15

I could feel warmth all around me, but it was not from Orion. I felt the light peeking into my eye lids. Slowly I opened them and realized I was somewhere else familiar. A small blur was in front of me yipping. Nova. I sat up and smiled warmly at her. She panted licking me and I looked around to see I was in a large pile of animal pelts. We were back in the trees. I looked around noticing Orion wasn't with me but something caught my attention. My hair. There were a few braids in them with tiny skulls clipped in them.

Did he do this? He wouldn't let anyone touch me so I was sure it was him. I touched one of the braids. He must have been up before me. I heard a loud bark from outside and Nova got up quickly. I knew that specific bark. I got up and paused looking down at my bare form. But I didn't think he'd care if I came out naked. I approached the whole at the bottom of the tree where long vines covered it and moved out it meeting the warm air. I saw Orion carrying a large dead boar on his shoulders. He was in his usual fishnet attire. He had only his combi stick and blades. Once he sat the dead animal down, he leaned up and looked at me. Nova leaned over smelling all over the dead pig while Orion approached me. He gave a gentle shrill as he looked down at me, his gold hues looking… tamed. He raised his hand to caress my cheek and I smiled and leaned into his touch.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yes. You?" I asked and he nodded once. I could hear large birds and insects chirping above us. It's been a while since I had felt so safe in such a large environment.

"We must prepare to leave soon. But I know I also promised the serum to you…" he trailed off before hissing some and looking away. He was withholding something. I looked him over.

"But?" I asked. He looked down with a low shrill.

"I need to test your blood first. Since you are not human I need to know if your blood will accept or reject the serum. If it rejects then we will need to make it stronger so your body does not reject it. If it accepts it then I will give it to you." he said. A part of me felt I should be understanding, but the other part of me felt he was stalling, making excuses so he wouldn't have to give me the serum. My sudden frown from my thoughts gave me away.

"You're a coward." I said and turned from him. All I heard was a sudden roar before my shoulders were grabbed and I was immediately pinned to the tree. His eyes were wild and angry now as he snarled in my face. I felt I would be afraid, but I wasn't. I just glared at him. Nova immediately whimpered and scurried to push between our legs yelping in pain almost. I looked away in submission from his glare and he cackled lowly as he slowly released me and took a step back so I could pick Nova up. I know what I said was wrong and I know Orion is doing this because he wants to be careful. I turned to look at him, with intent to apologize, only to see him walking away. I tensed wanting to go after him but something told me he wanted to be alone. I sighed sadly knowing I hurt him.

I just… I want to be like him so I could always be with him. I closed my eyes feeling tears slip down my face. I looked down at the boar and shook my head looking at Nova.

"Come on, let's get dressed and make breakfast." I said. She smelled my chin before licking me. I nuzzled her a bit before turning and going back inside.

Orion POV

I snarled as I sliced from left to right at the air with my wrist blades. A coward? Me! How dare she even speak to me like that! I sliced giant leaves in half and continued to do so before slicing at what I thought was a large boulder. But instead, that boulder made a low groan of pain and I looked up to see it was a mylodon, a sloth creature whose DNA we took from earth millions of years ago. It raised up and looked down at its body, two cuts were on its side. I winced now shrilling gently as I approached it. It looked at me sluggishly and I just removed some ointment from the pack on my side. It was defenseless and did not challenge me and I felt dishonor for hurting it.

Luckily the cuts were not deep. I wiped the clear liquid over its body and it released a long groan before slowly walking off. I watched it for a moment before knowing my brother was close. I shrilled sharply looking up at the trees.

"What?" I asked before watching him jump down and land before me.

"I haven't see you throw a fit since you were a suckling and father refused to let you go on a hunt with us." he said. I hissed and turned. I was not going to discuss my mate with him.

"It is none of your concern." I snapped looking him over. "And why are you still here? The celebration is over." He snorted and crossed his arms.

"I am leaving today, but I could ask you the same thing. Why are you and Ajari still here and why haven't you given her the serum?"

"It does not concern you!" I snarled. He arched the top of his face where eyebrows would have been.

