Just as Rynn is talking, I gasp, noticing movement at the tree-line that surrounds the village. I'm still a fair way away but I know the shape of my man when I see it. There is another Trixikka beside him, propping him up, and a woman at his other side. Mavyx is leaning on them both heavily. I start sprinting as fast as my pregnant butt can go, but I soon get swept up in Rynn's arms once he too has seen where I'm headed. The two people helping Mavyx promptly drop him like a sack of potatoes and hightail it out of here, but I don't care about them.
"Mav!" I shout "Oh my God, Mav!" I don't even notice when Rynn releases me back onto my feet, I'm running and I'm falling to my knees as soon as I reach him. "Mavyx?!"
He coughs and rolls his head toward me. I can sense Rynn standing behind me, there might be more people joining the commotion, too. But I don't care. Mavyx is here. He's here! Rynn barks something and there are footsteps.
"Leave them," Mavyx says, voice raspy, raw and barely there. "Rynn, I promised they would not be followed."
I don't care about that, though. I only care about him. "Mavyx," I sob, hands fluttering over his broken and bruised body. He's been patched up a bit. His wing seems to be bandaged in a way that stops him from opening it. I think there's a splint there too, and its no longer bent at an awkward angle. His gaze is far-away, though and he's clearly still in a lot of paint as he groans and shuts his eyes.
He... he doesn't look right at all. The color drains from his face and his breathing becomes shallow.
"Mavyx?" I say, taking his big, handsome alien face in my hands. "Mavyx, look at me."
"Ah-Lanah-" he says on a pained breath, his voice so faint I almost don't here it. He doesn't open his eyes and I feel him go limp.
"Mav! Mavyx!" I shake him. "Mavyx, don't-... don't die," I tell him -command him- resting my forehead on his as my greatest fears all come rushing at me. "You're not allowed to die. I forbid it, Mavyx. You can't-"
He coughs, his eyes fluttering open as I pull away to give him space. His big hand finds mine. "Say-” his voice breaks with a bout of painful coughs and wheezes.“Say please," he rasps, one corner of his mouth faintly turning upward.
My laughter comes out between great, heaving sobs and he just looks up at me with those adoring golden eyes - eyes I was terrified I'd never see again. I throw myself into him, his arms slowly rising to take hold of me in a weak hug. "Pleasedon't die," I say into his neck. “Please, please, please don’t die, you big, wonderful idiot. I couldn’t stand to be without you.”
His chest rumbles into a broken-sounding purr. "Seeing as you asked so nicely, female," he chuckles and then coughs again. "I won't die. Not yet."
“Not ever,” I say fiercely, kissing him. It's not a dainty kiss, or a pretty one; my face is wet from tears and I'm a mess with the worry that's been driving me insane for the past few days. He kisses me back anyway. Hungry and hurried, both of us trying to pull the other closer.
"My mate," I declare between kisses. "You're my mate, Mavyx. My man. Mine."
The growl he emits is a poor version of his usual one, but he tries to rise and pull me on top of him at the same time only to pull away abruptly and hiss in pain.
"Careful," I say, breaking our kiss. We stare at one another, panting.
"Truly?" he asks, trying to sit up more but wincing horribly. "You are truly my mate?"
"Yes," I smile. "I love you, Mavyx."
His answering grin has both boyish charm and the weariness of someone in great pain. "If I had known you'd react like this, I would have almost died moons ago."
The half-laugh-half-sob I let out is not attractive in the slightest, but Mavyx smiles at me like I'm his whole world.
And I smile at him just the same.
EPILOGUE 1: ALANA
A few weeks later...
"A move like that will get you killed in the jungle," Mavyx calls over to where two of his trainees are sparring. "If you drop your spear you cannot take more than a heartbeat to try and retrieve it. You have more weapons on you. Go to the next. If you do not, it is time to use your hands, tail, teeth and wings. A mimyckah will not stand around waiting for you to locate your fallen spear."
"Yes, Second Spear," the two sparring partners chant back in unison, sweat dripping from their brows and they part, circle one another and lunge together again.
Rynn had called back all the Trixikka who had gone out on the Eastern Search. After Aloryk's untimely end, he had made the decision that they need to come home. Fatigue must be getting to them and for some reason, the mimyckah were gathering in larger numbers and getting bolder - as Mavyx can attest to.
That had been the plan; they all come back home to rest, regroup and start again.
However, when it became clear that Zarriko wasnotrecalling his males back to his village, our guys were not happy.
Zarriko claims he has had no reports of major injury to his tribemates during the search.
Rynn is convinced he would see things differently if it were one of his guys that went missing. So far, we're at a bit of a tense stalemate with slow progress.
