It was dawn as I stepped away from Chuma’s tent. I held her for a time and she felt much like holding Bongani. Their slim frames and docile, submissive nature were so simir that it soothed my heart. She hadn’t been worth much experience as I was starting to believe that the longer I was with someone the more meaningful the sex became. And with that the more power I gained from the act.

  I made my way into the more common areas of the vilge and the stirring people there. That smell of fermented mash filled my nose and I spotted Haloor who looked at me slyly. Walking up to her she sniffed the air. “You found someone to entertain you st night?” She teased me and I smiled wolfishly.

  “Someone very pleasant to be around. A little too small for my taste but not everyone can be the perfect specimen of womanhood like myself.” I bent down sniffing at Haloor and could smell the faint whiff of sex on her. “You enjoyed yourself this morning.”

  “My mate is always insatiable in the mornings. I make sure to ease his tension to start the day. I’m sorry but if you’re here to eat you’ll have to go to the end of the line.” Haloor bumped me with a hip and nodded her head backwards.

  “What is it anyway? The food you eat. Where is the meat?” I sniffed the air once more. It was slightly sweeter today.

  “It is the fermented heart of the young Maru tree. Mashed to softness, mixed in with the fruit of the fully grown ones. We bury it in the ground after it is mashed and let it set for a month. We make great batches that we stretch out to a moon cycle or so of food while we search for a herd nearby. We have no meat because the buffalo nearby are being protected by herdsmen. Lionkin, far stronger and faster than us. Unless Oda comes we have to be very sneaky. Which has proven difficult.” Haloor walked slowly forward with a bowl in hand. I grunted at the information.

  “No wonder you all aren’t as big and strong as the spotted cn. You’re not eating enough meat. I want you to tell me more about-” Movement caught the corner of my eye and I turned.

  Bongani stood hand in hand with Oda. He looked deeply uncomfortable as the chieftain of this pce pulled him closer and made obvious motions of affection with him. I felt a growl in my throat before I calmed myself and looked at Haloor. “Thank you, I look forward to hearing more about your cn and gods.”

  I stepped away and headed to the back of the line where Oda stood with Bongani. He looked at me with guilt in his eyes. Then he looked down and away in shame. “Oda,” I said as I approached and grabbed Bongani by the arm to pull him away. “It is not your breeding week so I would like my mate back for the day. I’ll return him to you tonight.”

  Oda didn’t let go as she looked at me with those eyes that threatened to take my soul out of me. “No,” She said simply as she didn’t let go of his hand. “I’m enjoying having a male around. I think I’ll keep him at my side. My week should start tomorrow and then you’ll both be with me for the time. He does better with you around.”

  I felt my teeth gnash. “What do you mean by that?” I strained as my blood rose to my head.

  “I tried to y with him this morning. Though he did the job he was not as vigorous and pleasing as before. I think it is because he wants to impress you. So, you will be commanding him.” Oda stepped forward tugging my mate with her. “Anyways I want him to feed me my meal. You are welcome to join us. We wouldn’t want you to starve.”

  “You enjoy this,” I growled as I locked eyes with her. She had mirth and happiness twinkling in her gaze. “If you enjoy it so much why not do it to your own people?”

  “I enjoy it because in your tribe I would be your lesser. Even if we are both ascended I would be relegated as a lesser mate. Even though I am more powerful than you it would mean nothing to your cn. I just want to show you what some of the world will be like to you.” Oda looked at me with a slightly crazed look. “Not every vilge or town you will find the option to take another mate in the night. Not everywhere will be welcome to you and Bongani ying with each other without being wed. Do you even know what being wed means?”

  I furrowed my brow at the foreign words. I had never heard them before and felt foolish for being made fun of. “What do you mean they wouldn’t be ok with Bongani and I? We are mates, we y with each other whenever I want. It is my right.”

  Oda ughed deeply as she looked to the sky, “Foolish young girl. You know nothing of the world yet you think you can travel the nds and live the same way you always have?! I have so much to teach you if you’re going to survive.”

  “I can survive just fine. I don’t need your pity!” I tugged on Bongani. “We’re leaving, damn the supplies.” I growled as Bongani actually fought against me.

  “W-w-we need f-f-food, w-weapons, sh-she shows me w-w-words. Otherw-w-ise I won’t be u-u-useful.” Bongani looked at my chest and his frown was pin and stern.

  I grabbed his throat and squeezed. “You gave yourself to me and you defy me?! You dare learn without my permission! I ought to break your neck right here!”

  Oda pced a hand on my arm and looked into my rage filled eyes. “You know he is right don’t you? But you hate that he has done something without talking to you first. What about when you pn to be in a dungeon? Spending a day away from him. What will he do without you? He would die in a dungeon. Be a liability. You would sooner give up the same arm you’ve grabbed him with than lose him wouldn’t you.” She grabbed my fingers as Bongani hung from my arm without fighting, his eyes started to roll back.

