Chapter 16

Rojtar

I will make as many spears as Abby wishes if she looks at me with each one the same way she looks at me now. There is so much joy shining from her that I cannot help but feel the same joy within me. It will be my mission for this lifetime and the next to offer her whatever it is I can find that will make her this happy.

From all I have learned of my mate, if anyone deserves to be happy, it is her. She has had far too much sadness. It is no wonder she has learned to become hard. How else can she protect her soft heart? I hope she will begin to understand that she no longer has to protect it. It is my task now that we are mates. One I take on willingly.

“I believe we will find several dreri today.” Katem and the others spotted signs of them on the previous turn while they continued hunting the dhibani we tracked.

“Hopefully I’ll actually manage to hit one this time.” Abby hefts her spear with ease.

“Even if you miss, there will be many more opportunities. It is early still and there is much light left this turn.” My mind spins and I must remind myself to speak with either Benham or Zydon about the possibility of crafting a bow for her.

Hopefully Benham will offer to provide me a few arrows for her to practice with while I teach her how to use the weapon. There are other warriors who are far more skilled than I with a bow and arrow, but jealousy swirls in my belly at the thought of anyone else showing her. Perhaps we will learn together, and my skills with the weapon will improve along with hers. It is something to think on.

We climb one of the many paths through the hills. A dense forest lines both sides and offers a bit of protection from the sun that will eventually reach its zenith and beat down on us with its heat. Until then it is a pleasant morning to spend with my mate.

Every time I locate a track or sign that we are heading in the right direction, I pause and explain what I am looking at to Abby. She absorbs my words intently, and the farther we travel, the more often she is the first to point out various things.

A flash of movement in the trees, and I hold up a hand. We both stop before slowly creeping forward again. Beyond the forest is an open field of dreri. Their heads dip and horns nearly brush the ground while they feed. I check the direction of the wind, but find it still. It does make things a bit easier. The dreri will be unable to scent us until we are close and it is too late.

I glance at Abby to assess her readiness. She meets my gaze, adjusts her hold on her spear, and nods. As one, we rush forward and launch our weapons. Four dreri fall, and I scan our surroundings to locate the other hunters. From the trees on her side of the field two dark figures step out, one much larger than the other.

My mate stumbles backward with a harsh cry and falls on her backside. She screams and scrambles to her feet. I rush to her side before she hurts herself.

“Abby, all is well.”

She does not hear me though. Terror radiates from her instead, blocking everything else out. She grips my arm tightly and tries to drag me away.

“Run,” she yells in a hoarse voice.

Streaks of wetness spill down cheeks that have lost all their color. I draw her to me and wrap her in my arms. She struggles against my hold, continuing to urge me to flee.

“Peace, keeshla . They will not harm us.” I repeat words of reassurance over and over.

She takes in ragged breaths and her entire body shakes. I do not loosen my hold, nor does she. Many beats of my heart pass before I can sense her breathing slow and the trembling calm. I tilt my head down and wait for her to turn hers up so she can meet my gaze and see there is nothing to fear. Slowly—carefully—she raises up and stares straight at me.

“Have I broken any promises I have made to you?”

Abby shakes her head. “N—n—no.”

“I will never do so either. I promise all is well here. On my honor, I swear neither Kala nor Sorin will harm you.”

Many more beats pass before she at last releases her fierce grip, but does not move away. Nor do I stop touching her. My arm remains around her shoulders and my tail stays looped around her waist. Together, we turn to face the male Krijese and his kit who have kept their distance.

“Greetings, Kala and Sorin. Your hunt also appears successful. Although Benham would rightfully lecture me for not paying more attention and realizing there were others in the area.”

“Greetings Tavikhi,” the elder Krijese dips his head in acknowledgment while Sorin merely observes. If either are bothered by Abby’s reaction to them, they do not show it. “Your focus was clearly elsewhere. I see you too have discovered a mate amongst the human females.”

A flash of strong emotion shines from his black eyes before it disappears. I straighten with pride and gently squeeze my keeshla . “Deeka has truly blessed me with Abby.”

“I see that.”

Since they are our allies, I do not want my mate to fear them. “ Keeshla , this is Kala and his kit, Sorin. They are well known to our village and reside within these hills with the remainder of their small tribe.”

“Hello,” she says barely above a whisper and presses herself tighter against my side.

“Greetings, female,” Kala says in his harsh guttural voice.

“You had a solid strike,” Sorin compliments.“Yes, Abby did rather well. I am extremely proud of her.”

“Thank you.” This time her voice comes out much stronger and she creates a bit of distance between us.

I am even more proud of the strength she is showing despite her incredible fear. Her only experiences with the Krijese have ended violently, including the death of her baba. It is no wonder she is terrified of Kala. They are a violent species who are known for only warring and destroying. That alone is enough to make most people fear them, but their appearance factors into it as well.

“Let us gather our kills and perhaps we can track down again the dreri that scattered.” If I show Abby my trust in Kala and Sorin, perhaps it will put her more at ease.

Despite knowing neither of them will harm her, I place myself between the two Krijese and my mate as we all move to where the four creatures lie fallen in the field. I stand over her kill and yank her spear from it to return to her.

“Well done, keeshla . I knew you could do it.”

“I can’t believe I actually hit the thing, but throwing this spear was so much easier than the other one,” Abby says with far more confidence and strength than she displayed a few moments ago. I hope this to mean she fully trusts in my promise that all is well.

“Even Remi would be impressed, I think,” Sorin points out.

“You”—my mate pauses briefly after her voice cracks, but continues—“you know Remi?”

The kit’s head bobs at a rapid speed. “Oh yes. She has joined Gogo and me a few times on a hunt since the warm season has arrived again. She is also the only other female hunter I have ever seen until you.”

Abby chuckles, which I am happy to hear. “I’m not sure I’d call myself a hunter, considering this is the first dreri I’ve ever brought down.”

Sorin’s eyes widen. “This is your first?”

“It is, although I did manage to catch six leburin the other day, after Rojtar taught me how to spot their dens.”

My gaze lands on Kala who squats over the prey he caught. Despite his task, he watches the exchange between his kit and my mate intently. I know he lost his own when Sorin was little. Does he wish for a human female of his own?

“Leburin is my favorite meat. Moshi always leaves a little extra for me when it is his time to tend the meal,” the kit boasts.

“That’s nice of him.” Abby continues to speak with much more ease and most of the tension appears to have left her. She does not hold herself as rigidly as she had when Kala and Sorin first spoke to us.

“He likes people to think he does not care, but I have watched him slip Ashrif an extra portion of dreri when he thinks no one is looking.”

“Enough talking,” the elder Krijese lightly scolds the kit with a gently squeeze of his shoulder. “We have much more hunting to get done before we can return to our village.”

Abby flinches, and Kala’s mouth seam presses together. Sorin dips his head. “Yes, Gogo.”

“Come, keeshla . Let us see if we are able to bring down a couple more dreri before we make our way back home.”

Before she can protest, I sling my kill over one shoulder and hers over the other. She will need to preserve her strength if we manage to find the rest of the herd. As I suspect, she does not approve of me taking the burden of both beasts.

“Here.” She rushes forward with her arms outstretched. “Let me at least take the one I killed.”

“You can carry the next one after we track them.”

Abby stares. “That’s assuming I’ll manage to hit another.”

I grin down at her. “Of course you will.”