by Alia Johnson
Sashi delivered a loma and plate to Kunchok, trying to move close to his side to get his attention. She pressed her breasts to Kunchok's arm, trying to make him notice her when Odesha's eyes met Kunchok's own annoyed stare.
Now he sees me,” she whispered back to Halana. Kunchok's eyes flared with heat, the bones in his hair trembling as he reared his head back in shock. The plate in his hand shattered with a slight clench of his hand. Sashi's hair flared with distress, withdrawing from his arm. Sashi tried to push the clay shards from her wet fur, while fleeing into the crowd in anger, all the while giving Odesha murderous looks.
Odesha smiled in delight, winking an eye to tease the hunter staring at her. He didn't seem able to move to retrieve another plate. She was trying not to act bothered, but all she wanted to do was jump in his arms and have him carry her away to his hut. But that was not Ranna. And she would follow their tradition this night.
Kunchok's body gave a shudder, as he tried to shake himself from his astonishment.
Dek released a booming yell, high up on his dais. He was early this night. “Ranna begin. Big moon high. Tribe meet after Ranna.”
The crowd continued drinking, celebrating their night. The single men stayed distant away from the women, the anticipation increasing as secret stares were stolen across to each other.
Halana looked down at her long blue dress after seeing the envy from the tribe women. She really did feel like the princess that her friend had described. And she finally had a true friend for once, never realizing how Sashi belittled her when she tagged along with her. Odesha raised her confidence, helping her realize she could be with Boni even though he isn’t the strongest, quietest, or most effective hunter. Instead he was funny, always making her laugh when she was down. He was talkative when she just wanted to listen, and he was kind to the other hunters struggling. All his qualities were appealing to her. She was going to take Odesha’s advice and fight for her man. Well, in this case dance for him. Halana straightened her back in determination, listening to Dek begin Ranna. His booming voice echoed over the tribe that listened to his every word. He stomped his large foot, feathers and fur extending, letting loose a howl to the moon marking the beginning. The tribe formed a circle. The hunters howled back to Dek in response.
Halana’s racing mind finally stopped, and she knew what she wanted to do. She chose her happiness over her family's wishes for once.
The drums pounded, quick and loud as the tribe circle widened. Odesha looked up at Halana, wondering if she would take a chance to Ranna Boni. Halana was silent, eyes wide, as she stared at the tribe standing in the circle. Please, great Freyja, give her the strength.
Kunchok left the dais where he had been speaking with Dek, hopping down to stand beside the hunters. Dek wiggled his eyebrows alarmingly at Odesha. Fanni had been teaching him things it seemed. Kunchok stared at her with narrowed eyes, trying to understand why she was standing in the circle. He was going to stand close by in case he needed to intervene. Odesha knew he wished she understood Ranna, he had said so himself. What he didn’t know was that she was ready for it. She took a deep breath, readying herself, taking a step forward to the middle of the circle when Halana’s outstretched arm stopped her from entering.
Kunchok stepped forward in shock hoping to stop Odesha before she made a choice she would later regret. His eyes burned with menace, thinking she had been about to attempt Ranna and had no idea what she was doing. Afraid that she could choose another male on accident without knowing, he growled deeply, making several of the hunters look at him in apprehension. They stepped sideways to get away from him before he pounced on them.
Pulling her eyes away from Kunchok's increasing agitation that she could do nothing about, Odesha asked, “Halana? What’s wrong?”
“Halana first. Halana no change choice.” Halana smiled down at her, relieving Odesha's increasing worry. Odesha’s mouth dropped open in astonishment when Halana grasped the front of her beautiful gown firmly, raising it to walk in the circle as elegant as a courtier from Merdi. The drum beats lightened in their intensity. Halana glanced around nervously, shyly, as Odesha cheered for her friend. Inside she felt like biting at her nails, but that wouldn't be wise. She would make Halana nervous as well. She would stand proud and happy, showing Halana she had confidence in her choice.
