Chapter 18

Orsu

I was so proud of my mate. She'd continued to come up with amazing recipes that would help our food last longer, giving us all hope for the future.

We gathered grain from dawn to dusk–which was no chore at all with Julie by my side. More than a few times we would sneak off into the forest and do what she called ‘making out'. Her lips were as tempting as her body and I enjoyed both every day.

Today was a special day, however. Today we gathered the last of the grain needed to fill the outdoor storage shed. After weeks of work the storage shed was finally full.

While the others finished up their evening meal I got to work setting out barrels of vilt for tonight's celebration. We were going to mark this great accomplishment by dancing and drinking vilt outside around the fire. The dekes would have enough food both to provide an offering to the goddess and have enough food for the winter.

"My Savrix, the vilt for the celebration is ready," I greeted Tarak as he lit the communal fire.

"Good. Your vilt is much appreciated on a night such as this." Tarak gave me a nod of approval.

Drovo made quick work of creating and setting up benches for seating, and soon after the entire dekes joined us outside.

I ladled out two cups of the fermented fruit juice: one for me and one for my mate.

"For you." I placed a cup in Julie's hand. "This is the batch that you helped me make." I gave her a knowing smile and her cheeks turned a bright red.

"Oh," she looked down at her drink. "I'm excited to try it," she smiled.

Drovo walked up to the vilt barrel and ladled two cupfuls as well. He took a deep breath and walked to Kayla. "For you, my luna moth."

"What's this?" Kayla looked skeptical as she eyed the drink in her hand.

"It's Orsu's creation. We call it vilt," he explained.

"It's wine," Julie supplied.

"Oh?" Kayla swirled the liquid in her cup and gave it a sniff.

Drovo and I exchanged confused looks while Julie stifled a laugh.

"Mmm, it has a moscato flavor to it," Kayla commented after taking a drink.

Julie took a sip and let out a moan that affected me in more ways than one.

"It does taste like moscato!"

Soon the vilt barrel was half empty and everyone who had wanted the fermented berry juice had gotten some.

"What are you doing?" Ashley sat next to Axon on a bench as he tied some fern leaves into the shape of a moon.

"I'm making an izarra. We focus on our gratefulness for the goddess' blessings as we fold the leaves into the shape of a moon. Then we throw it into the fire so as it burns the winds will take our gratitude up into the heavens where she resides."

Axon looked over at Ashley and handed her the one he made. "Why don't you throw this one in? Then I can teach you how to make one if you'd like."

Ashley smiled appreciatively. "I'd like that very much."

She threw the izarra into the flames and happily sat down next to Axon again.

I decided it was time to really get this party started. I began the ancient festo chant as I beat my chest like a drum and walked alongside the fire.

The elders pulled out their drums and joined my beat. Tarak's mouth grew wide with a grin as he got to his feet and walked with me around the fire. Our Savrix invited all the hunters to walk with us as we kicked up our feet, moved our hips in rhythmic motions, and beat our chests in honor of this great victory.

Julie

Orsu looked so sexy as the orange glow of the fire highlighted the blue hues of his skin. He locked eyes with me as he chanted a song that didn't translate. His voice was low as he bellowed out words that sounded like a warrior's victorious battle cry.

The beat of the drums and the hunters chanting grew louder and louder until the entire clearing was filled with their song of joy. Tarak broke the chant by letting out a howl of victory and all the others followed, tilting their heads to the sky and using their whole chest to cry out to their goddess.

It was a powerful ritual and I was happy to witness it.

Once the shouts died down the elders started a new beat. The guys danced to this song by moving their hips in a hula style of dance. There was no coordination between the hunters, they simply moved in whatever way their bodies directed them.

I couldn't take my eyes off Orsu, though. He moved with such grace that it was breathtaking. I knew exactly how good he was at moving his hips, and watching him made me wish I could pull him away from the party and take him directly to our bed cave.

Lumod left the fire to grab Hai and pull her into the dance with him. She moved her hips along with his and laughed when he winked at her.

Orsu grabbed me next. I was a bit nervous at first, but I wasn't a Latina without rhythm. I could sway my hips with the best of them. So I let Orsu pull me in and we moved our hips in time with one another.

