Chapter 4

Kyler

Mellenje scatter from the trees and take to the sky as a primal scream rips through the air. Complete and utter silence follows. Not even the breeze blows to disturb the leaves around us. I exchange glances with the Krijese male on one side of me and with Katem on the other.

“Christ on a cracker, that sounds like Zara.” Remi’s voice shakes and she adjusts her grip on her sword.

Zydon’s tail wraps around her waist and his gaze scans the forest.

“I believe it came from this direction.” Kala points his war axe. His tracking skills are as good as, if not better than, any of ours.

There’s only a brief glance between us all before we take off again. I don’t wait for Remi to climb onto Zydon’s back before I’m bounding from limb to limb high above the ground with my other tribe brothers keeping pace with me. Kala and the two Krijese race along the ground at an almost unnatural speed. They’re not quite as fast as Tavikhi are when we swing from branch to branch, but they’re certainly faster than us when traveling by foot.

Even though there are nine of us, it is most likely we will be outnumbered by the Njeri. We can only hope we’re enough to defeat them before they get any closer to their village. It has been two turns of the sun since the attack on our people. Two turns since they took my— the —female. We’ve been on the move since. None of us have slept. Not even Remi, which caught me by surprise. But she is a strong female.

What had been more surprising is the Krijese’s presence. Shortly after the start of the cold season, Kala’s son Sorin had grown deathly ill. Desperate, he brought him to our village for healing. Sage saved the young kit’s life. In return, Kala swore an oath of repayment to her. His presence, as well as that of his two tribe brothers, has seen the debt paid.

The sound of raised voices grows louder, and up ahead, light filters through the trees indicating they have thinned. I do not slow until I reach the last one. Katem and the other warriors stop as well and below me I catch a flash of movement from the Krijese before they halt as well. Just ahead, before the tree line ends and a large field opens up, are eleven Njeri arguing amongst themselves. My heart stops at the sight of the small female body lying unmoving at their feet.

A sharp inhalation comes from a nearby tree but is quickly cut off. Since no Tavikhi would make a sound, I can only assume it was Remi. I cast a glance to either side of me and the warriors more versed in battle send a silent message to each other. Katem nods in my direction and points at the circle of Njeri. They have not appeared to have sensed our presence yet.

I nod in return and from the sheath slung across my chest, I withdraw the sword at my back and wait with impatience. My tail remains tense and tightly looped around the nearest branch, ready to push off and propel my body toward our enemies and the female. When one Njeri makes a move toward Zara and reaches for her, I can no longer wait. He will not touch my female again.

With a roar that echoes around me, I launch myself out of the trees and onto the ground. I land roughly, but roll to my feet and charge forward, trusting my tribe brothers, sister, and the Krijese to do the same. Perhaps I am being reckless, but a force greater than me is ruling my choices. My opponent is the one who tried to touch Zara. Something tells me he is the reason she lies on the ground.

The Njeri and I battle.

I have a vague awareness of fighting all around me, but my entire focus is on the male in front of me. I will not let anything distract my need to kill. This is a new feeling rushing through me. Since I was a kit, I have only ever felt the need to help and heal. But the instinct to protect the female lying not far from where I defend her is stronger than anything I have ever known.

“You are weak, Tavikhi,” the Njeri taunts me with an evil grin as he strikes hard against my sword.

I do not let his words bother me. Instead, I return the blow with one of my own and before he can recover, I land another. We trade hits, neither of us drawing blood until I spot an opening. A line of blood appears across his side, and he hisses in pain. I use it to my advantage and swing my sword hard and fast, first in one direction then the other causing him to retreat several steps. I twist slightly and use my tail to sweep his feet out from beneath him.

He collapses to the ground and I drive my blade through his chest, pinning him to the dirt. I stand over him and push my sword even harder downward, hatred giving me strength.

“Kyler,” a panicked female voice calls out.

I yank my weapon from the Njeri’s body and spin toward Remi. She kneels next to Zara, who still has not appeared to have woken. I rush over and drop to my knees beside them, trusting my tribe brothers to watch my back while I tend Zara.

“She won’t wake up, and there’s something wrong with her arm.” Remi carefully pushes the bari-colored hair off her tribe sister’s face.

One side of it is as dark as the color of the fiku trees, and her lips are swollen and crusted with dried blood. Her hands are bound tightly together, and a length of rope tethers her ankles as well. Most concerning is the odd angle in which her arm is bent. I glance at Remi.

“I need several branches at least this long and this wide.” I use my hands to demonstrate. “I also need water.”

Remi nods and takes off running. The sounds of battle dwindle until only harsh breathing remains. I grab my dagger from the belt at my waist and cut the bindings around Zara’s ankles, and taking as much care as possible, from around her wrists. My fingers brush across her skin and a sharp jolt stings the tips of them. Right behind it is a burning sensation that travels upward. My gaze darts to the dark lines slowly appearing. My chest burns as well, but I do not need to look to know mating marks decorate it.

Emotions powerful enough to overwhelm sweep through me, but Zara moans and I push all of them away to focus on my mate. My mate .

