“It would be so easy for me to kill you right now,” Ratha said lovingly, looking down at Antoth as he stirred awake to the first sounds and lights of dawn. The body of his lover shifting atop him was a new morning sensation, one he might have enjoyed immensely without the threat of death. The Guardian blinked, shook his head, breathed deeply in and out, shook his head again, and blinked a few more times.
“You always know…just what to say,” he mumbled sarcastically through the early morning fog in his brain, pushing himself up with one arm and cradling the auburn bundle of fur to him with the other. She’d slept naked atop his bare chest the night before and easily followed his movement upward, showing little embarrassment as the hyrven fur blanket fell away and revealed her flat and toned torso, arm feathers, and hips.
“You didn’t let me finish,” she whispered, looking down at his leather pants and finding herself annoyed that they were still on, despite her request that he remain partially clothed the night before. “I just mean you must actually trust me, scarface. Don’t mind telling you that feels a bit new.”
Antoth took pause at her genuine tone and nodded. He knew Ratha wasn’t exactly the most loved individual in the village, but that reputation never seemed to bother her fellow hunters. If anything it might have endeared her to them further. In all his days since Ratha had ascended to the position, Antoth could not think of one instance in which any of her charges had said something disparaging about their high priestess, even when there was no chance it would ever make its way back to her. “I do trust you, Ratha. I feel…a lot of different things when I look at you.”
Ratha locked eyes with him, felt her heart beat faster. “Why can’t this just stay the way it is? Damn the gods.”
“Maybe because you keep cursing those gods?” Antoth suggested, holding her flush against him. She didn’t resist his advance, holding tightly to his broad shoulders and feeling her abdominal muscles clench as she took in his scent. “Really now, Ratha. You know why things have to change. We need a leader. If it’s to be me…”
“I know, Seil forbid his representative do anything improper like bed the woman he likes without any of that Meylith stuff. You and I…” she trailed off, pulling back and running a hand up his chest. “Who else is there for people like us? I don’t need to pledge anything to Meylith. I’d never…” Ratha’s mumblings were so quiet that Antoth could no longer hear them. He felt her arm plumage shaking against his shoulders and back.
“You’d never what, Ratha?”
“C’mon, scarface. It’s too much,” she protested meekly. “I’m not like that.”
“How many times have I said those same words to you in the last cycle?” He demanded softly, laying back down and taking Ratha with him. “You think that doesn’t make me feel good? To know I bring something else out of you? You think I don’t want to be special to you after all that’s happened?”
“And you’re not usually like this,” Ratha admitted nervously, swearing that Antoth could feel her heart pounding against his chest. He flashed his teeth at her.
“Exactly. Now what was it you were trying to say?”
“Nothing much it’s just…I know what honor and loyalty and all that means to you. It matters to my people too, just maybe not in the same way. We chose to walk this path together. I’m still coming to terms with a lot of what that means but I’m not weak. I wouldn’t abandon this…abandon you. I kill hyrven, for Valta’s sake.” Ratha thought she might faint from how out of place she felt, but Antoth cupped her cheek and kissed her gently.
“For what it’s worth Ratha, I’m sorry. The gods may call on me to lead our people. I don’t want you in the shadows if that happens. I want you at my side. Gentia was right.”
“Oh why did you have to bring her up?!” She moaned.
“Because it’s true!” Antoth shot back forcefully. “In times of peace it’s easy to follow the more restrictive traditions of bonding. One male and one female, for life. We do not have that luxury anymore. The only reason you and I are sharing the same bed right now is because that world was shattered and burned. We picked up the pieces and decided to live, to really live. If I am chosen I will lead. And I will lead by example.”
“Oh my!” Ratha drawled, suddenly feeling a bit more sure of herself thanks to Antoth’s bold proclamation. “You’re going to take me in front of the whole village, now?”
“Well of course the ceremony would have to be public and-” Antoth clapped his mouth shut, eyes wide as he realized what his tittering lover had actually meant.
“You wouldn’t?” She pressed playfully.
“You would?”
“No.”
“Me either. Doesn’t mean the looks on their faces wouldn’t be priceless.”
