by Jade White
He spied a large rock and dove behind it, praying with all his might it would be enough to shield him from the magical blast. He clenched his eyes closed and whimpered as the wave of scorching hot air and light surrounded him, singing his fur and searing the air in his lungs.
Suddenly it was over. Geri took a deep shuddering breath and heard the sounds of combat nearby. He knew it was Sthiss and Stha battling it out. He made his way silently to the field where the two large raptors were fighting. Stha was bleeding profusely from multiple gashes and bite marks inflicted on her by the much older and combat trained Sthiss. The younger raptor caught a whip like tail alongside the head and was sent reeling towards a tree.
Geri knew Stha was in trouble as the dark green Sthiss pounced on her with her hind claws extended for the kill. He decided to intervene. He changed into his human form, pulled out his dagger and crept behind the fighting reptiles.
“Any last words, traitor, before I rip your fool head off?” Sthiss growled at her former second in command.
“I’m never going to submit to you! You’re leading this tribe to ruin! You saw that light, you remember that light! It narrowly took your life all those years ago! Now, you have no advisers, and you might not even have people left!” Stha shouted as she tried to push the razor sharp claws away from her neck.
“Foolishness, all foolishness. We’ll rise again and you know it. We rose after the first time and we’ll just be back, you, though won’t be,” the old raptor said as she prepared for her deadly strike.
Stha saw Geri creeping up silently behind the old raptor and decided on one last gambit. She grabbed the older lizard’s muzzle with her mouth full of dagger sharp teeth and clamped down just as Geri buried his silver blade between two of Sthiss’ ribs, striking the quivering heart within. He felt Sthiss stiffen and collapse under his blade and saw a warm yellow glow pass between her and Stha as the old woman finally expired. He secretly hoped Stha wouldn’t renege on their previous agreement and tensed for a possible attack, since he had no reason to trust these people.
“Oh relax, I’m going to hold up our end of the bargain. I, like you, just want to live in peace and balance,” Stha chided. “You’re free to go on your way and get back to your mate, we won’t trouble you anymore.”
“Understood, I do need to see if my friend is alive,” Geri replied.
“He probably is, but a good many of my tribe might not be. We will have to hold a mating ceremony of our own soon and repopulate once we get home.” She shivered. “It is far too cold up here for us. How do you deal with it?”
“Warm fur coats, either our own, or those we kill,” Geri explained.
“Makes sense. Anyway, my thanks for helping rid us of that tyrant; I hope we meet again under better circumstances,” Stha said as they approached the destroyed tent.
In the midst of the tent was an unconscious Mamut who was surrounded by piles of ashes.
“Mamut!” Geri said as he jogged up to the giant. “Are you okay?”
Mamut stirred and groaned. “You escaped? Good.”
“Just singed my hind quarters a little. Stha is the new leader now.”
“That’s a good thing.” Mamut said as he stood up. “The artifact is spent now. I need to take it back up to the glacier for its magic to recharge.”
“You feeling OK?” Geri said as he saw Mamut swoon.
“Yeah, the artifact uses some kind of energy from us. I’ll be okay once I get a few bites to eat. Let’s get out of here.”
Geri changed into his wolf form and nodded at Stha as they left the campsite. “Luckily, most of the camp survived unharmed,” She said. “Just Sthiss’ sycophants were destroyed.”
“Good, that means you won’t have any troubles establishing your loyalty base,” Geri said.
“Exactly. First off, I think I might do away with the way males are treated…but we’ll see,” Stha said as she shrugged. “Some cultural shifts take longer than others.”
“Yes,” Geri said. “I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but I need to get going to my pack,” he said as he glanced up and saw the black raven circling overhead.
“Yes, you need to prepare for winter and we need to get back to our jungles.”
With that, Geri and Mamut nodded and melted into the barren forest to return to their homes.
