“I’m ready, so go on then. That look on your face says it all.” Antoth braced himself as he watched Ratha pace about his quarters. Hoping to avoid a repeat of their prior experience he’d insisted the sulking huntress follow him back to the barracks. It was less active than her temple soon would be. She glared dangerously at him as he crossed his hands over his chest.
“I spend another half cycle out there dealing with your fraternity of dunces, their new favorite female who’s suddenly grown more stones than half your men combined, and that little cub they’re fawning over and you think I want to come home and fight with you too?!” She roared. Antoth blinked in confusion.
“Cub?”
“Yes, Antoth. Veera brought a gods damned hyrven pup back to this village because apparently attacking me and threatening me with alien weapons got boring after the first day!” Ratha raged, looking like a caged animal. The Guardian growled deeply.
“She did what?” He asked, trying to keep his temper under control as Ratha began throwing her outer garments on one of his two unremarkable wooden chairs. She was uncharacteristically desperate to be rid of them after so much time beyond the walls.
“The human gave her one of his weapons so she decided that made her the head of the expedition for a moment,” Ratha told him with no attempt to hide the loathing in her voice. Antoth nodded.
“Very well, I’ll talk with her.”
“Don’t you dare, Antoth. I am Valta’s hand and I will handle myself. That bitch knows if she kills me that she’s dead too.” Antoth hung his head and huffed with exasperation.
“As you wish, Ratha. Now what’s this about a hyrven?”
“The pack Winters attacked was stalking us. Veera drove them off with that weapon of his. Might have been the same one, seemed to really spook them. One night all hell breaks loose and they go at one another. Only explanation I have is they didn’t want to risk a repeat of what the human did to them. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life. Wouldn’t you know it; some pup survives the thing and is clinging to his mother’s corpse the next morning. I wanted to do the reasonable thing and skin them both but noooo, little Miss Hero has to go swoop in and save it like it’s her own…” Ratha trailed off as the light of understanding lit her eyes.
“Ratha…I don’t like that look,” Antoth said warily.
The Huntress smiled at him, advancing one confident step at a time. “Put a cub in me, Antoth.” Antoth felt his breath catch as Ratha gazed hungrily at him. As she closed the distance and ran a hand over his chest he felt his anger flare suddenly, grinding his teeth as she continued to seduce him. “You must have been lonely while I was gone, right? Thinking about me…my body…you want a taste, don’t you?” She whispered. He swiftly grabbed her by the wrist, twisting harder than necessary.
“Don’t you dare make a mockery of us, ever again,” he growled viciously. “You hate Veera, I get it. And it was a massive mistake between Winters and I to let the two of you go out there alone again. I won’t even begrudge you your sick happiness in the fact that Veera will never be a mother so she’s reached out to try to solve that problem in admittedly security compromising ways.” Antoth paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, seizing Ratha by the shoulders as she tried to break his hold. Her small stature and status as his ‘lover’ prevented her escape, though she purred defiantly as his grip bit into her muscles. Instead she chose to stare at him with a mixture of annoyance, lust, and anger. “Did you forget everything that happened when you came home the last time?” He demanded, hurt apparent in his voice.
“What the hell are you-” Ratha started to yell before she caught herself, wincing as Antoth tightened his grip further. She searched his face through the pain, watching him working desperately to tamp down his own anger. “Fuck…scarface, look-”
“I don’t want to hear it,” he ground out. “Just leave me. I will speak with the human and his mate about the hyrven and make no mention of your altercation with Veera. If you say it’s over, I will believe you. Now go, please.” He released her and turned away, trying to tame the raging storm in his chest. His fur bristled as he realized Ratha’s presence hadn’t shifted at all. He needed her gone. After a long moment the sound of her remaining clothing falling to the floor reached his ears. He spun angrily but found an oddly hesitant Ratha looking up at him, one of her hands guarding her center from him.
“You know I missed you, right?” She asked softly.
“Who are you and what did you do with Ratha?” He muttered.