Fanni sat beside Dek’s throne, fanning herself nervously with her clay plate. The loma she held in the other hand sloshed to the floor. They hadn't talked about who would go first. Fanni didn't know Halana had decided to dance against her father's wishes and it was causing her to panic.
Halana took tentative steps forward as she adjusted her hold on her gown, swishing her skirts, gliding about the room gracefully to the beat of the drums. She stopped in front of the group of hunters as they postured, showing their muscles. Kunchok kept his eyes fastened to Odesha. Halana pushed them all aside roughly, reaching inside the group to grab Boni, dragging him forward.
Boni’s blue eyes were so wide Odesha saw the color from her side of the clearing. His astonishment was evident, his face a dark red at being the center of attention. Halana let go of his arms, stepping back from the center of the circle she had led him to, executing a deep flourish curtsy that Odesha had taught her to show respect to him. Messy hair flopping on his head, Boni was trying to watch Halana’s entire dance as she continued to dance carefully around him in her beautiful dress.
The drums stopped.
Halana stepped close to Boni, leaning in to peck him lightly on the lips. She turned slightly to Odesha, winking at her in thanks. Somehow, Boni looked like he could melt to the floor he was so entranced by the beautiful Halana. He stepped forward, hesitantly giving her a small kiss on the lips in response and the crowd erupted with cheers.
The tribe yelled, howled, and carried on for the new couple. Halana and Boni left the center of the ceremony, their fur lifted in excitement. Before they exited the edge of the circle, Halana reached for Boni’s hand to stop his retreat to their new hut they would share once they mated. He looked back at her in confusion, but she held up a finger, nodding to Odesha, folding her hands like a sentinel while she waited for her friend to make her move. Odesha had encouraged her to make a choice based on what she truly wanted, and Halana would stand by her as she made her own.
Odesha felt the pressure inside her build as the low beat of the drums started again. Locking eyes with Kunchok standing in the center of his hunters, arms crossed, Odesha tentatively walked forward. Kunchok's eyes widening in panic, holding out his hands to warn her to stay back until they could understand each other, when a bright red streak cut across the circle to the gasps of the crowd.
Sashi made her way towards the clearing, the drums increasing at her hasty entrance. She danced without pause, her lewd movements making Odesha blush, the small scraps of red cloth couldn’t hold her in, the top falling to the ground. Her gyrating hips took her to the hunters, reaching out to grab Kunchok. His repulsion was evident, his large arm trying to shake hers loose, but he stopped trying to get free when he realized he could hurt her if he struggled.
Locking eyes with Odesha, he stared hard, trying to send his thoughts across to her, worried she still didn't understand what was happening and wouldn't intervene. He could still say no to Ranna with Sashi without Odesha's intervention, but it would shame Sashi in the tribe. Odesha thought he looked angry at being pulled away from the hunters, his feet dragging, but not wanting to break Ranna tradition.
Odesha winked at him, trying to calm his raging emotions. His face showed his confusion to her gesture. He turned around to face Sashi when they reached the center of the circle, unable to contain his horror at the spectacle she was portraying, moving around him crudely with not an ounce of grace. Looking heavenward, Kunchok couldn’t stand to look at her anymore. Some members of the tribe shook their heads in disgust, turning their own backs dismissively.
Odesha noticed Fanni nodding her head up and down furiously towards her, her now broken cl
ay fan flapping uselessly in her hand. The drum beats changed when Odesha pushed her way forward. The tribe became curious at the low murmurs and the exclamations of surprise, many turning back around to see what had happened. Odesha entered the circle, causing Sashi to pause in her gyrations, following Ranna tradition to give her rival a chance to dance. She stood stiffly to the side to give her room, glaring furiously at Odesha. The hate in her eyes was palpable.
Odesha moved gracefully towards Kunchok, her gray eyes firing silver.
Ice and fire raged inside her, battling. Voices whispered through her mind. Freeze you heart, before the fire starts.
Her fangs descended.
This was her hunt. Her hunter. Her spark. Her flame.
Kunchok began to pant as he eyed her fangs.
He knew she was dangerous, felt the urge to flee. But he was as much a predator as she was.