CHAPTER 14
The light was beginning to dawn on the horizon as Geri and Mamut struggled into camp. They were weary from their ordeal and just wanted to sleep. Mamut really needed the rest before undertaking the long, unforgiving journey back up to his home so he could take his place as the shaman of his people as part of the cycle of renewal.
Geri crawled into his tent and collapsed on the furs and Gerda curled up next to him. “I’m glad you’re back,” she said.
“You were looking out for me weren’t you?” Geri asked.
“Of course, I wouldn’t let you go there alone, you know,” she said with a smile on her face.
Geri kissed her on the nose. “I’m glad the raven didn’t get caught in the blast.”
“Oh, I saw everything. Mamut opened the vessel; it was this black, metal tube. Then this bright light streamed out and all the raptors started to disintegrate, it was rather gruesome,” she said sadly.
“It probably was,” Geri said as he held her tightly. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it out of there alive.”
“It looked pretty touch and go. The shock wave almost caught you when you dodged behind the stone. I almost lost you,” Gerda said as she clung to her mate.
“Well, I managed to get through it,” Geri said as he pulled her in for a long, sensuous kiss.
Gerda felt her desire stir as Geri’s tongue grazed her lips. She returned his kiss with fervor as she reached down his leggings and fondled his rock hard manhood. Geri groaned as he felt Gerda’s hand grip him firmly. His hips bucked up and his hand reached under her shirt to fondle her round, firm breasts. His fingers grazed her sensitive nipples sending shivers through her body.
His mouth left hers and hungrily licked and nipped at her sensitive neck. He pulled Gerda’s shirt over her head exposing her full breasts to his hungry mouth. She drew her breath in sharply as she felt his hot mouth draw her nipple into his mouth sending shocks of pleasure through her body and her pussy moistened in response.
Geri removed his clothes and moved his muscular body over Gerda’s prone form, moving down her soft, curvy body slowly as he kissed and licked her warm skin. He then swiftly pulled her buckskin leggings off and tossed them into the corner of their tent.
“I honestly thought I wouldn’t lay eyes on you ever again,” he said as he softly nuzzled her rounding stomach. “It does look like you’re with child.”
“I would say so,” she said with a smile as Geri buried his head between her legs.
Her eyes rolled back and she moaned as Geri licked at her slick folds with his agile tongue. His hot mouth sucked and lapped at her musky sex as he gently flicked his tongue over her throbbing clitoris. She ground her womanhood into Geri’s face as he lapped up her flowing juices. Each flick of his skilled tongue brought her closer to her release.
She gasped and moaned while Geri feasted. Her climax was fast approaching as she felt his fingers worm their way into her quivering womanhood and push upwards. That was all that it took. Gerda let out a yowl as her climax washed over her. She saw stars as her eyes rolled back as the ecstasy washed over her in a tsunami of pleasure.
Gerda lay on the furs gasping as Geri positioned himself between her legs. With one strong thrust, he pushed into her deep well, filling her as he groaned with pleasure. He slowly started to thrust inside of his mate, feeling her hot folds clinging to his aching manhood like a vice. Each slow thrust gently stroked Gerda’s womanhood and caused her to writhe under Geri’s strong, powerful body.
She felt relief when he entered her; they were one once again like the Great Spirit that had created their people. The connection her spirit felt to h
er mate’s surged through her as their bodies coupled in the furs. She sighed as she felt Geri moving inside and drew him down for a lingering kiss as they united their bodies. She was so close to losing him back at the raptor camp. She needed to feel connected to him on such a visceral level right then, to assure herself that he was indeed there.
Gerda clung to Geri with desperation as the two rocked in harmony while they made love. They kissed and caressed throughout the long night. Eventually, the primitive lamp flickered out as the deer fat ran out. Geri picked up the pace as his own climax approached and Gerda felt her own building up as well. She felt her muscles clamping down on him as the pressure built up inside her. He thrust deeper and faster as his own peak built and Gerda couldn’t take it anymore.