“Shut it, Antoth!” She yelped, punching him in the stomach. He didn’t flinch. “Damn, why are you so solid,” she complained admiringly, unclenching her fist to run her fingers under his shirt and into the fur of his abdomen. She could feel his low growl through the core of his body. “Isn’t that what you wanted to hear Antoth, that I missed you?”
“What is this to you, Ratha? Do I really need to ask this again? Am I some animal to be hunted with the right words until you ensnare me? I just wanted the truth. I wanted to feel you were safe and that we could…I don’t know…work on things. And then the first thing out of your mouth is some deluded proposition for cubs so you can rub motherhood, of all things, in Veera’s face? What in Uthos’ name were you-”
“I get it! I screwed up, I get it!” She yelled into his chest, pressing her forehead into his sternum and pricking his body with her claws. Antoth pushed her back softly, undid his leather chest armor, and removed his shirt. Ratha looked up at him in surprise.
“Yeah, you did screw up,” he murmured. “You keep screwing things up and driving me insane. Doesn’t change this though.”
“What? What are you saying?” Without a word Antoth took Ratha’s paw in his, dwarfing her fingers with his own before pressing them softly against his heart. Her eyes widened as the strong muscle pulsed beneath her touch. It was hammering.
“Antoth…” Ratha gasped as he leaned down and took her neck in his jaws, pressing the way he was coming to understand she enjoyed before moving further, positioning his canines in such that if he were to bite down hard enough Ratha’s life would end. He could feel her fur rise and feathers quiver.
“Don’t you ever, ever joke about cubs again with me,” he demanded, holding her tight to his body. Ratha felt something rather sizeable against her belly that sent fire blazing from her womb through the rest of her being.
“Antoth!” Any lingering jealously at the attention showered on Veera’s figure by the guards was destroyed as Antoth grabbed her hindquarters in one hand and cupped her jaw with the other.
“I swear, Ratha. Never again. Answer me!” He demanded with a whisper. His eyes shimmered dangerously, the grayish orbs alive with fanned desire and impulse. They took her breath away. All she could do was signal an affirmative with her feathers. He softly stroked them back to flat against her head. “Thank you.”
“Scarface,” she whispered, suddenly feeling very nervous. “Are you…”
“Not today, but that doesn’t mean I don’t intend to confirm with everything I have that you’re alive, well, and mine.”
“What the hell happened to you?” Ratha asked in awe. She still proved capable of teasing him though, as her nether lips grew slick thanks to the imposing mass of Cauthan looming over her. “The Guardian I knew would never act so possessively.”
“You happened, you damned hyrven,” Antoth snarled, lifting her into the air and carrying her to his bed where he rested her beneath him. Ratha sprawled comfortably under his body, most content to find shelter below his solid form after so many nights spent under leather tents or out in the open. She kissed him deep and nipped at him, throwing her legs around his waist and drawing him down to her with formidable strength for a female.
“I did miss you, scarface.”
“I missed you too, Ratha.”
-----
“Ok…go through it again…one more time?” Winters asked between breaths, taking the few moments Veera gave him as they tried to devour one another. Veera huffed with exasperation and pleasure as he bit her lower lip, tightening her hold on his broad form and reaching down to remove his shirt while his hands touched her body and lit small fires of pleasure all across her chest and hips.
“She was going to…kill it and…aaah Russell, please not now!” She begged, her mind swimming with thoughts of her mate and the delightful ambrosia of chemicals and nerve impulses that his ministrations were causing. “I can barely…focus,” she pleaded as his teeth raked the shell of her jaw before finding the pulse point of her neck. Her claws scraped against his bare back, causing him to moan deeply and set her core into overdrive. “I want you…” she whispered. He paused his oral assault on her and tenderly ran his fingers up her clothed chest to turn her slowly by the shoulders, hugging her against his form and resting his chin on her shoulder. If the bulge pressing against her hindquarters was any indication, he wanted her just as badly.
“One tiny problem,” Winters chuckled in her ear, pointing to their bed where the hyrven pup had quickly located the softest objects in the room, their blankets, and fashioned them into a nest. As far as they could tell he was sleeping soundly, lulled into dreamland by the warmth of a new fire and the safety of four walls after harrowing days in unfamiliar environments. Veera’s feathers raged and shook in his hold and she turned her head away from him.
