Chapter 8

Orsu

I woke up early and eager to face the day. I hadn't gotten to sit next to Julie at dinner since all the females decided to sit together and chat amongst themselves–and I meant all the females. It was a sweet sight to see the humans hang onto every word of the elder Sirret women of the dekes. They shared stories of when their children were young and tales of their own luminescence.

But now it was the next day and I was ready to make Julie a special breakfast while I prepared the cookfire for her and I to make porridge side-by-side.

I'd thought of nothing else, actually. I'd even run into the wall of my own bed cave last night thinking about how I might try to brush my arm against Julie's as I stirred my bowl next to her.

"Are you cooking that or letting it burn?" Drovo teased. I looked down and found the sweet flatbread I'd been baking was already brown on one side. I quickly turned it over before it could get any darker.

"You got someone on your mind?" Drovo's mischievous smirk turned into a look of awe as soon as Kayla entered the cavern.

He looked up at the vines criss crossing the ceiling and used his abilities to have them drape down behind Kayla. She yelped as his vines cradled her and swept her off her feet and deposited her onto a chair next to his.

"Good morning, beautiful." He looked besotted as he grinned at her.

"I swear to god, if you pick me up one more time, I am going to find a knife and cut down every vine in this place."

"Do what you want, my sweet luna moth, but my vines will grow back."

Drovo's face fell into a pained look as Kayla punched him in the groin.

"Does that grow back too?" She looked pleased with herself as she got up from the table and sat next to Fatima.

"Good morning," Julie's sweet voice fluttered up to my ears and I turned to see her smiling face.

"Is that bowl for me to use?" Julie pointed to the empty bowl sitting on the flat stone next to the cookfire.

"Y-yes. I set that one out for you," I stammered. "And I prepared a sweet bread for you too."

"Oh, thank you," Julie giggled as soon as she saw the bread. "Did you bake a smiley face into the bread using berries?"

"I did," I smiled down at her. "I like for my food to reflect how I feel about people, and that's how I feel when I'm around you."

Julie's cheeks turned rosy. "I'm glad you enjoy my company."

I more than enjoyed Julie's company, but I kept that to myself. One small step at a time. I'd woo her at a slow pace that wouldn't add to her worries.

We bumped shoulders and brushed hands often as we mixed Julie's new porridge recipe together. I enjoyed every brush of her skin against mine.

"Sorry," Julie blushed as her elbow bumped me.

"It's alright," I assured her in a gentle tone with a smile on my face. Then I gently bumped her again while I had her attention and she laughed at my antics.

"Bump into me any time you like," I teased her and she laughed again.

We served bowl after bowl of warm porridge to everyone in the dekes and my heart soared at how much our numbers had expanded.

I scanned the room and watched as Tarak and Gabby looked at each other with such love and admiration in their eyes. It gave us all hope that we too might find a mate in the human females. My gaze turned to Julie, who was now sitting at Gabby and Tarak's table. The two of them looked to Kayla and then to Drovo, whispered something among themselves, and then laughed.

I was glad to see Julie develop a close friendship with Gabby. Perhaps some of her worries would be eased as their friendship grew.

Once the last person was served I took a bowl for myself and sat in the open seat across from Julie.

"Good morning, Orsu," Tarak greeted me.

"Morning, Savrix."

"The porridge this morning is very good," he complimented.

"It's Julie's recipe. I showed her our store of spices and it was her idea to put these three together."

"It's just a simple recipe." Julie shied away from my praise.

"Your unique knowledge has brought a new flavor to the dekes and much joy." Tarak agreed with me, and my heart warmed at my friend's praise over Julie's contribution.

"The new members of our dekes have brought many new things to us, and I am glad for all of them." My Savrix smiled down at his mate, who kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm happy to be here," Gabby smiled up at him.

"Come on, Lumod is going to teach us how to mend and sew clothes," Talia commented as she passed our table. All of the females got up from their places and set their empty bowls in the barrel reserved for dirty dishes. Sovu and Jax lifted the barrel and carried it out of the cavern. It was their day to do the dishes, leaving me the free time I needed to put away the spices and to clear the ashes from the fire.

I quickly completed my tasks so I could catch up with Julie. I found it was getting increasingly difficult to stay away from her.

Julie

I looked over to my right and saw Taylor easily weaving her thread up and down through the material. I tried to follow Lumod's instructions, but I was still stuck on the first step. How did I thread this damn bone needle?

Gabby looked at me from the corner of her eye and then quickly glanced away. I thought that maybe this corded thread was too thick for this needle, but when I looked over at Gabby's it was the same as mine.

I wiped away the sweat that was forming on my brow, took a deep breath, and tried again, but the damn thing still wouldn't go through. I felt my body growing hot and my breaths coming fast. My hands grew clammy and the needle slipped from my fingers, dropped to the floor and cracked into two pieces.

I gave up. While still clutching my fabric in my fist, I stood up, and left the room. I walked to the storage cavern and sat down on my furs. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I buried my head in my hands.

Would life here always be this difficult? What if I never learned how to sew? Was I destined to wear bulky hand-me-downs for the rest of my time here? I could feel myself descending the all too familiar staircase to despair when a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Julie?"