She bore down and experienced such an earth shattering orgasm that she passed out cold.
Geri felt her muscles clench him so tightly that he lost all restraint and emptied himself deep inside her quivering, grasping well as she milked him for every drop of seed he had. He looked down and saw her breathing raggedly with her eyes closed.
Geri gently tapped her flushed cheek to rouse her from her unconscious state. “Hey, are you alright?” he asked.
Gerda stirred as her eyes fluttered open. “Yes, I am. That was just so intense I couldn’t handle it and I fainted, sorry.”
“That’s alright,” Geri said as he kissed her head. He rolled over onto his side and snuggled into Gerda’s soft form.
She basked in the afterglow of their coupling while Geri drifted off to sleep. She placed her hand on her belly and felt little flutters inside. It should be too early to feel anything, she thought. She sighed and relaxed, listening to Geri’s heavy breathing.
He was so exhausted from his recent adventure. She was surprised he even wanted to couple after such a strenuous trip. Males were sure odd, she thought. Even using Corvo for those past few days exhausted her.
Gerda did feel at ease that Stha was now leader of the raptors, though. When Gerda was their captive she seemed much more reasonable than those who followed Sthiss. She really needed to visit Lars in the spring as he wished. What would it be like holding the power of two people? she wondered.
She didn’t want it, though. She honestly was content the way she was, but she promised Lars she would return to carry on his legacy even though she wasn’t a bear.
She needed to relieve herself and remembered she was with her pack so she was safe. Not only that, the raptors were no longer a threat, so she gently extricated herself from Geri’s heavy arm pulled on her night clothes and crawled out of the tent. She saw her father standing in the darkness gazing at the moon. She decided to leave him for now while she snuck off to the bushes to do her business.
After she had finished, she walked up to the older man and leaned her head on his broad shoulder affectionately.
“What’s troubling you, daughter?” Onris asked.
“The fact I need to go back to Lars in the spring to inherit his shaman power,” Gerda replied.
“Ah,” Onris said. “Well, considering Lars is a bear, and not a wolf, we don’t know what will happen to you. Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
“I wish Holda were here to explain,” Gerda said. “She would probably tell me to stop worrying about it.”
“That is probably it,” Onris said. “You really should get some sleep, you’ve been under quite a bit of stress and you need the rest,” he said pointedly looking at her abdomen.
“Is it that obvious?” she asked. She wasn’t more than a moon along so it shouldn’t be noticeable.
“Yes it is. Go get some sleep, my grandchild is going to take much out of you over these next few moons.”
“Thank you father.”
“Not like I did anything.”
“You listened. That’s all that really mattered,” Gerda said as she walked back to her tent.
THE FINAL CHAPTER
Gerda, Geri and Onris trudged through the melting snow as they made their way back to the cave where Lars was holed up for the winter. Gerda’s belly was large, and full with child so they had to take it slow.
“Are you feeling alright?” Geri asked his mate solicitously.
“Yes, I’m fine, let’s just get going. Lars is going to be waking up soon, according to Corvo.” Her back ached and she felt like a giant stone was lodged in her belly, she couldn’t wait to whelp this child, that’s for sure. “I swear the spirits made the last bit of pregnancy an ordeal just so we look forward to the end result.”
Onris and Geri looked at each other and grinned. Gerda was getting more and more waspish as her pregnancy progressed and now that it was near term, she was almost insufferable. They didn’t mind though, it just meant their pack was growing.
They had been traveling for the better part of the week due to Gerda’s pregnancy, and she felt they were getting closer. The terrain looked much different than when she was there last. The snows covered up many important landmarks that she might have remembered, so she relied primarily on Corvo to help them find their way to the cave of the ancient bear shaman.
The raven indicated they were getting close to the cave. He had lived there for most of his life, so Corvo was definitely familiar with the area, snow or no snow.
Gerda spied the cave opening through the mist that rose from the melting snow. “There it is!” she called out.