“I’m sorry, Russell.”
“Shhh, I don’t want to hear that,” he countered earnestly. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Veera whispered, relaxing back into him and reaching up to run a hand through his hair, the other resting on his left hip. She felt his body twitch and thrust at her, the implications making her lips slick and needy for attention. There were some things that not even a wild animal could get in the way of. Winters felt the rational, concerned parts of his mind slowly shutting down as the desire to mount and claim Veera grew and overshadowed all else.
“Do you want me?” He whispered.
She closed her eyes and moaned, her next words setting off firecrackers in his brain. “Yes, please Russell.”
“Then come,” he insisted, leading her the short distance to the foot of the bed and bending her body over so that she could comfortably brace herself against the wooden frame. Veera got the idea immediately and looked over her shoulder at him, her crest flared to almost full volume with embarrassment and lust.
“With him right there?” She whispered. He nodded.
“I haven’t had you for weeks. You belong to me, not him,” Winters growled, sending Veera’s heart pounding like she was being stalked by a predator. Her body betrayed her, spreading molten need from her womb as her legs splayed themselves wide and Winters hiked up her dress. “Damn,” he cursed appreciatively, taking a good long look at Veera’s ass and thighs as he undid his pants, his manhood straining against the fabric at the sight of such an impeccable female specimen. Veera still looked over her shoulder at him but kept her eyes low with discomfiture.
“I…when you look at me like that,” she whispered, trying to put into words the hesitation and elation at his possessive words and gaze. She gasped and rocked forward as the smooth skin of her lover’s pelvis brushed against the fur of her behind. She was held in place as Winters leaned over her, letting his chest rest softly against her back and lacing the fingers of his right hand with hers, using the other to align himself with her center before pushing slowly inside. The only resistance she offered was a low moan as her talons dug into the floor, anchoring her body as her mate took her like a Cauthan.
“And I belong to you.” Winters dripped the words into her ear as he bottomed out in her slick womanhood, leaving her gasping and panting beneath his body as the muscles of her core clenched and wrapped around him. “I missed you…in every way,” he told her, allowing everything he’d worried about over the last week to vanish in the wake of their connection. She nuzzled against him, loving the feeling of broad muscle against her back and the immense fullness in her belly. As Winters proved momentarily content with resting inside her, Veera purred and angled her hips up, allowing him slightly better entry. It was endearing that he’d do such a thing for her but she knew he wanted more. After everything that had happened in the forest she wanted more too. It wasn’t the time for post-battle lovemaking, for slow affirmations that each was still alive and well. No, Veera yearned for something much more primal.
“Russell?” She cooed softly, the electricity in her belly bolstering her courage. “Do…I mean…oh what’s that word in your language?” She demanded of the ether, her tail twitching as it rested pinned between their bodies. It finally came to her as her partner waited with bated breath, his left hand playing smooth circles over her flank. “Fuck…me, like a human.”
Winters was not sure if more beautiful words had ever been spoken by any woman of any species in any language. His body reacted faster than he could even process the words, his hips thrusting up into Veera with a short motion that left her gasping and reaching back to grab his hand, her entire body forced forward as his hips found nowhere to go.
“Slow, please darling!” She begged. Winters shook his head violently and slowly stood back to full height, giving him better control of the depth and speed of his movements.
“Sorry, Veera,” he replied, matching his words with his body as he rolled his hips back to almost exit her, eliciting an annoyed mewl from Veera as the feeling of emptiness overtook her. Just as she seemed ready to verbally protest he pressed back into her, gradually easing her body into a rhythm that, while alien to her species and biology, seemed to be achieving the desired reaction. As Winters tentatively built up speed and strength Veera’s eyes grew lidded, her gaze never leaving his as she watched the sweat begin to bead on his chest and brow. His hands were all over her, groping at her ass, hips, torso, and even encircling the base of her tail, a gesture that had her body shivering in submission. It wasn’t long before she could feel the storm building in her belly again. Winters had said nothing, but his heavy breathing and occasional grunt of satisfaction were more than enough for Veera to understand that his body was enjoying her, that he was getting close.
