the side of the mountain.
"Here we are." Dagaa announced.
Madhava jumped off his manx and tied it up to a nearby tree, making certain it could still reach the water to drink. He then helped Providence down, grasping her waist in his strong grip.
Madhava chuckled.
"What?" Providence asked.
"When I first met Giselle, she surprised me by dismounting off a manx like a tiny warrior. I had no clue she could even ride." Madhava smiled at the memory.
"I remember that. It was at the final battle. She slid of the manx's back down its tail. She learned that move from Sabin." Dagaa said.
"I was just starting to realize something was up with that cagey female." Madhava shook his head.
"Yeah, she's a character for sure." Dagaa snickered.
"So Giselle really helped to end the war?" Providence asked. Her friend didn't brag much about the details but others had hinted at it.
"Yep. We would've never learned about the chemical weapon or the fact the Toufik could fight if it weren't for her." Dagaa related.
"As I recall the trees rolling into the road, and warriors pouring from holes in the earth was her doing too." Madhava added with a shake of his head. "You should have seen my face. I was shocked as shit when the ground erupted with hordes of warriors."
"I can imagine, I was pretty stunned at the sight myself, and I knew it was going to happen." Dagaa grinned.
"I'm just glad things turned out the way they did." Providence replied.
The thought of her two men being mortal enemies was so foreign to her. It made her worry as she recalled their fight for Prime. But her men seemed so happy to leave all that in the past.
"Come on, you are going to love this." Dagaa encouraged as he forged ahead.
They entered the gaping hole in the mountain side, following beside the river that breached it. It was pitch black till Dagaa and Madhava produced an artificial light.
"Oh!" Providence exclaimed as the lantern lit up the channel.
The rocky walls were layered and striated, the river had carved them smooth over hundreds of years, as it ate into the rocky face. The stunning pattern reminded Providence of marbled paper with it wavy swirling veins of blue, yellow and black.
"Is this what that vase in the treehouse is made of?" Providence asked a she felt the glassy wall beside her.
"Yes. My father found a boulder that had come loose and took it to a stone mason to carve."
"I'm glad I'm getting to see this." Madhava said as he explored a side passage.
"It gets better. This way." Dagaa urged them on.
They wandered down a path, away from the underground river, which dipped deep into the ground. Providence was glad Dagaa seemed so familiar with where he was going, otherwise she would've freaked out a little. The idea of being lost deep beneath the earth was a bit nerve racking.
They circled around a narrow bend, squeezing through a tight fissure that made Providence feel a bit claustrophobic. The rocky walls shifted in texture. Projections started jutting out here and there like massive angular icicles. The deeper they went, the more crystalline stalagmite and stalactites there were, and they grew in size, lining the precarious trail.
The cavern suddenly opened into a vast gallery. Dagaa turned up his lantern and set it on a massive crystal nearby. Providence stared in awe as she looked up.
"It's like the inside of a giant geode." She exclaimed in a whisper of wonderment as she turned in circles.
Madhava's mouth stood open, stupefied by the venerable sight.
The room was filled with pale blue crystals, jutting out from every inch of the ceiling, walls and floor. Most of the clear azure gems were larger than anyone of them, most the height of two men at least.
"I'm amazed that something like this is even possible." Madhava finally found his voice.
"I know! We have small rocks like this back home. But holy cow." Providence declared.
Her voice echoed through the cavern and a melodic hum resonated back from the giant crystals. Providence paused and her eyes widened at the singing rocks.
"That's the other fun thing about this cavern." Dagaa laughed at her shocked expression.
"Hello!" Providence called out loud then listened to the crystals' bright hum.
"Listen." Dagaa said then began singing a deep throaty song that reminded Providence of a Tibetan chant.
The bass bounced between the crystals, sending them vibrating. When Madhava joined in the tune became so intense that it jarred Providence to her soul. It was beautiful and intricate the way the men's voices and the sound from the crystals rose and fell almost like a musical round.
There were moments in Providence's life that stayed with her, like her first jump, or the bottle of wine she shared with her friends in Sonoma Valley. But this string of moments, here in the Primal forest on an alien planet, would carry her to her dying day.
Providence looked at her two unusual yet stunningly handsome males as they sang. She took a deep breath, smelling the humid air, scented with a salty mineral odor, then closed her eyes to commit everything to memory.
Dagaa and Madhava stopped their enchanting song and looked to Providence encouraging her to sing something.
"I don't know too many songs." Providence said shyly.
