Chapter 13
Katem
I have dreamed of this since Piper became my mate.
At last, she will share a tent with me. It brings me joy to know that neither of us will be lonely any longer.
There is another part of me, though, that is worried.
While I may not understand human illnesses, I am concerned by the fact that a simple infection in my mate’s lungs would cause her to cough up blood.
She has lost some of her weight. It is obvious in her face, with her sharpened cheekbones and a slight narrowing of its shape. Her hips are also not as rounded as they were a few short turns ago.
There is also the fatigue she has experienced, especially when we traveled to see the ujera. I loved the feel of Piper in my arms, but I have never known any of the other females growing so tired by walking that their mate needed to carry them.
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 she is moving to the village, it will be much easier.
No doubt Maeve and the rest of the 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, and 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 be nice, 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 the chests 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 our chests 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.”
“Oh.” Piper chuckles. “Am I mated to a perfectionist?”
“I do not know this word, but I will admit to liking things a certain way.”
She skips over to me and we mouth touch. “I think it’s cute.”
“This makes me glad to hear.” I grab her bag and set it next to the empty chest. “Are you ready to eat? It is still a long while until the midday meal.”
“Sure.”
For so long, I have envied all the mated couples who walk together through the village.
Now, I am the one walking with my mate at my side.
Other than Daveel and Zalik, the only unmated males of our tribe have not reached their maturity yet.
I send up a prayer to Deeka that my two tribe brothers find their mates soon.
We reach the central fire where kokkra cooks in several large pots over the flames.
Because scouts and hunters leave at different times, the morning meal is not spent with the entire tribe together.
Rather, all members of the village come and go as they please.
I grab two bowls and dip enough kokkra in each of them for us and add shurup nectar to mine.
“Would you like to sweeten yours?”
Piper thinks for a moment and nods. “I’ll try it.”
“There are a few tribespeople who do not care for the flavor, but it is my favorite way to eat my kokkra.”
We sit, and I pass my mate her bowl, anxious to know if she enjoys the meal or not. I wait patiently for her to take her first bite.
She chews for several beats before her eyes widen and she makes a sound of pure pleasure that goes straight to my cock. It does not help when she licks the implement she eats with and repeats the noise. I shift at the sudden, uncomfortable tightness of my leg coverings.
“Oh my god, this is so good,” Piper exclaims. “It tastes kind of like the maple syrup I used to eat on the ship from Earth.”
She continues making sounds that have me wanting to sweep her in my arms and carry her back to our tent. I want to hear them while I pleasure her.
“I am glad you enjoy it.” My voice is raspy with need and desire.
Once we have finished eating, I take Piper’s bowl, along with mine, and place them in the pile near the fire to be cleaned later.
“As much as I do not wish to leave you already, I should get to the training arena to assist Benham. He does not like to be kept waiting by anyone other than Maeve. I will stop by their dwelling and let her know you have arrived.”
“Be careful down there, please.” Piper strokes my shoulders and down my arms.
“Always. I shall see you near the midday meal.” I mouth touch with her once more. “Will you wait here for Maeve or at our dwelling?”
“I’ll go to our tent and start putting my things away in case she’s busy right now.”
“I will let her know.” Only a few steps later do I pause and glance back. “My heart is full with you being here.”
Piper smiles. “Mine, too.”
I quickly make my escape, because I fear if I do not leave now, I will follow my keeshla back to our dwelling and we will spend the rest of the morning kissing and touching each other.