“Oh gods…oh gods,” Veera repeated in a whisper over and over as her human took her as she’d requested, her body trying desperately to keep up with him, not knowing when to contract or relax. The confusion wound and twisted, threatening to snap all at once. She closed her eyes and felt her claws dig into the wood of the bedframe, heard the thing creak as her hips received each thrust from her lover. Veera was so caught up in the sensations exploding through her own body she barely noticed Winters leaning over her again until her ear was between his teeth.
“I can’t…I’m close. Come undone for me,” he commanded, voice tainted through with lust and the unquantifiable thrill of pleasing a willing female. Veera found herself completely unable to resist him, arching her back and gripping the bed tightly, howling in pleasure as she felt her mate do the same, his length pulsing inside her as their bodies twined together in a united climax. The ruckus was more than sufficient to wake the newest resident of Veera’s small home, but the hyrven’s tiny yelp and subsequent scampering to the far corner near the woodpile was barely noticed by Veera and Winters, the two still coming down from the precipice of pleasure. Veera’s tail lazily stroked Winters’ chest as he nuzzled her and gently caressed her left shoulder, his right hand united with hers. “I love you,” he repeated, breathing deeply as her chest rumbled with contented purrs.
“And I love you,” she mewled back, gasping and sighing in pleasure-pain as he slipped slowly out of her. Veera turned to face him and Winters immediately took her in a fierce embrace, cradling her body against his. “I’m back. I’m here,” she affirmed.
“I know…thank the gods,” Winters agreed. “Was it…” he began, suddenly unsure of himself. Veera pulled away just far enough to gaze up at him with her amber orbs.
Stolen novel; please report.
“Wonderfully overwhelming, darling.” She set him at ease, giggling as Io’s display sputtered to life behind them. The B-MASS had, understandably, been completely forgotten beneath them as the two lovers indulged in long-denied passions. Io appeared sprawled on the floor, shock and awe written all over her face.
‘Yes, Veera,’ she said, her chest heaving with breath, covered only in her lacy green underthings. ‘Overwhelming just about fits the bill.’
Winters turned away quickly as he noticed a sheen of simulated sweat over her body and Io’s hand firmly sequestered within her panties, blushing furiously as he focused instead on the tiny hyrven that had finally worked up the courage to start yipping and whining at him. Veera chuckled happily, still walking on air from their coupling. Winters shook his head and grabbed his clothing, finally addressing the tiny thing as Io’s projection vanished and he buttoned his pants.
“At least you know who the alpha in this household is,” he teased, sitting on the bed and motioning for Veera to be seated beside him. She joined him after adjusting her dress.
“Are you jealous of a baby hyrven?” She asked cutely, taking his arm in hers and snuggling up to him. Winters hummed and leaned into her.
“Still deciding. He must be quite the little tyke to have won you over so easily. Though I suppose that was not the easiest of introductions. Come here boy, we’re done now,” Winters encouraged, laughing as the hyrven remained firmly in place, backed up against the wood. Veera handed him a bit of chesko jerky from her pack which lay nearby.
“So far this seems to be the only way of reliably motivating him,” she informed Winters. He shrugged, perhaps realizing that should have been obvious. The hyrven finally stood and waddled over to him as he brandished the meat, sniffing at his hand and promptly nipping and biting at him to get him to relinquish it. Winters frowned.
“Wrong move,” he said sternly, balling his hand into a fist and punching the hyrven in the nose. It yelped and scampered away, stopped from running out into the streets only by Veera’s quick thinking as she jumped up to secure the doorway. It decided on cowering under her bench instead, along with some of their stock of herbs and mushrooms.
“Russell!” Veera yelled. “Why would you do that?!” Winters sighed and stood calmly.
“Do you know how long it took humans to domesticate our companions?” He asked. “How many generations do you think we spent in uneasy truces with wolves or predatory cats, wondering if they’d accept our offerings of food and give us loyalty in return, or eat us when the going got tough?”
