Chapter 2

Rojtar

The female—Abby—is filled with anger I do not understand and stomps back and forth across the forest floor. The kit watches both of us. Is he her son? The two share a marked resemblance. But if he is her kit, where is her mate? No worthy male would let his female and a kit be treated they way Lewis treated her.

Surely he is not her mate.

“That male put his hands on you. Hurt you. What kind of warrior would I be if I had not stopped him?”

She halts and stares at me with narrowed eyes for a moment before shifting them to the young male. “Carter, let’s go.”

He pauses briefly before walking to her, his gaze still moving between her and me.

“Where are you going?” Why is she so angry?

Abby takes the kit’s hand and tugs him forward. “I’mgoing back to the settlement to apologize to Lewis and hope that’s enough to cool his temper.”

Cool his temper ? Apologize ? Why would she do such a thing? “You should not apologize. He is the one who wronged you.”

She twirls to face me. “If I don’t, he’ll make mylife complete hell. You get to waltz right back to your village and forget this whole thing ever happened. I don’t have that luxury. Lewis doesn’t forget a slight. Which means I’m going to have to go back to the settlement and deal with the consequences of your actions.”

“Then do not return to your village.” If Abby is that worried about the dishonorable male, then she should not be in the same place as him.

She laughs, but it is filled with bitterness. “Oh, and just wheredo you expect us to go then?”

“Come with me to my village.”

The offer is unexpected, but I do not take it back. I cannot. Nor do I want to. I do not know why, but something about this female draws me to her.The shefir has always stated that any humans who agree to contribute to the tribe are welcome. Abby and Carter should not be any different.

“Thanks, butno thanks,” she scoffs. “I’ll take my chances with Lewis.”

For the second time, she turns away from me and sets off with the kit. He glances back. She does not. The distance between us grows greater until I move to follow. She may have rejected my offer, but I do not trust that Lewis. Even if she does apologize, what happens when he does not accept it? If he does not forget a slight, as she says, then he will be seeking retribution.

Abby and her kit need protection. I do not understand why I feel compelled to be the one to offer it, but there must be a reason why Deeka set her and the young male in my path. Until I discover what that reason is, I will remain close by and make sure that no harm comes to either of them.

I follow closely in case the unworthy male lies in wait. Neither the female nor the kit are quiet in their return trek to their home. If their purpose out here had been to hunt, I hate to say it, but it is no wonder they go back empty-handed.

Abby rejected my offer to become part of the Tavikhi village. Perhaps she will accept my offer to teach her how to hunt. She told the kit she knew how to set a snare, but that skill is of no use if she sets it over an empty burrow.

“Stop following us,” she calls over her shoulder. “I already told you you’re not wanted.”

A twinge of an unpleasant sensation hits me at her words. Not only has Deeka not found me worthy yet, but it would appear neither has Abby.

“Is that detestable male your mate?”

She stumbles slightly and glares back at me. “God, no. Not that it’s any of your business.”

Hearing that he is not eases a tightness I did not realize I had felt. But I am still left with some confusion. I do not understand why she is so angry and hostile. She is unlike any of the human females that are amongst the shefira’s closest tribe sisters. They all laugh easily—although Maeve does so much more quietly than the others—and have integrated into our tribe as though they were meant to be there. Each of them always has a smile and warm greeting for those they meet.

Abby is prickly like the needled leaves of the trendafili bush. Perhaps, like the plant, her prickliness is a defense mechanism? Something used to keep beings at a distance. Is it because she has been hurt in the past? An unfamiliar anger rises up inside me at the though that someone has hurt her and I do not understand why. What is it about this female that makes me feel so protective?

My mind is so busy trying to discover the answer that I nearly collide with her. She and the kit have stopped in the middle of the trail and face me. Abby’s fists are at her hips.

“You don’t listen very well, do you?” she snaps. “I told you to stop following us.”

Although it goes against what I believe, I stretch the truth and glance around as though unsure what she means. “I am merely out hunting and searching for evidence of prey.”

She scoffs. “And you just happen to be right behind us while you do this?”

“This forest is filled with many creatures. I am almost certain another hunter said he spotted a den of leburin this way. The shefir will be terribly disappointed if I return to my village empty-handed.”

Abby stares and I do my best to maintain an innocent demeanor, although if the look in her eyes tells me anything, it is that she does not believe me. “Well, I am almost certain the den of…leburin is that way.” She points in the opposite direction.

It is difficult for me to hide my smile. Abby is fierce.

“No, it is most definitely this way.”

She sighs heavily and tugs the kit around before walking away from me. I continue right behind them. Carter glances over his shoulder once again. To my surprise, he actually grins. I return it and nod. She nudges him with her elbow and the two whisper back and forth. I only catch a few words here and there, but it is more than obvious Abby is scolding him.

I still have not figured out their relationship. She does not behave as I have seen Nene’s behave. And Carter does not treat her as though she is his nene. Of course, I am not an expert in human behavior so perhaps I am wrong. A sharp wind blows and on its wings is the scent of the human settlement. Through a break in the trees, I spot it past the long bari field.

Its walls appear as unsturdy as they have from the moment they built it many lunar cycles ago. The front gate is of a newer construction, as it was last replaced the day after the Krijese attack that brought the shefira to our village. I had been outside the side gate searching for a second way in when London and her tribe sisters escaped through it. In the aftermath, many humans had been killed and the main gate destroyed. Zander had left several warriors here the next turn to replace it for them.

Abby and Carter step out the forest and stride through the field toward their settlement. I study the large structure in the distance. Not a single human is visible. No one keeps look out for enemies. While the Krijese are now our allies, there are still Njeri warriors to be wary of as well as any number of predators. Nothing has changed in the many lunar cycles since I was last here. This is why Abby and Carter need protection. Danger does not always come from outside the walls where they live.

I trail them all the way to the entrance. She turns with her hand on the metal handle.

“Your den of leburin aren’t in here. And whatever duty you think you had to see us back here has been completed. I’ll say this one more time, so there’s no mistaking me.” She jabs a finger toward the forest we recently exited. “Go. Home.”

Before I can come up with a reason to enter, Abby jerks open the door, pushes Carter inside, and slams it behind her. I stare at the entrance and count the beats of my heart, waiting for it to open again, but it remains sealed. Voices and a flurry of activity from within float over the wall. No yelling or shouts for help sound. I could demand someone open it, but I fear that will only cause more problems.

I do not like the fact that Abby and her kit are inside with that dishonorable male who wishes to harm her. My one hope is that their tribe leaders will intervene if he attempts something. As much as I would like to stay in case she needs my help, I must hunt and help refill our stores. I have already lost much light. For several more beats, I remain until I no longer can. The next turn I will be back though to check on both of them. If Lewis has harmed either Abby or Carter in any way, he will regret it.

Zander is a fair Shefir. I do not believe he would find fault in me protecting the female and her kit. He understands how poorly the humans take care of their own. With the settlement at my back, I stride across the bari field and into the forest while there is still sunlight filtering through the trees. Even if I only bring a few leburin down, it will be something. If I am lucky, I will capture an extra one or two and present them as a gift to Abby.

Perhaps that will soften her toward me, although I am uncertain why I am determined for her to do so.

Is it possible she is my keeshla ? A compulsion makes me want to retrace my steps back to the human settlement so I can touch her and discover if my mating marks are triggered. But if these feelings within me are nothing more than wishful thinking and my marks do not appear and my soul light does not ignite, I will be as alone as I always have been.

That is something I am not ready to face yet.