After a long moment of introspection the two devolved into jovial laughter, Ratha playfully hammering his chest with her fist. “I still don’t like this, scarface, but I don’t remember the last time I laughed at something other than a corpse. As long as I don’t end up alone at the end of-”
“You won’t,” he interjected powerfully, hugging her limber, powerful frame to his own with both arms. “The gods appear to have given me a second chance at being a mate…at being a father,” he said, watching Ratha with reticence to see how she’d react to the mention of cubs. She simply stared back at him, her tail waving slowly above them both. Her claws remained retracted. “What you said to me that night stung because some of it was true. My duty wasn’t enough, not really. I don’t intend to rely on a third chance.”
“Is that what you want from me? A family?” Ratha asked pointedly, extending a claw into the fur of his chest. Antoth cocked his head.
“Yes? Among other things?” His vague answer seemed to satisfy her as she pushed herself up into a kneeling position, straddling his abdomen. Antoth tried very hard to not allow his eyes to wander south of her belly.
“Well scarface, these may be your last moments as Uthos’ hand. How are you going to spend them?” She teased.
“Is mating with Valta’s chosen an option?” He gulped. She considered his proposition before looking down at him with a measure of guilt in her eyes.
“Is it too much, the way I play with you? I only want you to hate me a little bit.”
“I…no. It’s frustrating at times but I suppose that’s the point.” Antoth gritted his teeth and hissed as Ratha ran her hand over his clothed crotch. His body was all too quick to respond, though that seemed to suit Ratha just fine.
“Thank you, Antoth,” she replied with a tender squeeze of his stones that had his back arching off the straw bedding. He opened his eyes only when she relented.
“I assume that means you’re not an option,” he concluded.
She flared her crest and looked away from him in shame. “I need…a bit more time.”
“As you wish, Ratha. But two can play at this game,” he insisted, sitting up swiftly and grabbing her by the hips, pressing gently with his fingers into her ample muscle, the body of a predator. “Want to know what I’m going to do instead of you?” He whispered provocatively.
“What?” She gasped, enjoying this new side of Antoth as his hot breath teased the sensitive fur of her inner ear and his hands massaged places on her body no other male had ever touched before.
“I’m going to put my armor on, I’m going to go on patrol, and I’m going to go talk to Veera and Winters about their baby hyrven,” he said as seductively as he could, though by the end his body was quivering with barely suppressed mirth. In a flash he twisted and deposited Ratha on the bed and jumped to his feet, dressing himself as the auburn-furred fireball cursed him from the comfort of her roost.
“I swear to the Huntress, Antoth!”
“What was I to say? If you’d opted to mate with me you might already be doing so,” he replied coolly. Ratha stared at him with shock and awe plastered over her face, her feathers barely moving she was so surprised. When he was fully clothed he returned to her bedside and planted a kiss on her lips. She bit back, but not hard. “I think that expression of yours was my life’s greatest accomplishment.”
“Get out of here, you hunk of meat.”
“As you wish, Ratha. I’ll see you for the succession,” he ended seriously. She lowered her head and looked up at him longingly, feeling a heat she’d not experienced for a long time deep within her belly.
“Go enjoy your final hours, Guardian.”
-----
“Come on, admit that you think this is really nice,” Veera urged, spooning against Winters’ back as he played with Fenrir. Winters paused, causing the hyrven to glance up at him to see why brushing time had suddenly concluded. He turned and smiled at Veera as she idly ran a hand over his chest and planted a kiss on his shoulder.
“I attribute that mainly to you, Veera,” he murmured. “But I’m glad he’s taking well to grooming. Heh, maybe a little too well,” Winters admitted as the bundle of fur began rubbing its head against the simple synthetic brush in his outstretched hand. The human returned to slowly running the soft bristles through the downy, white fur, occasionally picking the gathered fluff from the brush and letting it drop to the floor. He caught Veera looking at him with accusation just behind her amber orbs. “I’ll get it when we’re done, promise.”
“Of course, Russell. I’m glad you thought of this. His fur was getting all over my dress. It seems to be helping him get used to the collar as well.” Io chose that moment to materialize at their feet where Winters’ gauntlet lay.