Veera shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“Thousands of years, Veera. You think Ratha wanted to skin this little guy alive out there? Imagine what will happen if he bites one of the children in the village. Think what she’ll do if he gets into the shen coops. That’s a wild animal, Veera. The moment he slips up once, he’s dead. If you want him to live then I’m asking you to follow my lead. The best we can hope to do is tame him so that by the time he’s old enough to do real damage he’ll choose not to. Sure he’s cute and fluffy now but you know as well as I do how large he’ll become. Even a half-starved hyrven can knock me over in my armor if I’m not careful. If someone is hurt or killed by him it will be on our hands.”
Veera stood still for a long moment, mildly shocked by the brutality her human had willingly exhibited so soon after the bliss of mating. On the other hand she knew that his species had domesticated far more animals than hers had. She had told Staroth as much, that she would trust his judgment. Eventually she nodded, recalling that Winters had just said the pup’s actions would be on ‘their’ hands, not hers. “You aren’t mad at me?” She asked tentatively, throwing him a cautious look.
Winters shook his head. “Why would I be?”
“Because I brought home a hyrven instead of the greatest trophy my people have ever known?”
‘She has a fair point. I wanted that skull,’ Io added in his ear. Winters smirked and shook his head.
“Says the lady who was laughing like a banshee before cooing and fawning all over the ‘wittle ball of floof’?”
‘You heard nothing!’
“Veera,” Winters returned to the conversation at hand. “I get why you did it but now we need to deal with the consequences. That includes doing things that might make you upset or uncomfortable. You try it; let’s see if he’s better with you.”
At Winters’ behest Veera took her own piece of jerky and offered it to the pup, smiling as it approached her as it had for the last couple of days, when it hadn’t been fed by the other guards at least. Her heart sank just as quickly as it proceeded to nip and bite at her as well, as if demanding that she relinquish the food to him. She huffed a deep breath and mimicked Winters, delivering a firm rapping to the hyrven’s muzzle. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
After a few minutes more of cowering Winters tried again, leaving his palm open and watching as the pup tentatively approached him, its hunger compelling it forward. The two lessons had left their mark. Winters waited and nodded approvingly as the hyrven reached out with its tongue and carefully snapped its jaws around the meat alone, leaving his palm unharmed. “Good boy,” Winters praised him simply, taking his other hand and scratching the hyrven’s ears before it could run away, immediately establishing the positive feedback loop. Veera watched with a smile on her face and warmth in her heart, feeling a distinct pining for cubs of her own that she’d only managed to paper over.
“We’ll do this together. Thank you, Russell.”
He gave her the faintest of smiles and nodded.
-----
“So, things got hairy right from the start?” Winters asked, leaning back against the wall adjacent to the bed. He and Veera had prepared a meal of stew while doing their best to keep the newest member of the household from burning himself, eating all their food, or running out into the streets. In the end Veera just held him to her while doing her best to help, meaning Winters was primarily on meal duty. He didn’t mind, having not bothered much with hot food while just feeding himself for the past week. Eventually they both had a hot bowl of stew and the little tyke had tired himself out, curling up to sleep at Veera’s side while Winters sat on the other.
“Yes, she wasted no time in insulting us both. Hearing the word mutt doesn’t matter to me but then she went after you,” Veera recalled, pushing chunks of chesko around in her stew.
“It’s not a big deal. Doesn’t matter to me,” Winters offered. Veera met his eyes defiantly.
“It matters to me. And I made sure she understood that.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that, Veera,” he admitted. “I know the two of you made it back in once piece but…just how close did it come to that not being the case?”
“We both had knives to each other’s throats pretty quickly. I offered that we settle things in the ring but Ratha dismissed that notion, of course. Honor and glory apparently aren’t her things. Once she understood I was willing to play by her rules, by life and death, our interactions went fine. I made some decent friends amongst the guards as well. I think you and Staroth will get along when he’s not glancing at my ass.” Io projected herself at that line with brow raised and a face looking like she meant to protest. Winters beat her to it.
“We’ll talk about Staroth in a minute. Just what happened with Ratha?” He demanded, watching Veera squirm a bit under his gaze. “Veera…did you do what I think you did?”