“You are safe now, Zara,” I rush to reassure her. “I will do everything in my power to take care of you and protect you. No one will harm you ever again.”

Her eyes slowly open and meet mine. “ You .”

That is all she says before she closes them again. I stare a moment longer. What did she mean it is me? Was she expecting me? Did she know I would come for her?

“By Deeka’s flame.” A shadow is cast over the ground beside Zara and me.

“No way.” Remi drops to her knees again next to me with hands full of branches.

Zydon kneels beside her with a vessel of water. He scans the marks lining my body. Without a word, I take the wood from the female and then carefully lift Zara’s arm.

“I am sorry for the pain I am going to cause.” Saying a quick prayer to Deeka, I jerk the bone into its proper position. Despite being unconscious, my mate screams and her entire frame jerks as she tries to rip her limb from my grip. I hold tight until she collapses, and then, using the sticks and sinew from the pouch at my waist, splint the break as best I can. Once I have secured it, I pour some burim root into the vessel and tend to the rest of her wounds.

While I work, Katem, Evren, Rassim, and the Krijese work on disposing of the Njeri. Remi and Zydon remain close by. Their whispered words reach me while I tend my mate, but I pay little attention. Within my chest, my soul light shines brightly and warms me from the inside out. Peace and contentment settle deep in my bones. Is this what it feels like to be mated? It is the most wondrous sensation.

Once Zara’s face is cleaned of all the blood, I take a moment to study her. I do not know her age, but she is many cold seasons younger than me. When she awakens, will she be disappointed her mate is one of the older members of the tribe? The youngest elder is only eight warm seasons older than me. I am not a battle-worn warrior. I am, in fact, one of the leanest Tavikhi males in the entire tribe. Will Zara be disappointed by that as well?

“I can’t believe she’s your mate.” Remi is careful of Zara’s wounds as she strokes her hair. “She’s never said it out loud, but I know she’s been nervous about being alone since it’s been months since the last human-Tavikhi mating.”

Hearing Zara also was worried about ever finding a mate soothes something inside me. Humans do not have mates like Tavikhi do, so to know she has been hopeful for one makes my chest swell. “She will never be alone again now that she has me.”

Kala approaches. His gaze lands on my mating marks and an emotion sparks in his dark eyes but quickly vanishes. “Ortak and I will scout ahead and make sure no Njeri are close by,” he announces. “Their beasts will head back to their village and without riders, the other warriors will be alerted something is wrong and come to investigate.”

I nod and the two males disappear into the trees on the opposite side of the clearing where our party stands. After a quick prayer to Deeka they do not find anything, I glance down at Zara. Pain and fatigue line her face. Her lips, cleared of blood, are cracked and dry. I soak the corner of a cloth in the burim-dosed water and drip the liquid into her mouth. She will need the pain medicine for when she awakens. It is unclear if she has suffered any other wounds besides the visible ones.

A dark rage rises from my belly that the Njeri may have hurt her in other ways. While they travelled fast, there has still been plenty of time for the males to have caused more damage to her. Damage I cannot see. Please wake up . I need to know where Zara has been hurt so I may make it go away. I shoot a glance over at the dead Njeri. I only wish I had been able to make his death slower and more painful.

My mate releases a moan and slowly stirs. Remi shifts and goes on alert. Zara’s eyes open a fraction before widening farther. They land on me.I do not dare breathe as I wait for her reaction to the mating marks that have fully crept up my arms and chest. Her mouth opens and closes like a peshku gasping for breath on the banks of the water.

“I’m dead, aren’t I?” she asks, her voice filled with pain.

“You are not dead.”

“Are you sure?” Zara moves slightly and groans. “Okay, maybe you’re right. No deity is cruel enough to make death hurt this fucking bad.”

“Where do you hurt?” If I could take each of her pains into my own body I would.

She laughs lightly, but it swiftly changes to a moan. “The question is, where don’t I? My arm is killing me. So’s my face. My ribs and gut ache so bad if I had any food in it, I’d be barfing all over you.” She winces. “Sorry.”

“Do not be sorry.” I grab the vessel from beside me. “Drink this. It should help.”

Carefully, I tip the water into Zara’s mouth. She swallows and then gags. “God, that tastes like shit.”

I have drunk burim root many times but never thought it tasted like excrement. Bitter, yes. But not like waste. “It will help with the pain.”

She drinks more but then turns her head away. “Okay, that’s enough.”

“Man, they really did a number on you, didn’t they?” Remi lightly strokes Zara’s forehead.

“You should see the other guy,” she jokes and then tries to lift her head. With a pained groan she lowers it and closes her eyes. “If I’m not dead, I assume those bastards are?”

“Yes. You are safe,” I assure her, not wanting her to be afraid.

“Good.”

Just then, Kala and the other Krijese return.

“There is no sign of any Njeri, but we would be wise to start back to your village in case they are not far behind.”

I shift my gaze to Zara, who is still pale. Travel is going to be difficult for her. She will not be able to ride on my back like Remi has done with Zydon. I also am not sure what to make of the fact she has not mentioned my mating marks. Perhaps she is in too much pain to have noticed.

Or perhaps she is trying to deny they exist .