Chapter 14

Rojtar

My soul light flares brightly at Abby’s touch, and I could swear it is reflected in her own eyes as she stares at me. It only lasts for a beat before it disappears and she releases her hold on the eating vessel in my hand. As Abby heads to the central fire to dispose of our dirty items and I drape the fur over my arm, I cannot help but feel the flame of hope spark to life within me.

Benham and Jodah both shared with me that a walk with their females is something the humans on their planet call a ‘date’. It is a courting ritual amongst them so they can speak and get to know each other better. With Benham and Jodah, it led to their females accepting the mate bond and falling in love. Although Abby has said more than once she has no interest in being a mate to me or anyone, it makes me wonder why she has asked me to go on this ‘date’. Perhaps she has changed her mind.If she has, I will be the luckiest of males.

I reach my tent and step inside to return the fur to my bed. None of the other unmated warriors and hunters are present. A whiff of fragrance hits me and I draw the fur to my nose. Abby’s scent is subtle beneath the other odors, but I breathe it in deeper and let it fill me up. Beneath my leg coverings, my cock hardens and my tail swishes. It is not the first time I have had this reaction to my keeshla , but it is the most powerful.

The dreams I have had of her wake me with the sweet pain of arousal. Many mornings since Abby has come into my life, I have made my way to the river in extreme discomfort until I can release my seed in private. Every time I stroke my cock, I picture my mate. Even before she touched me and triggered my mating marks.

No other female has ever affected me the way Abby does.

Since I do not want to risk any of my tribe brothers returning before I can finish, I adjust my cock within my leg coverings, place the fur back on my bed, and rush to the central fire to locate my mate. I am most anxious to go on this date with her. When I am close, I scan the area until my gaze lands on her. For several beats of my heart I observe her.

The color of her hair brightens with the light of the fire glowing on it. It is a similar shade to Jodah’s mate, Sage, although Abby’s is much longer. I admire the way it brushes across the slope of her ass. If she had a tail, her fire-colored hair would cover the base of it.

My pace quickens until she turns. Only then do I slow, in order to not appear overeager. I have no wish to scare her away. Like when hunting, I must have patience. I am always rewarded in the end. Nothing would make me happier than my keeshla as my prize.

“Greetings again, Abby. I hope I did not leave you waiting long.”

“No.” She shakes her head and like my tail, her hair swishes behind her. “I found Carter and let him know we were going out walking, in case he went back to our tent and wondered where I was.”

The care she has for her brother is obvious. She would make a great Nene. I scold myself for jumping so far ahead. Abby will need to accept the mate bond before we can even begin thinking of kits. That fragment of hope within me grows larger though.

“You are lucky to have him by your side.”

She glances off in another direction as though seeking her brother out. “I am lucky.”

An expression I do not quite understand races across her face, but she clears it before turning toward me. Her cheeks change color, and she looks away quickly before meeting my gaze again. “Um, where would you like to walk?”

Since this activity is not anything I have done with another female, I am unsure what she would like to see. Neither Benham nor Jodah explained that part of the walk date to me. “Have you been to the training arena?”

When I am not out hunting, it is where I spend a lot of my time. We must always be ready for a fight, especially with the Njeri. There has been no word of them after we defeated the warriors they sent at the beginning of the warm season. As if to remind me, the fresh scars that cover my body throb.

“Not yet. I’ve kind of been avoiding it,” Abby says. “It’s probably silly of me. I can’t explain why.”

“It is not silly.” Nothing about her is. “I believe there are some people who have a natural avoidance of violence and fighting. I have found them to be the ones with large hearts full of compassion and who are the kindest. I am not surprised to discover you most likely are one of those people.”

She snorts. “I don’t think that’s why, but I appreciate the fact you think so.”

I do not argue, but instead come up with an alternate destination. “I think there is another place we can walk to that I think you will enjoy instead.”

Abby cocks her head slightly as though weighing whether or not to trust me until finally she nods. “Lead the way.”

Joy fills me in the trust she is showing. Side-by-side, we travel through the village toward the hills behind it. There is still enough sunlight for us to be able to see what I wish to show her. I also hope this date will give us a chance to get to know more about each other. There are so many questions I have for her.

We pass many tribespeople who greet us, including several unmated males who cast glances of envy my way. Pride swells inside that after all these seasons, it is finally my turn to have found my keeshla . I still ache for my tribe brothers and send a prayer to Deeka for their chance to come soon.

“Was it only you and Carter who came to Tavikh from Earth?” Abby has yet to speak of any other family.

“My father came as well, but he was killed in one of the Krijese attacks.”

“I am sorry for your loss.” Although they have been gone many seasons, there is still grief and pain from the loss of my own Baba and Nene. “It is not easy to lose our family.”

“He and I weren’t all that close.” Abby shrugs.