"Did she change her mind?" he asked. I growled urging him to drop it. "Did you?"

"No one changed their minds! As you know, she is Vanguis. I need to make sure her blood doesn't reject the serum. I'm not going to just give it to her without knowing first." I replied. He watched me for a moment before nodding.

"For once you have a smart idea… I should have done that with Aurora." he said. I stared at him now slightly curious of where this was going to go. "She was more human than Vanguis… but I still should have known." I hissed in response. It was the past and nothing would bring her back. I started to turn from him when he barked to me. I hissed with annoyance looking at him now my eyes showing he was annoying me. He stepped closer.

"You two need to stay here until she's changed." he said. I growled lowly not liking his command.

"You may be the king of your world but I do not serve you." I snapped and he shook his head.

"And now we're stupid again. You cannot protect your mate alone, knowing what she is." he said.

"Only you, her and our parents no what she is." I said and he roared out sharply.

"How you survived this long is beyond me! Her eyes are a dead giveaway. Any suckling who looks at her would know." he explained. "You need to stay here on this planet until she takes the serum and can defend herself too."

"I can take care of her myself! I don't need your advice! She is not your concern!" I snapped. He just growled down at me and shook his head before turning and cloaking himself. Great now I needed to really kill someone. First my mate calls me…a coward and now my own brother thinks I cannot take care of myself. I let my feet take me to a large lake where a familiar person seemed to be waiting for me. Mother turned to me, her body knee deep in the water.

"Hello my little one." she said softly. I shrilled gently moving to the edge of the water but not getting in. She was leaning over and reaching into the water for something. She looked at me with gentle eyes. "You're stressed darling, what is the matter?" Now I had to repeat myself. I crossed my arms.

"Ajari doubts me and Little Tree is annoying me." I replied. She chuckled.

"Your brother will always annoy you and I am sure your mate does not doubt you." she said. I shrilled.

"She called me a coward!" I snapped.

"And what made her call you a coward?" she asked.

"I merely want to test her blood to see if the serum will work is all. I don't want what happened to Aurora to happen to her." I replied lowly. She nodded slowly as she reached into the water and pulled out white pearls.

"Do not be mad at her my little suckling. She's also scared, scared of aging and not being able to be with you." she said. I shrilled and looked away.

"I am not scared." I said and she chuckled.

"Of course not… but you know it is okay to be a little afraid. I remember one day many years ago enemies from an enemy clan attacked. I was wounded so bad I should have died." she said softly looking down at the water with faint eyes. I always thought for a human-yautja hybrid my mother was the most beautiful woman alive. And even though Ajari has replaced her in my thoughts, she still has a motherly beauty to her. She turned to me now moving from the water. I raised my hand to her to help her out of the water. "Your father was so afraid, terrified for me. He started a war for me because of it. Tell me son, would you start a war for your mate if she were in danger?"

I didn't even hesitate.

"Without question." I replied. She nodded smiling warmly before raising her hand to me revealing a mating collar. Imbedded in it were the pearls and amber gems. She held it out to me.

"I started making this when we began to prepare for you and Sora's mateship. I will be honest, I was not excited about making it before, but now I am." she said holding it out to me. I raised my palm cackling some with the tilt of my head as she placed it in my palm. "Give it to Ajari." I looked down at her.

"Why did you convince me not to be Sora's mate?" I asked. She smiled warmly up at me.

"Because you did not want her. I could tell when a male is interested in a woman. You wanted honor and now you have found someone more important than your honor and that someone is not Sora." she explained before raising her hand to gently touch my face. I shrilled gently and leaned into her touch as Ajari did to mine. "Go to her son. Talk to her. You will not be mad at her for long."

I knew she was right. I shrilled lowly before looking down at the collar. Even though Ajari insulted me, I cared more about what she'd think of this collar than her insult to me. Mother raised her hand and gently ran her fingers over my head and like I did as a suckling I gave a soft purr. I would never act this way in front of us. Maybe Ajari but that was it.

"I will go to her." I replied softly before turning and running back into the trees.