‘Veera, would you indulge my unending curiosity about your people for a moment?’ She asked with a poignant look at Winters. He cocked his head, confused as to why he was being brought into it.
“Sure! What’s on your mind, Io?” Veera replied, her tail flicking lazily above them both, causing Fenrir to rise from his grooming, climb onto Winters’ hip, and bat at it with his paw. The Cauthan giggled in delight, bringing her tail just low enough to give Fenrir the illusion that success was within his reach.
Io cleared her throat. ‘In regards to the little one and his sudden love of…the brushie.’ The AI glanced fondly at Fenrir as he stood on his hind legs in pursuit of his goal and promptly tumbled back onto the bed, stopped from falling to the floor by Winters’ guarding hand. Veera burst into quiet laughter, her body vibrating comfortably against her lover’s. Io clasped her hands together in adoration. ‘He’s just a bundle of joy, isn’t he? Veera, I was wondering what your people do about the brushie.’ Winters promptly snorted and brought a hand to his face. Veera furrowed her brow.
“What do we do about what?” She asked in confusion.
‘Given my observations of you, your fellow villagers, and some of your conversations with Asha, it seems abundantly clear to me that your species grows extra fur to help with winter temperatures. Am I correct?’
“Yes, we do grow winter coats,’ Veera confirmed. Winters hummed in understanding.
“So that’s why I’ve been a bit sweaty at night. I’ve got three blankets now!”
“Russell!”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Veera,” he insisted, lying flat on his back so he could run a hand through Veera’s feathers and then down the delightfully thick fur of her neck. “Though now that Io brings it up I can’t help but be curious. What do you and your people do when you all shed your winter coats in the spring?” He asked, surprised as Veera’s feathers suddenly began shaking furiously.
“Oh gods, I didn’t even think about that…” she moaned. Winters looked at Io. The AI appeared torn between mild regret at putting Veera in an uncomfortable position and unrestrained glee at the thought of the entire village being buried in fluff for a week. “I’ll have to go to the temples soon,” Veera continued.
“Why?” Winters asked, a bit puzzled at Veera’s leap of logic. She hung her head and flopped back down against the mattress of straw with an exasperated breath. The wooden frame creaked slightly under them.
“I don’t understand why I’m getting all out of sorts over this now but with you everything is just…I don’t know. Yes Io, we all shed. Not everyone does so at the same time but for about a cycle you’ll see clumps of fur everywhere in the street. Most of my people have a comb made of wood or bone that they use to keep it under control. I haven’t needed one for years. No one else lived here and I…was always walking to the farm. I could rub it off on the way,” she detailed sadly before addressing Winters. “Don’t worry, darling. I’ll be sure it doesn’t inconvenience you. Why are you looking at me like that? Wait…wait Russell you were just using that to…hey!”
With deliberate slowness Winters brought the brush, a simple plastic piece with a band attached to the back to slip his hand inside for better gripping, to Veera’s cheek and softly brushed along the grain of her fur towards her neck. He smiled at her as she babbled at him. “Ah ah…I, hey! Russell, oh come on it’s…really not,” she tried, her eyes never leaving his as he seemed to will her to accept his care. He stopped shortly thereafter.
“Well? What do you think?” He asked. “We’ve got enough power. You could have your very own!” He offered with a tempting energy in his voice. Veera closed her eyes and rammed her forehead into his chest, gripping his upper arm tightly and squealing with frustration as her claws pricked him. Winters found himself unable to keep from laughing at his mate, happy she was at least keeping her talons to herself.
“Can I…have one with firmer bristles? I couldn’t really feel them,” she whispered, as though if word got out she would perish from the earth. Io grinned ferociously.
‘Leave it to me, sir. Actually, could I have a sample, please?’ She requested, popping open the compartment for foreign substance analysis on the B-MASS. Winters looked at Veera.
“Do you mind?” He asked seriously, not wanted to belittle her. Veera shook her head, prompting him to run his hand gently over her chin, down her neck, and across the top of her chest that he could access thanks to the neck of her dress. Veera gasped softly and purred for him, enjoying the soft caress and familiar heat of his fingertips. Winters looked at his hand as he drew away, nodding with satisfaction as he noticed a dusky gold fiber there. He plucked it between his fingers and hoisted himself into a sitting position, leaning over and depositing the hair for Io.