"Come on. Anything sounds awesome in here." Dagaa coaxed
.
"Okay."
Providence started up the only song she thought might sound neat in the space, one of the few she knew by heart and didn't butcher too bad.
"Ohhhhh say can you see.... By the dawn's early light..."
The high pitched ringing melody didn't disappoint her as her men smiled at her tune. When she finished, Providence sighed in satisfaction.
"That was beautiful. What was it?" Madhava asked as he wrapped an arm around her.
"It's our national anthem. What were you singing?"
"An old tribal song from long before the war." Dagaa answered. "Well you want to head back? I brought some padana steaks for dinner."
"Okay sounds good." Providence loved padana, it was so juicy and tender.
The trio picked their way out of the cave and mounted their manx to head back to Dagaa's treehouse. Providence was ready to sit and relax by a campfire, to ruminate on the awesome day.
As the manx traversed one of the mountain trails the beast she rode suddenly paused, the hair on the back of its neck standing on end. The feline's eyes widened as it turned left then right. All three manx suddenly bolted down the mountain pass, running at a breakneck pace like the hounds of hell were nipping at their heels.
Providence gripped the reigns, attempting to slow the beast to no avail. She leaned forward holding on for dear life, as Madhava and Dagaa yelled at their manx, attempting to wrangle the frightened creatures. Her manx veered off the path crashing swiftly through the underbrush. It huffed and frothed as it raced down the mountainside.
Providence stared at the rapidly approaching branch, it was too low. She shifted to the side, hoping to grab hold of the limb, but lost her balance. Providence hit the ground knocking the wind out of her.
Providence rolled over, catching a glimpse of her manx as it bolted off without a glance backwards for its lost rider. The guys were nowhere to be seen.
She heard loud rustling an instant later, as she attempted to stand up, clutching her aching side. Providence froze as the sound got louder and closer.
Emerging from the underbrush stood an enormous creature. It looked like a wolf but was the size of a bear, a very big bear. Its vicious jagged teeth were bared as a snarl rumbled in its throat. This must be what spooked the manx.
Providence didn't move a muscle. She barely even breathed as she eyed the ferocious beast. This wasn't an angry man that she might have a chance defending herself against. This was a predator on the hunt, and it had just found a snack.
The massive beast crouched, its muscles bunching preparing for a strike. Providence tensed as she said a prayer, hoping her wonderful day didn't end in tragedy.
Madhava
The manx were running scarred. Only one creature could frighten a manx like that, a metcor. The beasts were vicious. They were known to tear their prey to shreds after hunting them tenaciously for miles.
"Providence's manx took off that way. We have to get to her." Dagaa hollered as he attempted to wrangle his own beast.
The manx refused to follow the one Providence was riding. No doubt the metcor had also taken off after the lone manx ridden by their female.
"This is not good, not good at all." Madhava growled feeling frantic.
"Do we go on foot or ride? She could be miles off as fast as that damn beast was running." Dagaa snarled as he ran his hand through his hair pulling at it in frustration.
"We go on foot. These beasts are too spooked. They'll never head anywhere they scent a metcor." Madhava reasoned.
Dagaa leapt down, and they were instantly off, running through the forest as fast as their legs could carry them. It was easy to follow the manx's path, there were broken branches all along the way. Even if it hadn't been, Madhava followed his heightened senses. He could track his bonded from a mile away, so tuned to her scent he was.
Madhava's heart pounded in his chest, not just from the exertion, but from fear. His little bonded was no match for a runaway manx or a metcor. Even a seasoned warrior was at risk if he came face to face with the man killer. The thought of losing sweet Providence spurred him on faster.
Madhava and Dagaa stopped as they heard growling ahead. Providence cowered several feet in front of the bristling metcor. Madhava pointed Dagaa to the opposite side of the clearing as they circled down wind of the beast that had Providence cornered.
Providence
Providence braced herself for the worst. Just as the terrible beast flexed its hind legs to pounce on her, out of nowhere Madhava launched at the creature with a primal snarl of his own, landing on the beasts back. Dagaa came out of the woods from the opposite side shoving Providence out of the way.
Providence watched in horror as Madhava sunk his knife into the fatty scruff on the back of the beast's neck. Dagaa narrowly avoided a swipe from the creature's enormous claws. He danced from side to side waiting for an opening. The creature reared and bellowed as it tried to throw Madhava off its back. Dagaa lunged forward and slashed at the beast's gut, opening a large gash. Meanwhile Madhava snatched another blade from the bandolier on his chest, gripped it tight, and brought it down hard at the base of the creature's head. It sunk in deep and Madhava twisted it with a feral roar.