She let loose her power, but for the first time there was no pain. The fire inside her took over when she embraced it, her choice made, for good or bad. The ice melted from her heart, gathered in her hands to shoot up to the sky, never to enter her again. Time moved slowly, the very air moving to her needs. She beckoned the snow to come to her. It fell softly, the tribe gasping when the magical flakes blanketed only inside the circle they had formed. It felt like it was just the two of them, hidden from the crowd in their moment. The icicles on her skirts felt cold against her skin, their tinkling became louder as she twirled to the slow drum beats.
Fueling the fire inside, the drum beats were insistent in her ear, loud and booming, she pulled the snow to her, letting it caress her body, her long limbs twisting and turning to the rhythm. She released her passion, her soul, to the tribe that had saved her, accepted her.
Kunchok, unable to look away, was captivated by her, mesmerized. She stopped gracefully in front of him, a large snow shower shooting up to the sky with a flick of her hands like fireworks, causing the tribe to gasp in awe. The drums ceased beating. The final decision had to be made.
Kunchok didn't hesitate with his decision. He ran to Odesha, determined, arms wide to clasp her to him. He clasped her face tightly, whispering in awe, “Vo lo cos suti ba suta, Odesha.”
The words finally translated through her mind, clear for the very first time.
You are mine now and forever. A promise of a love forever that they would share together. He had been saying it since they had first met. He had known they would be together for that long, and she hadn't known.
She stared into his aqua eyes with realization, finally saying the words in his language she had held in all this time. “You are my spark. My fire. My love. Now and forever.”
He growled in response, their mouths clashing together with need, the tribe gasping, but they ignored them. She clasped his head, her fingers entwining with his long hair. Dek shouted a faint warning in the distance. Odesha opened her eye to see Sashi advancing on them, a small blade raised high in the air to drive in Kunchok's back. He didn't know, couldn't see her!
Odesha shoved away from Kunchok, twisting around him to grab Sashi's arm, trying to grapple with the larger woman's strength, but the blade was descending towards her faster than she could stop it. Kunchok let loose a bellow, grabbing Sashi, throwing her away from Odesha before the blade could pierce her heart. The hunters hurried to restrain the crazed yeti. Sashi screamed an unholy sound of rage, her tears tinged with blood.
Where did the blood come from?
Dek jumped from the dais, Fanni fell over in a faint in her chair. He motioned to the hunters. “Hold Sashi. Tribe meet Kunchok. Choice.”
Kunchok nodded in acknowledgment, dismissing Sashi from his mind until later. He had a new mate to take care of. His large legs ate up the distance towards Odesha, scooping her up in his large furred arms. Nobody could take her from him. He returned his mouth to Odesha's while he carried her away to his hut, the tribe cheering for their happiness, Sashi's rampage was forgotten for the moment. Dek must've woken Fanni from her faint. She was now standing on the dais shouting in happiness, arms thrust in the air. Dek had a hold of her so she wouldn't fall off, shaking his head with a sheepish smile. Halana smiled with more joy than anyone had seen in the tribe, her laughter contagious. Boni wrapped his arms around her shoulders, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
The snow poured down from the heavens, celebrating the tribe's happiness of their lead hunter finding his mate. Odesha restlessly moved against Kunchok, trying to find relief from her growing need. He turned his head, biting down on her neck in admonishment for tempting him. Instead of calming her, it had an opposite effect, turning her need into a frenzy as she threw her head back and moaned loudly.
He paused, growling softly, “Hold.” She barely had time to lock her arms around his neck before he took off running, clearing his doorway in record time. She felt the feathered bed beneath her as he stripped from his plates. She ran her fingers through his soft white fur, feeling the hard muscles underneath. She noticed hairless patches with raised scars painted on his torso of battles hard fought in his past, giving him a dangerous edge.
He ripped the straps from her body, growling at having to wait longer at having his mate. “Beautiful. Mine.”