‘You have my thanks. Fret not Veera, I daresay grooming one another might come to be a most enjoyable exercise for the two of you. It is used by many Terran species as a social bonding act and I’m sure that many in your village do the same, no?’
“That doesn’t make it less…eeeeeeh!” Veera whimpered, consumed by thoughts of her human running a brush through her coat…her entire coat. “I’ve never wished to not have fur before,” she groaned. Winters pulled her up into a fierce hug.
“And when I’m freezing my face and hands off out there, I wish I had fur,” he reassured her, planting a kiss on her nose. “Back to business? I’d say night two wasn’t so bad for the little one. At least he didn’t pee on anything useful,” Winters added, eyeing a wet patch of floor near what was becoming Fenrir’s favorite corner of the woodpile on the other side of the room. Veera leaned over his shoulder and nodded.
“Is there anything we can do about it?” She asked, a bit miffed that something would be urinating on the floor she’d kept studiously clean even through her trying years alone. Winters nodded.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“We may have to wait until he’s older for him to hold it through the night, but for now we’ll cover the spot with old leather, something you don’t mind getting rid of. When he’s a bit older his scent will be all over it and he’ll be used to using it. We’ll move it to wherever we want him to go in the future. You said he already ran to the trees to go yesterday so we don’t need to train him there, but he should learn if there are any places in the village he can use. Are there?” Winters asked curiously. Veera glanced upward and scratched her chin in thought. She was interrupted by a rapping knock against their doorframe, a sound that had Fenrir on his feet and yipping, scampering around and testing the length of the fifteen foot leash that his collar was attached to. They were all simple things, made in black nylon with a bit of padding on the inside of the collar to prevent any sort of material burns thanks to the straining and exuberance for which young animals were so well known. Winters grabbed the leash near where it had been wrapped around the bedpost, reeling him back in slowly.
“Come on now, boy. That’s no way to treat guests,” he chided the hyrven, hauling it back into his lap. Veera scratched Fenrir’s ears and called out.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Antoth. Are the two of you…uh…decent?” The tentative voice of the guardian came from beyond their door. Veera tittered as she remembered his last visit.
“Yes Antoth, we are. Do come in.” At her insistence the guard stepped inside their home, looking sharply around the place as he removed his helmet.
“Thank you, Veera.” He bowed to both of them. “Ah, and this must be the little one,” he continued, unable to avoid looking at the hyrven pup squirming in Winters’ lap. “Oh, and hello to you as well, spirit Io. I was sorry to hear about your injury. You are well?” He asked as Io shimmered into being.
‘I will not be able to recover from it, but I am as well as can be otherwise. Thank you for asking, Antoth. I will be in this state unless and until the Lieutenant’s people come to rescue him. It is not an issue for now. I assume this is not a social call?’ She asked pointedly, shifting her outfit to comfortable but proper lounge attire and seating herself above Winters’ bracer. The human smiled at her, pleased to see that she was enjoying interacting with other villagers.
“No, but it’s not any sort of emergency either,” the Guardian clarified. “I came to see the little beastie with my own eyes and to ascertain what exactly had been let into the village. I am pleased you’ve already restrained it.” As Antoth talked Fenrir continued to squirm against Winters to the point that he eventually nipped at the humans’ arm, hoping for release. The reaction was immediate.
“No!” Winters said sharply, holding the collar with one hand and lightly clamping Fenrir’s muzzle shut with the other. The hyrven made a panicked noise through his closed lips and tried to extract his nose from the trap. Winters didn’t relent. “You don’t enjoy not being able to open your mouth, do you? Not very fun, is it Fenrir? Then next time don’t bite. Antoth’s not going to hurt you.”
“Is he?” Veera demanded purposely, standing from the bed and taking a step towards her captain. Antoth waved her off.
“No, Veera. I’m not here on Ratha’s behalf or anything like that. I’m simply here to evaluate the situation. A strong hand is good, Winters. I would never undertake a task like this myself, but for both of your sakes I hope that he learns well.”