“That does not mean you cannot still grieve.”

“Honestly,” she pauses. “I’m more angry at him than anything. He was the one who dragged us here in the first place and then he gets killed, leaving Carter and me alone. I know it wasn’t his fault he died, but I still haven’t quite forgiven him for it.”

It is easy to understand why Abby would feel the way she does. We leave the border of the village and trek up into the hills along a dirt path that is narrow, but well-defined. The dirt has been packed down hard from the many feet that have traveled this way.

“What about your parents?” she asks. “Are they two of the elders who live near the rear of the village?”

“Sadly, not. My baba and nene have been gone for many seasons now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“While I miss them, I am also happy they are together in Deeka’s lands with the rest of my ancestors.” It is the way the mate bond works. Not even death can separate fated mates.

Abby is quiet as we climb the gently sloping hill. Halfway to the top, I divert us off the path into the trees that line it on both sides.

“Careful of the fallen limbs.” I reach a hand out to her and she takes it.

The sensations rock my body. My soul light flares bright while my mating marks darken in color. Tingles run across my flesh and travel up my arm, through my shoulders, and settle in the middle of my chest.

I help her over several large branches that lie on the forest floor until she has crossed the last one. To my delight, she does not instantly release her hold on me. Instead, her small fingers remain within my large ones. I will keep touching her for as long as she allows.

Soon, I spot the break in the trees ahead. Careful of anything else that might be blocking the way, Abby and I stride forward until we reach the perimeter of the large field in front of us. Beside me, she gasps and breathes out a heavy sound.

Spread out is a massive garden of flowers of nearly every color, shape, and size. Jodah explained what they are to me based on a color game he and Sage play. Every bloom is made up of a mix of blue, red, orange, yellow, and green.

“Oh my god, it’s so beautiful,” Abby exclaims and wanders forward, finally pulling her hand from mine.

I feel the loss of her touch, but I stride ahead and come alongside her. Even if we are not touching, I want to be close. “I have not traveled the entire planet, but of all the places I have been, there is nothing like this anywhere else.”

She glances over at me with wide eyes before returning her gaze to the sprawling section of flowers. Small paths wind their way through and Abby places careful steps along the way while she takes in all the sights. Every so often, she gently caresses a petal and envy flares inside me that she does not touch me the same way. I would give anything to know the sensation of her touch on my entire body.

I walk with her in silence and let her enjoy the garden. It has grown since my nene first showed it to me when I was barely older than Talek. It was one of the last things she and I did together before she and Baba went to be with Deeka. My heart beats with joy that I am able to share this with my keeshla . I was sure she would enjoy it as much as I do.

“This is so incredible Rojtar,” Abby finally says as she comes to a stop. “Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

“You are welcome. I am glad you like it.”

Before I can guess her intent, she rises up and presses her lips to mine. It is only a fleeting touch, but one that will stay with me for a long time. She steps away, taking her mouth with her. The color of her cheeks turn dark and she shyly glances away. I can still feel the pressure of her mouth against mine. It is no wonder the mated couples are always mouth touching, if this is what it is like.

“We should probably return to the village before we lose anymore sunlight.” As much as I want to stay in the place where Abby first mouth touched with me, it is best not to remain after dark. There are predators that roam these hills and I did not bring any weapons with me.

Together we retrace our path, and once again, after we have crossed over the fallen limbs, our hands remain connected. Although this time, Abby has threaded her fingers through mine and we are linked in a way we have not been before. Far too soon, we reach the bottom of the path and cross the border back into the village.

The sun has disappeared and both moons are in the sky. The light of individual fires guide us toward the tent she shares with Carter. We stop before it, and Abby turns to me. Once again she rises up, but this time I meet her partway. Our mouths touch, and I cannot stop myself from pulling her into my arms. I want to wrap my tail around her as a sign of affection, but I do not think she is ready for that.

Instead, I hold her in a tight embrace, but also one that is loose enough she can break free whenever she chooses. The heat of my soul light burns like a fire in my veins. There is no way Abby is unable to feel it. Perhaps that is why she moans and deepens the mouth touching we are doing. I spear my fingers through the flame-colored locks of her hair as I have wanted to do for so long now. It is softer than any fur I have felt, even that of a ketri kit.

My cock strains against my leg coverings. A force greater than my own has me rubbing it over Abby’s softness. For a single beat, the most exquisite sensation pulses through my aching hardness, but in the next beat, it is gone as my keeshla tears herself from my arms.

Her chest rises and falls in a quickened pace that matches mine, but it is the fear in her eyes I do not understand. Did I do something wrong ?

“Abby?”

“I—I’m sorry. I can’t.” She whirls around and rushes inside her tent.

The sound of the flap slapping down onto the hide echoes loudly in the air, but the silence that follows is even louder.