Tarak and Gabby danced together next to us. Both of them looking as natural as if they'd done this dance a thousand times before.

After a while Jax attempted to ask Sarah to join him. She had spent most of the dance looking down at the ground, only daring to glance up at the dancing hunters every once in a while.

"Oh no, I'm not supposed to move my body like that," she explained, looking morose.

Jax gave her a confused look and motioned to the clearing surrounding us.

"I know I'm not on Earth anymore, but I'm still trying to figure out what I'm comfortable with. What I believe in."

Jax looked thoughtful as he nodded his acknowledgement. They had a sweet way of understanding each other. Sarah seemed to read his thoughts, while Jax had a way of reading her soul.

He walked up to the elders playing the drums and made a slow wave motion.

"You want a slower song?" Gogron asked and Jax nodded his head.

"We can do that."

The beat changed again to a much slower pace and Jax returned to Sarah with his hand outstretched. She eyed his hand nervously, but ultimately took it.

They stood alone a short distance from the fire where Jax placed Sarah's hands on his shoulders and he placed his hands respectfully on her sides above her hips. How he knew that was what she'd be comfortable with, I'd never know, but he got Sarah to let out a deep breath and smile.

They did look a little like two freshmen at their first dance, but they also looked happy.

Orsu and I sat down next to Tayor on one of the benches. My mate placed me on his lap and I leaned into him as I watched the fire.

Brexl approached us and commented, "It's a lovely night," before he awkwardly stood in front of Taylor. There was a long moment of silence before he shoved something into her hand and said, "Here. I made this for you."

Taylor lifted it up so the light of the fire could illuminate the object. It was a corded necklace with two pendants, a sun and a moon carved out of bone.

Before Taylor could respond Brexl walked away again. I thought he might stop at the tree line and watch the party from a distance, but he didn't. The guy just kept walking.

"Did he just leave?" Ashley asked. "Like, leave the entire party?"

"I think so." Taylor looked dumbfounded as she watched the hunter disappear into the woods. She looked down at the necklace he'd given her and ran her finger along the sun and the moon.

"It's pretty," she admitted before shaking her head and placing the necklace in her pocket.

Sozu was listening to Talia tell him about the dances her community would have back home.

"We dance in a similar style to you guys, but not dressed in pants. We wear long pieces of fabric wrapped around our waists called a lavalava. In every color you can imagine. My favorite lavalava was a pretty blue with flowers on it."Talia's joyful expression turned sad as she remembered home.

Sozu looked thoughtful as he got up and disappeared into the forest. He returned a short time later with a string of blue flowers that had been tied together.

"Stand up," he requested. Talia did so and he tied the flowers around her waist. "It may not be a lavalava, but it's the closest thing I could find."

She blushed as Sozu wrapped his arms around her to tie the string of flowers. He stepped back and admired his work.

"Beautiful," he remarked, but he wasn't looking at the flowers anymore.

"Th-thank you." The usually confident and outspoken Talia was looking unusually bashful.

Even Rhaz was in a cheerful mood. He approached Beatrice with an izarra star.

"This is different from the izarra moon. This one's special. You throw it into the fire and make a wish as it burns."

Beatrice looked pleasantly surprised that the grumpy male had even spoken to her.

"Go ahead, the goddess will hear you," he encouraged.

She walked up to the fire, closed her eyes and threw the leaf star into the fire.

Rhaz watched her intently, as if he were studying a precious jewel or piece of art. But he didn't stay long. He was gone before Beatric opened her eyes again.

Laughter caught my attention and I looked to my right to see Hai sitting on Lumod's lap. He was whispering something in her ear that caused her to laugh again, but when she looked up and caught the heated gaze in his eyes she got uncharacteristically uncomfortable and scooted off his lap onto the bench.

"You look so beautiful in the moonlight." Orsu commented with a heated gaze of his own.

"You don't look too bad yourself," I teased.

"Perhaps we can leave the party early to have more of a private celebration." He wiggled his eyebrows, causing me to cackle.

"I'd like that." I had barely uttered my sentence when Orsu hurled me over his shoulder and walked back to the mountain.

We ‘celebrated' three times in three different positions that night. It was amazing.