“You can help with that, actually,” Veera replied, moving past him to begin building a fire. “Do you have time, Antoth? Can we offer you some breakfast or tea?” Antoth looked around as though lost for a moment, distracted by Fenrir as the cub began whipping his head back and forth in an attempt to throw Winters off. He was unsuccessful. Antoth chuckled and turned back to Veera.
“In all my years, Veera, I would have never imagined that one day you would be serving in my force, mated, domesticating a hyrven, and offering me breakfast,” he mused with a satisfied smiled on his face, feeling the first fingers of heat from the budding fire. “Mmm that feels nice, thank you.”
“Is it so surprising, Antoth? You think I’d keep suffering after being given a way out?” Veera questioned sharply, hand on her hip. He shook his head.
“That doesn’t make the transformation any less remarkable, Veera. I cannot speak for your mother but I knew your father well, and he would be most proud of all you’ve done. And perhaps, given his choice in females, he wouldn’t even be surprised at all of the unprecedented things that have occurred in your life. Though I suppose this is a time for the unprecedented,” Antoth concluded, his voice and shoulders falling with what seemed like sorrow. Fenrir had finally calmed, prompting Winters to unhook the leash from his collar and stand with the furry bundle, walking up to Antoth.
“I don’t know what’s on your mind, Antoth, but I think a murder puppy and-”
“Russell Winters! You will not refer to him that way!” Veera scolded him, waving a cooking spoon for effect.
Winters nodded and looked back to the Captain. “Right, sorry. Antoth, this slaughter fluff-”
“Russell!”
“Fuzzball massacre?” Winters tried as even the perpetually gruff Antoth cracked a smile.
“Do you want to mate ever again, Russell?” Veera seethed.
“Yes!” He replied immediately.
“Then choose your next words very carefully,” she advised. Antoth nodded approvingly.
“And here I was thinking Ratha to be the most intimidating female in the village. Answer wisely human,” he recommended, glancing to his right and noticing Io watching them all calmly and sipping on a steaming cup of tea.
“As you say, Antoth. I think a bit of time getting to know this little bundle of joy and a decent breakfast would do you some good. You looked like shit for a moment there,” Winters insisted, holding out Fenrir. Antoth tentatively raised a hand, but Winters stopped him. “Turn your palm up, go for his chin first. It’s less intimidating.”
“Hmm, I suppose there’s some logic to that. Have you done this before?” Antoth requested, extending the tips of his claws to scratch Fenrir’s chin. After Xan and Thantis, the pup took to the new Cauthan a bit faster, helped along by Winters’ and Veera’s presence.
“My siblings and I took care of a stray dog in our neighborhood once upon a time. Felt a lot like this,” Winters replied, smiling as Veera looked at him with interest and affection. “It’s good for him to get used to others petting and touching him.”
“I see. I assume that ‘dog’ is an animal of some sort on your home planet? Yes, I must admit this is rather therapeutic, if unorthodox. You understand my worries though, do you not?” Antoth asked grimly, slowly moving his paw up and over to pet the hyrven on the head. He eyed Winters critically as the human nodded, facial expression matching his serious tone.
“Yes, and I can assure you that Veera and I understand the risks extremely well. I’ve fought and killed my fair share of these things and we both know that even without Ratha around it would likely be a one strike policy for this little guy.”
“We’re doing everything we can to get him used to the village,” Veera added. “We were planning on taking him over to the temple of Kel later to go for a walk with Xan. We want him to get used to the bustle of the streets and not be scared or feel like he needs to defend himself.”
“That makes a great deal of sense to me. Thank you both. Please understand why I had to at least stop by. I hope that I am never called upon to enforce an action against you or this little beast…Fenrir, you called him?”
“Yeah, that’s his name,” Winters affirmed.
“Indeed. Though I suppose it likely wouldn’t be me if something were to happen,” Antoth whispered, letting his hand fall back to his side as his eyes clouded over with thought. Winters glanced at Veera before turning and putting Fenrir back on his leash, allowing the tyke a bit of freedom while the human sat in front of the fire and patted the seat next to him.
