Episode Six Mate Bond

A zael

She seemed to like me petting her head, so I continue this with one hand as I remove my loincloth with the other. For a moment I consider touching her more thoroughly, arousing her, but she's in too much pain to respond. Even if she could, there's no time for it.

Though it's been hard since I laid her in my hammock, I stroke my cock to bring forth pre-cum. I need her to be slick and wet for me to reduce the pain our coupling will surely bring.

I climb into my hammock, carefully opening her legs so I can kneel between them. Perhaps one of the bones in her legs is broken, because she yelps when I do this.

Deciding to keep her mind busy, I start a steady stream of chatter as I slide my cock up and down her slit, ensuring she's wet enough to accept me.

"You have a beautiful name," I croon, "to go along with a beautiful face."

Honestly, it's hard to know if she's beautiful with one eye so badly bruised it's closed shut, two gashes across her lips that look so painful it's a wonder she can talk, and a cut across her cheek that's still oozing blood.

"Such a brave female to let me do this, even though you know nothing about me." I want to show her physical affection, but can't kiss those cut lips, can't graze my knuckles down her battered cheek. I settle for dipping my head to press my lips first to one collar bone then the other. "So brave," I repeat.

Her human body is an amazing thing. Despite her pain, she's growing slick for me. It's not just my pre-cum. Her body is somehow responding.

"That's right, little female. You're so strong and courageous and between the two of us, we're going to make this happen and you'll live through this ordeal. I'm so proud of you."

I continue to stroke myself, coaxing my cock as close as I can to release so as to cause her the least pain.

I press my cockhead at her entrance and hold still. Looking at where we're joined, it's clear this is going to be a difficult process.

Just as I'm wondering how this will ever work, with me so large and her so tiny, she lifts her hips to welcome me inside her precious body.

"So smart, Nadira. We're going to work together. You're ready for me?"

It's been a long time since I've sunk myself into a female. I was young, and the females considered me handsome, but there are so few females, they're a commodity. Before I became troop leader, they wanted males from more powerful families, with more goods and larger shelters.

By the time our leader died five years ago, my time to find a mate was long gone. I fought all comers for the leadership position and have since ruled with a fair and honest hand.

I use caution, going slow, taking the human one inch at a time. Although these are terrible circumstances, I allow myself to enjoy all the pleasure I can gather as I enter her tight, wet channel.

"Nadira, you're a blessing, a treasure."

My eyes roll back in my head as I fully seat myself inside her. For the swiftest moment, I take pleasure in an act that, by her soft wincing gasps, must be causing her immense pain, then I pump gently once, twice, and the third time I come, bathing her channel with my essence.

I accomplished my mission, mating this precious female with as little pain as possible.

"Now the bite," I warn, and swiftly open my jaws, set them against her battered shoulder, and press.

She yelps, the first noise she's made since our conversation. Then she moans. I'm not sure if it's a moan of pain. In fact, when her channel spasms around me, I wonder if she's experiencing pleasure as her wet warmth milks my cock of all its remaining essence.

"Oh?" she says, revealing nothing of her thoughts.

After turning her head to the side and spitting out the wad of leaves, every muscle in her body loosens as she falls unconscious beneath me.

Panic slices through me, and it's not until I bend to place my ear to her mouth and feel her breath that I feel relief, knowing she still lives.

"Sweet Nadira," I say as I comb my fingers through her hair. I lick her mate mark, having heard my saliva will take the sting out of the wound. "Reese!" I call. "Come perform the Transfer!"

He powers through my doorway, clearly having come at a run, and watches as I pull out of my new mate, followed by a gush of my seed. His gaze takes in everything from the mate mark to her slack muscles.

"She gave consent," I say, "though it's none of your business. Now do the Energy Transfer."

What happens next is as far from medicine as it can be. It's more like magic.

He sits cross-legged, facing the hammock, and chants. Some of his phrases are said on the exhale, some on the inhale. Soon, two blue spheres of what can only be described as energy appear in his open palms. They become brighter and brighter, then buzz with the enormity of their power.

When he presses his palms together, the two pulsing balls become one which glows even more brilliantly and hums louder.

His lips aren't moving anymore, but I hear his words just the same. They're inside my mind. Great Father-Mother, hear our prayer. Great Mother-Father, heal the sick. Great Father-Mother, giver of life. Great Mother-Father, perform your will for the greatest good.

The chant swirls not just inside my head, but through my body, into flesh and bone and sinew. I feel closer to Great Mother-Father than ever, knowing its power and love are the essence of everything inside me. It gives me immense peace.

It is with great solemnity that I follow Reese's instructions and place one hand over Nadira's heart at the same moment I touch the fur over my own heart.

Blue crackles of energy spark from the very walls of my hut and connect in the air in the middle of the little structure. Something bursts inside me. It's pain, except my brain doesn't perceive it as such. The blue light roves inside me from my toes to the crown of my head, awakening every part of my body, anointing me with the power to heal.

It is now that the awesome power arcs to the little human at my side, traveling through my hand and into her heart. Watching, I see her body spasm as it receives the gift of blue light, then settle comfortably into the leafy embrace of the hammock.

My eyes slam shut and I collapse next to her in the hammock. As Reese tucks furs around the two of us, I fall into a deep sleep.