“I…maybe?” She squeaked. Winters hung his head and exhaled sharply.
“Alright. Before I blow up at anyone tell me exactly what happened. I believe you’ll tell me the whole truth, feather kitten.” He put a spoonful of stew in his mouth and chewed as he waited for an answer. The rich, warm flavor certainly helped his mood.
“It figures I would only start feeling guilty with you around,” she whispered, though she didn’t seem upset at the fact. “After she threatened that our conflict would only end in life and death I pointed your weapon at her and told her that she would not find me lacking in resolve if pushed to that. There wasn’t any further strife apart from the usual friction and banter between temples.”
‘What will you do, sir?’ Io asked quickly, looking over the two of them with concern in her eyes. Veera glanced at Io and then back to Winters.
“Did I do something awful?”
“No…no I suppose you didn’t. But did you really intend to kill Ratha, Veera?” Winters asked seriously. Veera shook her head.
“No. I just wanted to impress upon her that I would if I needed to.” She watched as her human nodded, his eyes unfocused and conflicted as he pondered the situation.
“They say rules exist to be bent, but by the same token you should never have done that, Veera. Sure you may never have meant to pull the trigger but that would be irrelevant if you had, or if the weapon had misfired. I’m not sure what would happen to me if I pointed a weapon at a senior officer in similar circumstances. I’d probably be shot on sight.”
“The hunters were certainly about to,” Veera added with great agitation. Winters paused a moment, realizing that the animosity between the temples of Valta and Uthos was probably a bit more serious and less playful than he’d presumed.
“Which is why I won’t apply the code of military justice to a situation I don’t fully understand. What I do understand is that you needed to prove to Ratha you were serious. Veera, please look at me,” Winters implored, holding her gaze when she did. “I know why you did what you did, but I can’t condone it. I won’t say a word to Ratha or Antoth or anyone else but I will be thinking twice before offering you a firearm again. I’ll punish you when I think of something fitting,” he finished uncertainly, unsure how Veera would respond to that particular assertion. Her ears and feathers wilted.
“I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “She’s just been so awful to me and my mother for so long I just-”
“Shhh.” Winters held a finger to her lips, shooting Io a pointed look across Veera’s body. “And Io, don’t jump down my throat just yet. Veera, I’m trying to act like your husband, your friend, and your commanding officer all in one. It’s not working. In here, within these four walls just know that I wholly understand and maybe even approve of your actions. There are some people who are swayed only by actions and violence. If there’s anyone in this village who fits that bill, it’s Ratha…and maybe Tarn as a distant second. I don’t know. I’ve only ever seen him beat on Xan. Beyond that, however, you put yourself at risk by creating a situation in which you could have easily killed one of the high priests of your village. You violated common sense firearms safety and in a perverse way you betrayed the trust I’d put in you to use an immense power with care, even though I’m sure you behaved well the rest of the trip.”
Veera wilted further at his gentle chastisement. Winters set his bowl carefully aside and wrapped an arm around her. She didn’t make a move to resist him.
“Russell,” Veera tried, unable to find the words to explain herself. He was being so gentle with her. It made her feel worse.
“Veera, you did what any sane person would have done. And I won’t even try to say I understand how hard it was to grow up as you did. I just need you to understand what would happen if you did something like that in human society because if I go back I want you with me,” Winters told her earnestly. Veera’s breath caught in her throat and she nodded, placing a hand on his leg. “Please try not to worry. I’m only going to punish you so that if Antoth asks I can say I did so. I intend to make it…very enjoyable for the both of us,” he insisted with smoldering eyes as Veera’s heart fluttered.
“You’re insatiable, Russell. Assuming you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking. This is…new to me.”
‘Oh I can assure you that he is, Veera. Though I must say I can’t help but agree given the circumstances. Insisting with a straight face to Ratha that Veera’s been ‘handled’ when you quite literally mean handled? You dog, sir.’
“Taken as a compliment. Speaking of which, what’s all this about the guards ogling my woman?” Winters asked pointedly, pulling back so he and Veera could speak face to face. She was grinning now.