“Antoth, I haven’t seen you so glum since you had to say goodbye to that hyrven you call a lover. What the hell is going on?” Winters demanded of his comrade. Io chimed in.
‘If there is something troubling you, Antoth, I’m sure we could be of assistance. I was programmed for much more than tactical advisory.’ The black-furred Cauthan looked between them both and then to Veera.
“Would it be too much of an imposition?” He asked quietly. She waved her feathers.
“Of course not. Please, sit,” she replied warmly. “Are you in a rush?”
“I…no. I suppose I’m not,” Antoth admitted after some consideration. Veera hummed in acknowledgment and began to look around their stores of food.
“Darling, would you be in the mood to recreate that breakfast you made for me way back when? The one in your father’s style?” Veera proposed. Winters cocked a brow, inclining his head as his stomach twisted at the thought of bacon and potatoes.
“I suppose those dato aren’t getting any fresher. We don’t have any chesko though,” he began as Veera threw on her cloak.
“I’ll just hop on over to the hunter’s lodge then. I’m sure there’s plenty of your kill still waiting to be processed. Something fatty and salted, right?” She asked happily. They both looked at Antoth as the Cauthan’s stomach made its discontent known. “I’ll take that as a yes. Come on Fenrir, time for a walk with mommy!” With a bounce in her step Veera walked to the bed and untied the leash, requiring only a couple soft jerks to get Fenrir’s attention and interest. In another moment they were out the door with Veera yelling back about how Winters should try his hand at making tea.
For a long moment the two men just sat there. Antoth finally looked over at Winters. “Did your mate just walk out of here…”
“Yep.”
“With the baby hyrven…”
“Yep.”
“That Ratha threatened to skin alive…”
“Yep.”
“Headed for Ratha’s temple…”
“Yep.”
“Intending to just waltz in and take some meat?”
“Yep.” Winters turned and met Antoth’s worried gaze, the two remaining absolutely still as the fire crackled and burned. “This is bad, isn’t it?”
“Yep.”
Io calmly brought her china teacup to her rosy lips as Antoth and Winters leapt to their feet, closing her eyes and sipping audibly as the human grabbed his cloak before tearing out of the building after Antoth who had yelled something about promising to ‘never let this happen again’. She daintily replaced the cup on its saucer and breathed out through her nose as a cry of ‘which way did she go’ rang through the streets outside.
‘How rude. He didn’t even take me along.’
-----
“Ah! Hey watch where you’re going!” Winters hissed as Antoth collided with him, the two of them poking their heads around the corner of a building whose shelter they were using as cover, intently watching the entrance of the temple of Valta.
“Oh sod off, I’ve been creeping through these alleys since before you were born,” Antoth grumbled, pressing Winters down by the shoulder so he could look over him.
“You, sneak? I don’t believe it,” Winters teased, turning his head urgently and trying to spy any trace of his striped mate or their snow white ball of fluff.
“What, you think I just popped out of my mother as the Guardian?” Antoth scoffed, feeling equally on edge and hoping he’d not have to come between his lover and one of his better fighters yet again.
“Yes, actually. That sounds about right,” Winters ribbed.
“Oh you’re a very funny human,” Antoth replied sarcastically. “Though my time as Guardian may be fast coming to an end. Figures I’d spend it dodging slop in the alleys with an alien while creeping after Veera and a hyrven.” That dour comment gave Winters pause.
“What do you mean your time might be coming to an end? You’re not dying are you?” Winters asked seriously, grunting as Antoth unexpectedly punched him between the shoulder blades.
“Shut it, human. There she is.” The two of them pressed themselves tightly against the wooden wall, doing their best to maintain line of sight on Veera as she approached the temple from the west. They themselves were slightly to the east of the entrance.
“Antoth, we’ve been seen. Do something!” Winters whispered urgently, noticing that a young Cauthan boy walking with his mother had stopped dead in his tracks, surely wondering what in the name of the gods two of the strongest individuals in the village were doing creeping through the backstreets like mischievous teens. Antoth brought a finger to his lips silently and motioned the child to keep moving, which he eventually did after one last long look. Winters and Antoth breathed a collective sigh of relief. That was until they returned their attention to the temple.