His grunts became more garbled as he kissed down her body, marveling at her softness. He gently licked her cunt, moaning at the flavors exploding in his mouth from her wetness. Odesha screamed when his tongue worshiped her clit, her orgasm exploded, fireworks shooting behind her closed eyes. Body relaxing, the fire burning inside her was now a comfortable slow burn. Kunchok pulled himself up to his elbow and growled, “Open. Watch.”
Her eyes flashed open just in time to see him grab his large cock, running it up and down her nether lips in preparation, testing her wetness. He leaned down, kissing her wildly as their tongues twisted together and placed his cock at her entrance, pushing through her tightness. She knew her first time was going to be uncomfortable and twisted away from him with a whimper, but he brought back her pleasure, rubbing her clit with one hand. A dark claw tweaked her nipple. The pressure in her low belly built as another orgasm began. She moved her hips forward, trying to find the perfect spot. He grabbed her hips, thrusting in deeply through her small scream, while trying to tear through her barrier quickly to stop her pain.
“Gone. Pain gone.” Kunchok's eyes were glazed with pleasure, her tightness causing him to want to thrust hard, but he didn’t want to hurt her again. His hair fell around them, curtaining them in their own world. She smelled his fresh scent free of the orik musk, driving her wild. Rotating her hips, she adjusted to his size, wanting him to move. He held still, letting her.
Finally, she grabbed the sides of his face, pulling him to her. “Please…”
He snarled, thrusting hard, unable to stop. She screamed in pleasure, arms thrown wide on the feathered bed when he grabbed her waist to pull her up to him, his long cock stroking her very core, rotating his hips, shoving her higher as their pleasure became unbearable. The orgasm she had chased pierced through her, hungry for release. She tensed when the urge hit her…
Bite.
The descended fangs waiting to strike ached. Odesha twined her arms around his neck, latching her nails tightly to him, pulling him close.
She whispered in his ear, “Forgive me.” The tip of her descended fangs entered the bend of his neck, the sweet blood of her mate rushing through her. Kunchok roared his pleasure, the bite pushing him past oblivion, shoving even harder inside her, crushing them together over and over. She released him, letting out her own scream; his blood dripped from a corner of her mouth. He zeroed in on the trail, leaning in to lick at it, still thrusting inside her hard and shifted positions to lock his mouth around her neck to give her his own bite of acceptance. His mate went wild in his arms, biting him in the chest, fangs sinking down hard. Overwhelmed, Kunchok's pleasure burst through his body with a war cry. He felt the cum rush up when her scream joined his own and let it loose while her wet pussy milked every drop.
Ku
nchok's hands gave out, falling to his elbow to catch his fall, stopping himself from crushing her. Odesha wrapped her arms around him tightly, licking the last drops of blood on his neck. He pulled back to look down at his mate, stroking her face reverently to ask, “Odesha speak Kunchok?”
Odesha blushed, her secret now out, but exactly how she wanted it. She replied shyly, “Yes, I wanted it to be a surprise for Ranna. I asked Fanni and Halana to help me learn Ranna, that's where I was those nights that I disappeared from Dek's home.”
Kunchok chuckled. “Kunchok sorry. Kunchok protect Odesha. Kunchok worry Odesha Ranna other hunter.” Suddenly feeling a twinge in his neck, he winced slightly, rubbing it with a smile. “Odesha bite?”
“Yes, it's how we Ranna in my tribe. Well, we have a wedding, but my people bite to become closer to each other.” She touched the healing spot gently. “It will bind us.”
Kunchok nodded his head adamantly, “Forever. Odesha drink Kunchok. No meat shed.” He loved the thought she would bite him to feed, that he could provide this for her. The pleasure he received from it was indescribable. He started to rise from the bed, Odesha stretching her naked body out to ask, “Where are you going, Kunchok?” She growled softly, teasing him. “Do you think to escape our Ranna night?”
His fangs flashed in a smile, gently kissing her on the top of her head. “Kunchok sorry. Tribe council. Choice. Odesha come.”
She pouted, “But what about Ranna?” He smirked, circling her entrance with his finger, “Odesha hurt. Heal. Ranna forever.” She winced, maybe that was a good idea.