The beast yowled then dropped to the ground, huffing as it bled out. Dagaa moved in and slashed its throat, sending a spray of blood, quickly ending its misery.
"Providence are you okay?" Madhava asked, his face contorted with worry and the subsiding fury.
Providence sat on the leaf littered floor, shaking as the adrenalin got the best of her. Not only had she almost been a tasty treat which freaked her out, but her two warriors had risked their hides and could've been fatally injured themselves.
"Providence are you okay?" Madhava said louder, attempting to capture her attention.
She turned her eyes from the hairy behemoth that lay bleeding on the ground, back to her warriors. They were covered in sprays of the beast's blood. At least she hoped it was all from the creature. Everything happened so fast. The way the creature swiped and gnashed its teeth at her men, Providence didn't know if they were injured or not.
Providence ran her hands over Dagaa, looking for any scrapes or gashes, and then reached for Madhava.
"We are fine beautiful. What about you? You are shaking." Dagaa said as he gripped her shoulders.
"I'm okay. A bit freaked out." She stammered as her lip trembled, tears threatening in her eyes.
She hated feeling like such a damsel in distress with all the things that had happened lately.
Dagaa picked her up, cradling her in his big strong arms. He was covered in blood but she didn't care as she nestled her head against his chest.
"I saw its paw coming for you and..." Providence whispered.
"Shhhh it's okay now, the metcor is dead." Dagaa soothed her.
"How far do you think we are from the manx stable?" Madhava asked as he walked beside Dagaa and Providence.
"Not more than a mile or two, I imagine. The frightened manx was heading that way. If we follow its trail through the woods, we should make it before nightfall."
"I can walk." Providence insisted.
"Not happening beautiful." Dagaa clutched her tighter.
Providence sighed as she nodded. Dagaa was right, she was sore from falling off the manx, and was still worked up and shaking, probably couldn't really walk even if she wanted to.
It wasn't long before they reached the stables and found the three wayward manx, along with their handler. The male was more than happy to take them via transport back to the treehouse.
"I'm going to start a fire. How about you two go bathe?" Madhava suggested as he split off from them.
Dagaa walked down towards the river and set Providence on a rock. He rinsed, stripping off his bloody clothes in the water, and then ducked quickly beneath the surface to wash the gore out of his hair. He stayed a pace away from Providence and kept her in his sights the entire time. He was clearly as rattled by their ordeal as she was.
As
worked up as she was, Providence still appreciated the sight of her man as he flipped his long wet black hair over his shoulder, the water running down his chest as he approached her on the shore.
Providence raised her arms as Dagaa pulled her bloody shirt off, rinsed it thoroughly, then used it to clean the rest of the blood that had gotten on her. His fingers tenderly brushed her cheek as he held her face in his hands.
"Oh Providence." He whispered at a loss for words to express how he felt at the moment.
Providence looked into Dagaa's eyes. They swirled with emotions too great for either of them to express.
Madhava joined them and bathed. He too watched her as he rapidly washed. Then the three of them returned to the campfire. It didn't take long for the fire to go from a steady burn to a roaring blaze. Madhava and Dagga sat naked on either side of Providence, soaking up the heat as it grew dark.
Providence calmed markedly as they soothingly rubbed her back.
"I am sorry that damn beast ruined everything." Dagaa groused sounding very dejected.
Providence looked up at his disappointed expression.
"It’s not ruined." She smiled. "I'm okay, you guys are okay. I was mostly freaked out watching you two fight that thing. You could've been hurt." Providence said as she touched Dagaa's cheek.
"The fire should keep any metcor in the area at bay." Madhava said with a frown.
"So that's the metcor I hear you all talking about. Now I know why it’s an insult. That was one nasty son of a bitch." Providence shivered at the memory of its salivating mouth full of sharp teeth. "You two were very impressive." Providence said as she admired her nude men. "As much as I like looking at you. You might want to put something on before a predator of the insect variety decides to attack." She suggested.
Dagaa grinned then took off into the treehouse.
"I nearly had a heart attack when I heard the metcor growl and saw it cornering you." Madhava pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her tight.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue." Providence kissed his chest then turned her face up to his.
Warriors' Providence (Cadi Warriors Book 2) Page 20