“Shit, where did she go!” Antoth growled, slamming his hand into his forehead.
“Where do you think she went?!”
“We need to get in there, now!”
“And do what? Make the situation worse? How do you think Veera would react to the idea of us creeping after her?”
“You think I care about that right now, human? I care about Ratha! We need to stop her before she starts a bloody war between the temples!”
“You think Ratha would be less pissed off about this?! Getting babied by her mate in front of her entire temple? She is your mate, right?” Winters reasoned sharply, torn between charging in and waiting for what he was sure were the inevitable sounds of conflict. Antoth had fallen silent behind him, surely contemplating the merits of irritating Ratha and Veera in one fell swoop. “Well, on the bright side it’s another beautiful day,” Winters tried.
“The weather? Really?”
“Would you rather sit here silently and second guess yourself?” Winters demanded.
“No. I’m going in there.”
“You are not, you big fleabag!” Winters grabbed the captain by the cloak and hauled him back into the shadows of the alley. “You are going to sit here and wait with me. Give them a chance.”
“I swore I would never give them another,” Antoth protested with fire in his voice.
“You haven’t seen what I’ve seen,” Winters replied darkly, furrowing his brow and uttering a silent prayer that Veera would reappear soon.
“What exactly have you seen then?” The Guardian pressed agitatedly, drumming his claws again the wood as his nerves mounted. Winters was about to reply when the ursae fur door of the temple was lifted aside and Veera emerged into the light of day, a small bundle of leather under her arm and a happy looking Fenrir hopping about her feet on the leash. The two men breathed out a collective sigh of relief. They were just about to turn around when Veera knelt in the snow just outside the temple, drawing a small piece of dried meat from the satchel on her belt.
“Aww, who’s a good boy? You are, my darling Fenrir!” She chirped, offering the little thing a reward. “Easy now! Don’t make me hit you again. There you go, just like that. You did so well in there while mommy was picking out a nice cut for the guys. Let’s go back and tell daddy all about how you said hi to the hunters and sat for the first time, alright? C’mon! Maybe we can find Gael or Rakis on the way back. You liked them right? C’mon!” Veera called as she hopped to her feet, taking off at a light jog that had Fenrir yipping with glee and tearing after her. Whether it was because he had identified her as his ‘mother’ or because she was the most reliable source of food in his life Winters couldn’t be sure, but the display had left him feeling like he’d been kicked in the chest by an ursae.
“That…is what I’ve seen,” Winters whispered as he and Antoth stood to head back. The human could only shake his head as Antoth rested a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“I will try to be lenient in the future with-”
“Don’t. If Veera thinks there’s any leeway she’ll be too kind to it,” Winters advised. Antoth could only sigh and nod, looking up at the bright winter sky.
“I am sorry, Winters. I would pray to Meylith for you but…I do not think any amount of prayer would give the two of you a cub.” Antoth looked away as Winters remained silent, contemplating just how lucky he and Ratha were the rest of the way back to Veera’s home. The young female had yet to return, likely taking the long way home to give Fenrir a chance to relieve himself and see a bit of the village. As the two of them entered Io came to life, waving a finger at them both.
‘I cannot believe you just left me here all alone, sir. You know I enjoy adventures!’ She protested. He looked at her sadly. ‘I…what did I miss?’
“Maybe later, Io. I’m sorry about leaving you behind. Won’t happen again, alright?” Winters promised, wondering why he was suddenly assaulted by memories of home and Jess as he and Antoth returned to their seats and stoked the fire anew. “So what’s the deal, Antoth? What’s this about you not being the Guardian anymore?” Winters entreated in a low voice, wishing to speak of something other than his inadvertent choice to abandon conventional fatherhood.
“Let us wait until Veera returns. As one of the guard this situation will affect her personally,” Antoth advised, shifting to get more comfortable on the wooden chair. Winters nodded and busied himself with looking for wood that needed to be dried instead. “How are things otherwise?”
“They’re…they’re good,” Winters replied after some thought, knowing that the issue of children aside he and Veera were well, wealthy, and in love. He couldn’t ask for much more. “We plan to be bound together under the next full moons. We would be honored if you would attend.”
