Whatever illness my mate has, I believe this is one of the secrets she carries. My hope is that soon she will trust me with it. Until then, I will make sure she gets enough food and rest. I will protect and look after her to the best of my ability. Now that sheis moving to the village, it will be much easier. No doubt Maeve and the other females will look after her while I am away hunting or scouting.
The settlement is still relatively quiet this early. None of us understand why the humans are not already out hunting or moving about making sure their tasks are started. From my own observation, as well as that of the few warriors who came to train the humans, they sleep until well after the sun has risen.
At least the gates are open. I stride through and head toward the back where Piper’s tent is located. After the evening meal the previous turn, Zander offered us the opportunity to pick where we would like to place our mating tent. Piper chose a spot within the shadows of the hills, not far from Benham’s forge. It is a good location, halfway between the training arena and the river. It is also close to where she and Alesha are working on their clay making.
When I reach her tent, she is already outside waiting with a bag at her feet. Her smile broadens when our eyes meet, and she hurries forward and straight into my arms.
“A pleasant morning to you,keeshla.” We mouth touch in greeting and excitement fills me that this is how we will get to greet each other every morning.
“Good morning to you as well.” She gestures behind her. “I’ve got everything packed.”
I breathe a small sigh of relief. My night had been spent worrying that when I arrived this turn, Piper had changed her mind about sharing my tent.
“There is nothing else?” Whatever she wishes the bring, I will carry.
“That’s everything I brought with me from Earth. I know it’s not much.” She ducks her head and her coloring darkens.
“We will have plenty of room in our tent to add more things, because I come with not much more than that either. If there is something we need that neither of us have, we should be able to find it somewhere.” I move to pick up her bag. “Are you ready to go?”
“I am.”
With her belongings in one hand, I reach for her with my other. Piper slips hers within my grasp and threads our fingers. This is what I have been waiting for my entire life. With pride, we walk through the settlement. The few people who wander about come to a stop and observe us, but no one greets or speaks to us as we stride passed them and out the gated entrance.
“How are you feeling this turn?”
“Good. Nervous. Excited. Scared.” Piper chuckles. “Pretty much every emotion across the board. Which is about how I felt when I left Earth to come here, so at least I’m consistent.”
“Change can be difficult.”
“So very true,” she agrees.
“Once we have placed your things within our tent and enjoyed our morning meal, I am needed at the training arena for a short time. But, Maeve has once more offered to show you around the village, if that is all right with you?”
“Of course,” Piper says. “Just because I’m living in the village now, doesn’t mean I expect you to spend every minute with me. I know you have things to do. Between the tour, which will benice, and my lessons with Alesha, I’m sure I’ll have plenty to keep me occupied.”
I glance down at her. “Thank you for understanding. I know you are the one experiencing most of the changes with our mating, but I want to do everything I can to make them easy for you.”
Piper squeezes my hand. “Thank you for that. You have no idea how much I appreciate all you’ve done for me already.”
She will soon learn there is nothing I would not do for her. We walk quietly through the forest until, at last, we come to the village. This time it is Evren and Rojtar who stand guard.
“Greetings, Piper,” Rojtar says. “We welcome you as our newest tribe sister.”
“Thank you so much.”
To my great relief, they say nothing more. Other members of the village acknowledge us as we make our way to our tent. Piper’s grip on my hand tightens, but she still smiles and returns their greetings. At last, we reach our new dwelling, where I have already moved my things. I release her hand and set down her bag so I can tie the door flap open. Once it is done, I gesture for Piper to enter.
She slowly pivots in a circle, taking in our living space. Two chests rest at the foot of our pile of furs; one filled with my things, the other empty and ready for hers. I point to the one she can use.
“There is a chest for your belongings. Once you have your things put away, we can decide where we would like them to go. I left my own next to yours so I did not set it in a place where you would like yours to go.”
Piper comes to a stop and looks at me. “That was sweet, but I’m really not picky. Mine can go wherever.”
“You say that, but I have thought that and then ended up moving my chest many times because I did not like any of the places I put it.” I grin broadly.
“I might have also done that a few times when I first got settled in my other tent.”
“We will move them as many times as we need to until we are happy with their location. Perhaps it will be me that moves mine far too many times until I am satisfied.”