The two men looked at each other and shook their heads as they followed the short, blonde woman to the large cave. “Are you sure this is the cave?” Geri asked.
“Yes, I’m very sure. Lars is in there, I can feel it.”
“Alright,” Geri said as he trudged alongside her. His leggings and boots were soaking wet. They decided to stay in their human form because Gerda was even more unwieldy as a wolf due to her advanced pregnancy. Her belly almost dragged on the ground, and going through deep snow on four legs, even though it was melting, would prove disastrous for her.
They made their way to the broad entrance of the cave and noticed there had been no activity at all throughout the winter. The natural stone steps that lead up to the cave mouth still had undisturbed snow decorating them, making the climb somewhat perilous for Gerda, so Geri stood in front of her, and Onris behind to help the heavily pregnant woman up the steep steps into the entry area.
Gerda saw the entrance to the back of the cave and tried to crawl through the narrow opening and failed. “I can’t get through!” she wailed.
“Oh, would you just be quiet,” an old, weak voice called from the back. “I’ll be out in a moment. Make a fire out there would you? These old bones aren’t what they used to be,” Lars wheezed from the back. “I guess when I thought I wouldn’t wake up, I was wrong. This is my last sleep though. Not going to make it much longer, I’m afraid.” There were sounds of someone struggling to rise. “I’m going to need assistance to get out there. Gerda obviously can’t come to me, so I shall try to go to her.”
Onris nodded and made his way through the doorway of the cave.
Gerda leaned heavily on the stone wall of the cave as she felt a soft contraction surge through her body. It couldn’t be time yet, she thought. It must be the pre-labor she heard Holda tell her about when a scared first time mom rushed to her tent in the middle of the night. She breathed through it and watched the doorway for Onris and Lars. After a moment, her father, with the frail Lars on his arm, came shuffling out of the cave. While Gerda was preoccupied with the goings on in her own body, Geri managed to set up a cheerful fire, and found a pile of furs in one of the corners of the entryway.
Onris helped Lars to the warm pile of furs next to the fire. “Thank you, you are most kind.”
“You’re welcome. We are just here to honor Gerda’s vow to you. She is far along with child and traveling alone would have been dangerous,” Onris replied.
“I see. I understand why you couldn’t really fit between the stones anymore, girl, you’re as big as a mammoth!” Lars said, as he began to cough profusely.
“Thanks,” Gerda said dryly, knowing full well how large she was. She didn’t recall any of the women of her pack being this large when they had their babies. She wondered if she was an anomaly or it just seemed like she was bigger.
“So, you’ve finally made it,” Lars wheezed. “Good. I’m probably going to keel over in the next day or so. I wasn’t sure you’d make it, to be honest.”
“I always keep my word. I might be a little slow traveling but I always keep my word,” Gerda said sternly.
“Oh, I know, girl,” Lars said as he watched the young woman wince again.
Gerda felt another wave of pressure pass over her. What the…she thought, it was still too soon, she wasn’t due for another moon or two yet, she thought. Maybe all the walking through the deep, wet snow triggered something to help her prepare for labor at a later date.
Geri noticed Gerda breathing harder and concentrating on a passing contraction. “Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she snapped. “Can you please go to the cache that’s off to the right of the cave and bring some meat in? I’m hungry.”
“Sure,” Geri said as he rose from his position next to Gerda. “Off to the right?”
“Yes it’s a stone cairn, you can’t miss it,” Gerda replied.
Geri nodded as he looked back at his mate with concern. She was even more cranky than usual and every so often, she would tense up and get a distant look in her eyes. “Onris, would you come and help me?”
“Not a problem,” Onris said as he rose. He looked at Lars and Gerda before he walked out of the cave. He wanted to make sure the two vulnerable people were safe enough to leave alone for a few moments.
“Your baby is coming,” Lars said matter-of-factly.
“It’s too soon, I’m due in another moon,” Gerda said as she shifted uncomfortably.
