I rose to my feet and wandered through the trees, following the smell of moisture and green things. Near to my kill, I found a narrow canyon that delves deeper into the mountain. It’s shady and cool and there were other plants growing inside the walls of the canyon, moss like grass in the shadier parts closer to the wall and some red bell-shaped flowers dotting the ground. The canyon itself was no wider than twenty feet but tall, reaching high above me, the walls narrowing and curving inward towards each other until they almost formed a complete roof, with only a three or four-foot gap. The sunlight cast a narrow line of golden light on the canyon floor.
I could smell water. I ventured deeper, noting the moss spreading further up the walls. I flicked my ears forwards, hearing the rushing and spray of water against rock. I started jogging, my heart pounding. The walls curved slightly to the right and opened up, straight into paradise.
A single spouted waterfall cascaded from the canyon wall into tiered pools of turquoise water lapping at a smooth rock beach half covered in soft moss. I walked over the flat stone beach and stared in wonder. Excitement and relief made my heart pound harder.
Forget what I said earlier! Thank you, Universe!
I stepped into the water. It was cool, not frigid like I expected. I bent and scoop water into my cupped hands and poured it into my open mouth. It was the best water I’ve ever tasted. I sank to my knees and dunked my head in, drinking deeply. So fresh! How long had it been since I’d had fresh water? Forever? Forever and a day? The lake water I’d choked down had tasted like hot sludge.
I came up for air, jumping to my feet and backing up to get a running start, and cannonball in. It’s perfect! I sank to the bottom and kicked to the surface, and let loose a brief howl of pure elation that echoed off the canyon walls.
I swam around for a moment and then crawled back out, shaking the water from my fur and looking up at the top of the canyon and around. It was wider here and let in more light that shined onto the pools of water, but left the rest of the ground shaded. The walls made a closed circle, so we’d be boxed in if trouble came, but maybe Ohem and I could stack some trees or something against the opening to bar the way in. We could make it work.
I had to get them! Hopefully, Callie was healed enough to travel.
I sprinted all the way back to my kill, hefted it up and back to the oasis, tearing strips off it to fill their bellies for the journey, and stashed the rest of it on a ledge above one pool to keep it cool and away from anything that might want to eat it.
I took one last look at the oasis before tearing off as fast as I could back toward my friends to bring them some good news for a change.
I howled long and loud when the lake came into view. Three shapes were standing together by the water’s edge. They turned in my direction when they heard it. I howled again, joy coloring the sound as it faded in the air. I’d been sprinting for an hour and the fur on my sides were wet with sweat when I stopped in front of Ohem, who was shining brightly at my return.
I panted rapidly for a full minute before I changed back. I bent over, hands on my knees, and panted some more, trying to catch my breath. Ohem moved to my side and rubbed my back. He was trying to be soothing, but his touch was painfully arousing, sending shivers down my spine. Being touched by a mate was a new and pleasurably frustrating experience. Even small touches felt electric. I groaned in my throat and Ohem’s hand stilled. He stepped back, his scent deepening in a way I hadn’t noticed before. He was suffering too. He took a deep breath, pulling in my scent, and let it out in a deep, rumbling growl.
Sam and Patty came to stand next to Ohem, looking at us with amusement.
Still panting, I held out the thick strips of meat I’d brought with me. Shaking them when no one made any moves to take them from me. Ohem chuckled and lifted them from my hand. “The hunt was a success then?” he asked, amusement and arousal thickening his voice.
I nodded, unable to speak.
When I could breathe, I sucked in a deep breath, then squealed like a little girl and did a happy dance right there.
Patty started laughing, Sam joined her and Ohem’s eyes flared bright as he watched my body move. I was naked, my breasts bouncing with my movements and Ohem was transfixed.
“What is it, girl? Did Timmy fall into the well?” Patty asked, grinning at me, bent at the waist and slapping her knees.
I shot her the bird, laughing and still shimming my hips. My mate growled under his breath, muttering curses. I’d have to dance for him in private one day when we’re alone.
I stopped torturing him and quit dancing. I looked between all of them, pressing my palms together, fingers against my lips. I pointed my pressed hands at them. “I found something!” I took a breath, paused for a moment to let the excitement build. “I found a freaking oasis!” I said. “I killed a lizard camel, and it’s waiting for us there. Is Callie good to travel? It’s not that far. We should still be able to see any ships that come to the rescue,” I said in a rush and looked over at Callie’s sleeping form and back at the other’s, eyebrows raised in question.
Patty scrunched her face up. “Lizard camel?”
I threw my hands up. “Did you not hear what I said? Oasis. Food. Is Callie okay to travel? We should leave soon.”
Ohem took the food to a pile of metal scraps they must have gathered while I was gone, placing the meat on a flat metal fragment, and slicing it into pieces with his claws. He looked up from his task. “Callie’s leg is mended. Her internal injuries are keeping her in the healing coma. We should not move her. Carrying her will only make the healing take longer,” he said and went back to cutting.
Patty handed me my clothes, and I held the scraps of black cloth in my hands, brainstorming.
We needed to get out of the sun and to fresher water. Moving her might do more damage, but not getting her to cleaner water might kill her in the long run too.
Ohem handed Sam pieces of raw meat. She held the purplish flesh in her hand, her face twisting in disgust., “Ugh. Wish we could find some wood for a fire. Eating raw alien meat can’t be good for you.”
Patty popped some into her mouth. “It’s better than starving to death. Just eat it,” she said, speaking while she chewed. She swallowed and tossed another into her mouth. “It’s not that bad, chewy and a little tough, but not that bad.”
Sam grimaced and ate, looking sick the whole time. She kept it down and ate another piece. “We better get rescued soon. I don’t want any nasty parasites from eating raw meat.”
Ohem opened his maw and dropped in the meat before looking at Sam. “Your nanos should kill any parasites before you have to worry about it. Eat. You will need to keep up your strength. You don’t want to starve to death. The nanos will keep you alive far longer than you would wish. In the end, you would pray for death.”
Sam paled. “You are just a ray of sunshine aren’t you?” she said dryly, but kept eating. “This is weird right?”
