Chapter 1
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Katem
From my treetop perch, I scan the bari field for any signs of danger or hunters returning with their kills. Since the threat of both the Krijese and Njeri is gone, the turns I spend scouting are long.
Long and lonely.
While hope has returned to our people with the arrival of humans many seasons ago, there are still unmated males—like me—who wish for nothing more than to find theirkeeshla. The one female the goddess has chosen as our fated mate. But with every season that passes, the more I fear Deeka has found some reason to deem me unworthy of a mate.
Movement across the field catches my attention. What is a human—afemalehuman—doing so far from their settlement? To my knowledge the only ones who ever leave are the few, rarehunters who have been taught by many of the Tavikhi, myself included. They will never be as skilled as us, but they have improved to a far greater degree than when they first arrived. However, this female is no hunter. She travels alone and carries no weapons.
It is hard to determine if she has a specific destination in mind or if she is merely exploring. We may have defeated our enemies, but there are still dangers within the forest. The female stops at a lone nenuphar bush and draws one of the blooms toward her nose. Her eyes close and her chest rises with a deep inhale. A smile curls her lips, and I find myself smiling as well. She is beautiful with dark hair that falls in spirals down her back and skin that glows from the sun. I cannot tell the color of her eyes from here,.
Once she appears to have enjoyed the scent of the blooms, she continues on her path. One that brings her closer to my position. I mimic the call of the mellenje to signal that I have spotted something, but all appears well. Daveel replies in confirmation from farther within the forest, closer to our village.
Not once has my gaze left the female. She passes below my tree and pauses. My tail tightens its grip around the branch I have braced myself on while I stare down at her. She tips her head back—cocking it slowly side to side—and narrows her gaze.
“Is someone up there?”
My balance is rocked at her question. There is no way she should be able to sense my presence. Carefully, I make my way down through the branches and drop to the ground not far from her. She does not startle, but I keep my distance anyway. I am still unable to determine her eye color.
“How did you know I was up there?”
“I didn’t know it was you specifically, but I knewaTavikhi was up there. Or at least in the general vicinity. Everyone knows there are scouts posted within the forest.”
“Was there something you needed?” Why else would she be out here?
“Not really.” She chuckles. “I was just out for a stroll.”
“It is not safe for you to wander so far from your home.”
“People travel between your village and mine all the time,” the female says, entirely unconcerned.
“But they are armed with some type of protection. Weapons. You do not appear to have anything.” I scan her form, searching, but do not spot any lumps or bulges that would indicate she is hiding anything. In fact, she is all smooth lines and curves.
She laughs, and the sound is like a soft caress. “No, I don’t have any weapons.”
This female has no sense of self-preservation.
As much as I wish I could assist her, I should not leave my post. “If you have somewhere you would like go, I can send a signal to the village and locate an escort for you.”
She waves me off. “I don’t want to cause any trouble. I’ll just go a little bit farther before turning around and heading back.”
“It really is not safe for you to travel alone.”
The female starts to speak, perhaps to argue, but I do not have it in me to leave a female unprotected. “Please let me escort you. It will ease my mind.”
“Very well.” She nearly sighs.
I fist my chest, and once again call out to Daveel, using the sounds of the mellenje, letting him know I am leaving my post and to send word to the village for my replacement. He acknowledges me and repeats the message back.
“Are you ready to continue?” I glance over at her.
“Yes, please.” She proceeds to walk in the same direction she had been going before stopping beneath my tree.
I fall in next to her and the floral scent of lulebore petals hits me. Its sweet fragrance is far too tempting. I glance over and her gaze is on me.