I raised my head to find Orsu standing a few feet away with a concerned look on his face. Usually I'd ask to be left alone when I was feeling this anxious, but with Orsu, I didn't feel the need for space. He and I had already faced very serious, very real danger multiple times and survived. Being around him now brought me comfort. There was a part of me that knew, no matter what was happening, that I would be safe if Orsu was nearby.

He settled onto the furs next to me and gave me a soft smile. "Do your worries burden you this day?"

"When don't my worries burden me?" I tried to make light of my situation, but Orsu didn't find it funny.

"Come, I want to show you something." The big male got up and offered me his hand.

I took it and followed him down a corridor. We turned into a dark room illuminated by what looked like glow worms that clung to the ceiling. It was quiet here, nearly silent.

"What is this place?" I whispered, not wanting to disturb the tranquility of the room.

"It's the quiet cavern. It is where people can go if they're feeling overwhelmed."

He continued walking and I followed him to the far end of the space.

"This is a basin full of salt water. You can float in it and ease your worries for a while. At least that's what Brexl says it does for him."

I peered over the edge of the basin and looked in awe at the sensory deprivation tank.

"I don't have a swimsuit." I frowned down at the basin that I longed to take a dip in.

"What is a swimsuit?" Orsu gave me a puzzled look.

"It's what you wear when you're going into water in a public place. Anyone could walk in on me in here, and I don't want to get my clothes wet, so I'm assuming I'd have to get naked."

"Oh, no need to worry about that. I'll sit at the entrance to make sure no one disturbs you," Orsu grinned.

I looked down at the basin again and decided it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. "And you won't look?"

Orsu gave me a wry smile but promised not to look.

"Okay, I'll do it," I said with determination.

The big bear shifter made his way toward the entrance.

"Orsu?" I wrapped my hand around his arm to get his attention. "Thank you for showing me this. I don't know how you knew this is what I needed, but I'm grateful you did."

He gazed down at my hand on his arm and blushed a dark blue. "Of course."

I released him and he continued toward the entrance, facing away from the basin, giving me the privacy I'd requested.

Orsu

I stood at the entrance of the cave facing away from Julie as she removed her garments and stepped into the water. She let out a small moan that made my cock stiffen. Goddess help me, but I hoped she'd moan again. Would she sound like that if I brought her pleasure?

I could hear water slosh over the sides of the basin as she settled in, and even though I wanted to sneak a peek at what I knew would be her beautifully naked body, I held true to my word and kept my eyes forward.

After a long while, however, I grew nervous when I didn't hear Julie move again. Should I check on her? What if she had fallen asleep? I couldn't let her drown.

"Julie?" I called over my shoulder, but there was no answer.

I walked backward a few steps and tried again. "Julie?" Again there was no answer.

I turned around and walked forward with my hand over my eyes. I held my other hand out in front of me and walked until I bumped into the basin.

"Orsu?" Julie giggled at the sight of me. "What are you doing?"

"I didn't hear you moving. I wanted to make sure you hadn't fallen asleep," I confessed.

"Oh, I'm alright. Thank you for checking on me. I couldn't hear you with my ears under the water." She paused for a moment and continued. "I think I'll get out now."

With my eyes still covered I gave her a quick nod and turned around to give her privacy as she dressed.

"This was very nice. I feel more relaxed than I have since I got here." Her voice grew louder as she drew closer to me, until I felt her hand on my arm gently turning me around.

Her smile was radiant and the tension that usually showed in the tight set of her shoulders had diminished.

"I'm ready to try sewing again." Julie had a look of determination on her face. "Can you show me how you thread a needle?"

"I'd be glad to." I smiled down at her. "Come, I have some extra needles in my bed cave."

Julie followed me to my private chamber and I offered her a chair as I sorted through my basket of supplies.

"Here they are." I pulled out two needles, some thread, and a stick.

"What's the stick for?" She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"The stick is the secret to my success," I teased.

"Oh, is it?" The side of her mouth quirked up in a smile.

"It is." I picked up the stick and pulled off a small thin strip of wood. "If you fold this around the thread it's much easier to work it through the needle."

I demonstrated by putting the thin ends of the tiny strip of wood through the needle and pulled it through until the thread popped out on the other side.

"Oh! That makes so much sense!"

Julie eagerly pulled a small tendril of wood off the stick and wrapped it around her thread. She pulled it through the needle and danced in her seat when the thread pulled through along with it.

"I did it!" She beamed and I would have given anything to be able to capture this moment for the rest of time. Her look of delight brought a warmth and pride to my soul that I had never known before.

"Good girl," I congratulated Julie and her eyes suddenly grew wide and her cheeks rosy. Did I say something wrong? Maybe my words didn't translate correctly.

"Th-thank you." She looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Well, I should get back to the group and see what the other women are up to."

I was about to protest and think of an excuse for her to stay when I heard a knock on the wall outside my door.

I pulled back the curtain to find Tarak standing there.

"I wish to speak to all the hunters outside. Can you help spread the word?" My Savrix looked very serious, more so than usual, and I wondered what he wanted to talk to us about.

"Yes, of course." I put a fist to my chest and bowed.

"I'll see you at dinner, Orsu," Julie waved as she squeezed past me and made her way back down the corridor.

I sighed as she turned the corner and the ache in my chest returned.

Tarak gave me a knowing look and patted my shoulder. "Your time will come, my friend."

I nodded my head, then went off to find the other hunters as my Savrix had requested.