“What can I say, Russell? Our time together has apparently turned me into an object of desire for both mated and unmated males alike, though Staroth was both more humorous and less obvious about his appreciation. He’s a good man despite his insistence that ignoring my legs would be a ‘crime against the gods’.” Veera couldn’t help a chuckle, tittering and bringing her fingers to her lips as her mate gazed lustfully at her.
“So long as they know they can look but not touch,” he growled. She nodded and purred, craning her neck and arching her back towards him as she carefully abandoned her own half-finished bowl of stew.
“You want to know what I told them?” She asked in a sultry cadence. Winters nodded and swallowed heavily. “I told them that after being claimed by a human, none of them would ever be able to satisfy me.” Veera let each word roll off her lips with teasing heat, her eyes boring into the clear blues of her lover. “You gave me a wonderful reminder of that today, darling. I can barely think when you’re inside of me. I just…it just makes all this so much worse,” she admitted.
“I know,” he said, voice far lower than he’d intended. “But the worst I can say about anything that’s happened is through the lens of a human code. I love you, Veera. And the fact that you’re willing to stand up to someone like Ratha just makes me love you more, powerful as she is.” He tilted his head slightly, coaxing her to believe him. She smiled earnestly and nodded back.
“Alright. I just wanted to get that over with. It was the low point of an otherwise fun trip. I finally felt like I belonged somewhere within my own people,” she told him, giving him a look that made it clear she attributed that positive development to his intervention. The situation caused a completely different sense of fulfillment to rise in Winters’ chest, though he was interrupted in his reply by the sounds of a certain hyrven lapping at Veera’s stew.
“When were you going to warn us about that?” He asked Io.
‘Sometime when you and Veera aren’t deciding whether to hug each other or throw your clothes off for another round?’ Io offered, causing Veera to whip her head around before snatching back her lunch. ‘What’s with that look, Veera? Am I wrong?’
“Well…no, I suppose not,” Veera admitted with feathers aflutter. Io pumped a fist.
‘Yes! Two for two!’
“Io, identifying when two people want to have sex isn’t exactly going to win you a Nobel,” Winters joked.
‘No. Perversely it might win you a Nobel,’ she scoffed. ‘In any case, speaking of punishment Veera you might not want to condone that behavior?’ Io pointed at the hyrven who had taken to attempting to climb up Veera’s side and raised arm in order to reach an even tastier form of meat than dried jerky, stew.
“But he’s so adorable…” Veera protested meekly despite balling her free hand into a fist. The implication was clear and the pup immediately ceased his attack. Winters bobbed his head with interest.
“And he’s a fast learner it would seem. Shouldn’t be a problem, Veera. We can head to my pod whenever we get a chance, perhaps tomorrow? I’m sure I can whip up a few basic items like a leash and collar or harness, maybe something to discipline him more lightly? We’ll figure it out. When did you last feed him a meal?” Winters asked curiously. “Might be a good idea to get him on our schedule, make it less likely he needs to be punished?”
“We uh…didn’t really,” Veera admitted sheepishly, recalling how the guards along with her on the trip had practically fallen over one another to feed scraps of meat to the pup that Veera had saved from Ratha’s ire, making him an honorary member of the guard by default. Her human took the lead again.
“Alright then boy, you want some food?” Winters asked, hopping off the bed and taking Veera’s bowl with him. He added a bit more stew and set it by the foot of the bed, pouring his mate a fresh helping and finishing by topping himself off. After a bit of awkward chasing, Winters was able to grab the hyrven away from Veera and place him on the floor next to his meal. The pup wised up quickly and all three of them shared their first meal together.
“You’re good with him, you know?” Veera asked happily, resting against Winters’ shoulder. “You’d be a great father, Russell.” Winters tried to keep his face calm as it felt like a ton of bricks hit him square in the stomach.
“That’s…there’s a lot there, Veera. I’m content with being able to deal with one hyrven for now,” he deflected. She nodded and rested her head against his shoulder for a moment before returning to her meal.
