Then she ran her fingers through my hair. The action brought up a memory. I had a mate, and I loved her very much.
“My mate will return soon. You should not run your fingers through my hair,” I rasped.
The beautiful female let out a soft but hearty laugh. “I am your mate.”
When had I become such a lucky male to find a mate as beautiful as this?
“You’re my mate?” I couldn’t believe it.
“Yes,” she laughed again. “Now rest. Your fever has broken, but you still have a lot of healing to do.”
I did as she said. My head was filled with fog, but I had a feeling it was in my best interest to listen to her. So I closed my eyes and let sleep take me under once again.
It was dark outside when I woke up. The same female was there. She was sitting in a rocking chair by the fire.
Fatima. Her name is Fatima and she was my mate. My memories came flooding back to me. Thank the goddess. I would hate to have forgotten how my heart nearly stopped beating the moment I laid eyes on Fatima for the first time.
The pain in my leg brought me back to the present, however. Tarak had called upon the hunters to find Gil. Axon had picked up his scent and led us through the forest to a clearing. We found Gil there in his unshifted form gathering herbs traditionally used for healing.
He worked quickly using all four hands to gather as many herbs as he could.
Tarak stepped through the brush, revealing himself to the shifter who looked slightly older than the rest of us.
“Please don’t run,” Tarak began in a soft tone. “We just want to see Anusha.”
“Keep her name out of your mouth!” Gil growled as tension rolled off him in waves.
“Is she hurt?” Tarak pressed on. “Is that why you are gathering these herbs?”
That made the shifter pause.
“We can help her if you bring her to the village.”
“No!” Gil growled and shifted into his giant form. He stood as tall as the trees. His four hands could reach us all in an instant if he wanted to. His fists could reach us too if he wished to pick a fight.
“Please, we-” Tarak’s words were cut short. The haunting sound of the solete bird’s call echoed through the forest. They were giant birds that breathed fire, and feared by everyone. They should not be here. The valley was far from their hunting and nesting grounds.
Two of the large predators emerged through the trees. I immediately shifted into my wings made of flame and took to the sky. Jax shifted as well and flew to the other side of the clearing.
The bird closest to us released a torrent of fire. I swooped into action and became a shield between the fire and my friends. Their flames could not hurt me. Instead they rolled off my body like rain drops roll down a leaf.
Jax flew directly above us and taunted the solete birds as a distraction. I used the opportunity to get close to one of them and drag my claws down its back.
It let out a horrible sound of pain then turned and slashed my shoulder with it’s talon. It hurt, but I ignored it.
I lunged at the bird again, but this time it got me first. I clawed at its chest while the beast sliced through my thigh.
Thankfully I’d wounded it enough to cause it to flee, but it had also hurt me enough where I needed to land. Orsu caught me before I could fall to my feet, and I held onto him to keep my balance.
I looked up just as Jax let out his deafening screech. The remaining solete bird shook its head as if it were trying to fight off the sound. Then it darted toward Jax. Thankfully, he dodged out of the way.
Gil reached up and grabbed the bird before it could dart toward the young shifter a second time. He slammed it’s body against the ground so hard that the cracking of its bones echoed throughout the forest like thunder.
The giant shifter did not look victorious, however. He wore an expression of grief on his face. Gil snarled at us all, then took the opportunity to run away.
Axon shifted into his spider form and started to run after him, but Tarak called him back. “Run to the village instead,” the Savrix commanded. If there are more solete birds nearby, I want someone there to warn everyone to take shelter.
Axon gave him a quick nod then took off in the direction of the village.
