Episode Nine The Hunt

W eeks Later…

Azael

It's a pleasure to simply watch her move. My female. In the privacy of my mind, I can think of her that way. I seldom say it out loud. It's not what she wants to hear. But in my heart, my mate is fully mine.

The Energy Transfer transformed Nadira in many ways. The broken bones and bruised, cut, puffy face that greeted me when I made her my mate disappeared during the three days we slept off the effects of the procedure. It was only when we woke up that third day, when I made my proposal, that I realized what a truly lucky male I am. Not only did a female drop from the sky into my life to be my mate, but she's a true beauty with her flaming hair and sky-blue eyes. Mine.

There's a skift of snow on the ground, which helps her furred boots stay silent as she walks with stealth to get closer to her prey.

She's a far cry from the female who came naked from Up Above to join our troop. The first thing we did was give her clothing. What was donated from other females was too large for her, so I taught her how to alter the tunics and leggings to fit her small frame.

Her fingers were clumsy at first, but my female has spirit. She even warned me she would try to best me at everything I taught her. She wasn't lying. She developed a fine stitch as she tailored the pelts to fit her.

She let me make her boots, though she had something to say about what color fur to make the trim at the tops. They are quite striking, with the black wolf fur bottoms and the mottled white rabbit fur at the tops. Now all the females in the tribe are busy adding trim to their boots.

Every time she asserts herself and asks for what she wants, my heart bursts with affection for her. Knowing she wasn't allowed to ask for anything Up Above, it thrills me that she feels comfortable enough to demand things from me.

I'm lucky, knowing she's not going anywhere. She's with me and seems comfortable to share our hammock and spend all day with me as I teach her our Down Below ways. Eventually, she'll come around and return my affection. At least I hope so.

Her arrow misses the rabbit she's been tracking. The tiny creature flees into the underbrush.

"Damn!"

"You get better every day, Nadira." Praise is easy to give, especially to my mate.

"Really?" She cocks her head at me, still unaccustomed to hearing a male say nice things to her. It makes me vow to do it more often.

"Every day, mate."

Although I've shied away from the term, that needs to change. I want her to be my mate in all ways, and she needs to know my desire for that has not and never will stop.

"I'm not going home tonight without at least one rabbit I've shot myself. Should we go farther from our village?"

My heart swells at what she just said. The words "home" and "our village" fell easily from her lips. And she's getting bolder, ready to explore farther into the forest.

I lead us toward shared treaty lands. The leaders of the tribes sometimes fight, sometimes work together, but we still follow the treaty hammered out long ago by our grandparents' grandparents. Anyone can enter these lands without trespassing or fear of being attacked.

It's only when I hear the faint drumbeats in the distance that I remember what's happening. How could I forget? Since I was a young male, rendezvous was my favorite time of year. It won't be this year. My stomach clenches as if I'd been punched.

If we walk into treaty lands, my entire world is going to turn upside down.