‘Oh yes, Antoth. Do say you’ll come!’ Io encouraged from the bedside, hands clasped together. ‘It would mean a great deal to all of us.’ The panther-like Cauthan smiled at her.
“I wouldn’t miss it, spirit Io. One does not ignore the bonds formed fighting side by side,” Antoth asserted, looking Winters over with a critical and approving eye as the human returned to the fire and began arranging logs. “It will mean the world to her, Winters, being bound together in our tradition. You are a good man.” The human accepted the compliment.
“I had hoped to have a small human ceremony as well, just for the two of us, but I have every intention of being bound by your customs as well. I am marrying one of your own, after all,” Winters stated strongly, as if challenging Antoth to claim she was not. The guard just smiled, pondering what would likely be his own impending nuptials.
“Aye, that she is.”
-----
“Somehow I had a feeling I’d find you two like this,” Veera remarked happily as she and Fenrir returned, finding the boys where she’d left them and not a drop of tea in sight. Winters looked up at her sheepishly.
“I like it better when you make it,” he tried with a smile as Io coughed politely to his left. The AI said nothing more though, for which Winters was grateful. Veera sighed but gave him a wide grin in return.
“What would you do without me? Very well, darling. I’ll get on that while you handle the rest. Antoth, will you be having some as well?” She asked, tying Fenrir to the bed before handing off the ursae meat to Winters and looking through their small stores of dried herbs.
Antoth seemed unsure of whether he should rise to aid his hosts or sit still and not get in the way. “If it’s not too much trouble Veera that would be great. Thank you. Can I help with anything?”
“I think we’ve got it covered, Antoth. Besides, the fire is too hot now for making it from scratch. You’ll have to settle for the usual, Russell,” Veera informed her human who had unwrapped the fatty cut of meat and was sizing it up with a critical eye. He didn’t look at her but threw a thumbs up, using his right hand to rub Fenrir’s ears and keep the pup at bay as it rooted around the base of the chair where Winters had set the leather-wrapped food, those twin tails wagging about excitedly. He received a bop on the head from Winters as he stood on his hind legs and tried to get closer. “Bad boy, down!” Winters barked sternly before turning to Veera, who was now watching water heat above the fire. “How was he at the temple?”
“He had a great time in the streets. I think he remembers a few of the guards from our trip back and was at ease when we got to the gates. The hunters were another story, but his fear kept him silent and he didn’t act out,” Veera reported, looking sadly at the disciplined pup who was lying at the foot of the bed.
Winters hummed in acknowledgment and tried to reassure her. “It will get better Veera, I promise. Hyrven are pretty damn intelligent from what I can tell. He’s going to learn that so long as he behaves he’ll have food, warmth, and companionship.”
“Ratha was absolutely furious about him, you know? That being said, it looks as though you’ve already done more than I would have requested to keep him in line. I hope he remains this well behaved. May I?” Antoth requested, standing and taking a step towards the compelling ball of fluff. Veera’s tail swished happily as she raised her feathers, looking about for something to help her grip the now dangerously hot cooking pot.
“Thank you for taking the time to come see him for yourself. Go ahead,” she encouraged. Fenrir was less anxious about Antoth the second time around, raising his chin as the burly guard knelt and began scratching his neck and jaw. “Isn’t he adorable?”
“To be sure they’re quite cute when they’re infants,” Antoth agreed before addressing the pup. “Just make sure you don’t bite the hand that feeds, little one. Otherwise my successor will have to put you in your place. Believe me when I say you’d rather that than Ratha.”
‘So it’s true then? You’ve been selected as the next sun priest?’ Io asked, having observed the proceedings with a critical eye as her companions prepared breakfast. She was looking at the guard with something like sorrow in her eyes. Veera and Winters had halted their preparations, leaving only the crackling fire and a contented hyrven to lend any sort of noise to the scene. Antoth closed his eyes and sighed deeply, finally replying with a resigned voice as he ruffled Fenrir’s ears.
“Yes, spirit Io. Unless there is a challenge…it has been decided that my days of serving Uthos are done.”