“He needs a name,” Veera whispered. Winters grunted in agreement as Io shimmered back to life, resting on a trim, leather chair with one leg crossed over the other, her lower body accented by sheer leggings and a knee length skirt. In her hand she held a long roll of parchment and she’d placed a set of wire-frame glasses daintily on her nose.
‘Shall I begin?’ She requested, though it was more of a demand. Winters and Veera shared a bout of laughter before urging her on. She smiled primly and started to read. ‘Amarok, a giant wolf of Inuit mythology said to stalk and devour any hunter foolish enough to…hunt alone at night. Sorry Veera. Perhaps I should have filtered this list.’
“You two killed our Amarok. Consider yourselves forgiven,” Veera replied gracefully. Winters kissed the shell of her ear as Io continued.
‘Thank you, Veera. Let’s see here…forget female wolves…there’s the legend of Hati and Skoll, who chase the moon and sun respectively, Geri and Freki, the wolves of Odin. And of course, Fenrir.’
“You don’t think going straight to Norse mythology is a bit much?” Winters asked.
‘No,’ Io pouted.
“Because…?” Winters made a gesture with his hand.
‘Because if you name the first alien from this planet to be tamed by humanity something like Fluffy I will never forgive you,’ the AI insisted. Veera cut in between the two partners.
“Fenrir sounds powerful. What’s his story?” She inquired curiously.
‘A monstrous wolf, foretold to slay a major God of the Norse pantheon, Odin, at the end of the world,’ Io explained as Veera’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, powerful just about covers it,” Winters had to admit. Veera looked at him excitedly.
“Can we?!”
Winters hesitated as Io piled on. ‘Sir, you’ve seen how large they get. Surely it’s not much of an exaggeration?’
“I can see I’m outnumbered two to one, not that I have a better idea. Fenrir it is.” The girls cheered in victory as Winters leaned forward, finding the little hyrven’s tails twitching happily as it lapped and nipped at the bowl of stew. “Let’s hope you prove a bit more amenable than your namesake.”
-----
The next morning found Winters and Veera outside the temple of Tyrdus. Without any alternative available they’d taken Fenrir with them, Veera keeping him bundled up in her arms though he’d not shown much intent to escape. Winters figured the commotion of the village was a bit overwhelming for the pup.
“Do you want to stay outside? I just need to check on something for Xan,” Winters said. Veera indicated he should head on in, resting against the outside of the building and idly stroking the soft fur of Fenrir’s head.
“Ah, good day to you human! How goes it?” Zolta’s master boomed as soon as he noticed the armored figure enter his temple.
“I’m well, thank you. Much better now that my mate’s returned.”
“Quite so, I suspect! We’ve never been so busy here thanks to her and the others. Things are moving along nicely. As far as I can tell, Gentia’s charges should be clothed by the end of the cycle or soon after, at which point we can go about finding some use for all of this bone and store the remaining pelts. I presume you’re here regarding the cane for Thantis’ new apprentice?”
“I am. Is it finished?”
“Indeed. Zolta, could you grab it for us, lad?” The master asked of his apprentice who’d moved to their side during the conversation.
“Of course, master. Good day to you Winters.”
“No need to be so formal!” Winters called after the young smith as he vanished into the storeroom, returning shortly with an object covered in worn leather. He placed it on a nearby table and unwrapped it for Winters’ inspection.
“Zolta and I did the inscription ourselves. Your runes proved quite simple after a time,” the elder smith informed Winters, handing him a roughly polished bone cane, simple in its construction. The front of the handle was flat, with a tapered point at the other end. The overall shape of the shaft was a slight forward curve made possible by the base material, an ursae rib. Winters had no doubt Xan would get a kick out of it.
“This is well done. Thank you both. I’ll be sure you receive proper compensation after my next hunt.” At Winters’ proclamation Zolta’s master burst into laughter. Even the apprentice got in on it.
“Proper compensation?! Get out of here, you crazy human! Give my regards to that young lad, will you?”
“I will. Selah.” Winters smiled behind his helmet as he ran a finger over the inscription carved into the shaft of the cane. Io sternly nodded her approval from his HUD. Death be not proud. Though some have called ye mighty and dreadful, thou art not so.