  I growled before letting him go and he fell to his knees. The people around us took a step back from my outburst. “What do you know of what I would do?!” I accused as I looked down at Oda.

  “I hear your heart Aphelele,” She whispered as her hands pressed against my chest. “You are full of pain and doubt. You will be for a long time. You want to bury it with rage and lust. Want to run away from it.” She pressed closer and I found myself stilled by her touch. “I won’t teach you what you need. You wouldn’t listen. If you just want to be given supplies I won’t stop you.”

  I felt my heart pound in outrage as I looked down at her. “I don’t need your words. But Bongani does need to learn to read. I need him to do basic counting as well. I know well enough that the greater pces use things like coins. I will allow you to teach him.”

  Oda patted my chest lightly. “I’m gd you see things my way. I’ll teach him some things and when you’re ready you can ask him about it. Which is a silly thing to say. I’ve never heard of a spotted one listening to their males.”

  I swiped her hand off my chest as I looked at Bongani, “Don’t shame me by not listening. Learn the lessons. And do it right.” I stepped away as my male lowered his head to the ground and nodded.

  I stalked to the back of the line and stood there. I crossed my arms as Oda helped Bongani to his feet. He let her wrap an arm around his shoulders and held him to her side. I felt my gut bubble and burn with jealousy that he was pping up affection. The people around me looked at me with worry in their eyes.

  I watched as Oda and Bongani were dished up their bowls of fermented mash. They sat together at Oda’s table and I watched as she scooped up a morsel in her fingers and whispered something to Bongani. I growled as my male opened his mouth for her and she gently fed him. I could see a quirk in the side of his mouth in a smile of all things. The wood of my bowl creaked as Bongani returned the favor scooping up some food and pcing it in her mouth. She suckled on his fingers and gave him eyes full of lust. I could imagine the smell of arousal coming off them.

  I shoved the food in my mouth trying to ignore the sickly sweetness of her treatment of my male. He is going to forget his pce at my side. What if he wants to stay behind? My heart ached and pounded like I was just getting done with a fight or vigorous training session. I approached Haloor and her mate and sat next to them. I had doubt and shame in my heart when I finally spoke up.

  “Can I be taught the ways of a hunter? Of a survivor of the nd? How do you ferment things for safety? Is there a way I can learn those things?” I looked down and away. These were breeder tasks. Hunter tasks. Not warrior tasks. If I lose Bongani I need these things.

  Haloor looked at me as she listened. Her ears drooped as she heard the hurt and doubt in my voice. “I’ll find you trainers. Maybe you could help break through the lionkin. Be ready by midday.” Haloor set a hand on my knee and her mate looked on passively. No doubt he knew about our past encounters.

  I stood bringing my bowl to those managing the meal and gave it to them. I took a deep breath and looked around the vilge. The children sat with their mothers. Thoughts of Aphiwe filled my heart so I walked away from it all. Tired of the reminders that were being thrust into my face.

  Standing amongst the outside of the vilge I sat upon the same boulder I had been working out with. I looked out into the savannah and took deep calming breaths. “Hathor, please don’t let Bongani fall in love with Oda. He is mine. I know that might be unfair to him. He surrendered himself to me. I want to keep him.”

  I took deep breaths as I waited for midday. Chuma slipped from the vilge and approached me. Her slim frame and useless chest wrap attracted my eyes. “Can I sit with you?”

  I nodded and opened up my p for her to slip onto it and wrap her arms around my shoulders and neck. “What brings you out here Chuma?” I held onto her waist as I felt her lightweight body sit with me.

  “Haloor was asking around for people to come show the stranger how things were done in the vilge. I am one of the people that handles the maru food. I wanted to tell you about it.” She pressed her face into my neck as one hand drifted to my chest and the slope of my breasts. “You don’t know how to ferment things. It is a good way to make sure food and blood is safe when it is not fresh.”

  I pyed with her hip running a hand down her thigh as she talked. “How does it make it safe?”

  “It kills the demons that hide in the food. Much like fire does to meat. You take the fresh young heart wood and you mash it with the fruit of the tree. It takes a day of mashing to get it to paste. Then the makers chew some of it. Ten mouthfuls for the whole amount of mash we make for a month. We spit it into the mix, stir it around and cover it with leaves before burying it.” She shifted to straddle me and kissed up my neck. “You can make jars of it. With a tight cover on the top.” Our lips met as I pulled her closer to me. Deep down I felt a guilt boiling in me.

  “I’m not staying Chuma,” I admitted as she pulled away, her eyes big and wanting. “My destiny is out there.”

  She smiled sadly and nodded, “I know. I asked around, about what people thought. Many of them were afraid you would change your mind.” She nuzzled me gently. “It will be a long time till I know the touch of another after you leave.”

  My ears flicked in the air, “You don’t desire to come with me?”

  “No, the world is too big for me, Aphelele.” She leaned back with my arms around her lower back. “But if you ever return and I have no mate I would be happy to be with you again.”

  I pulled her into a kiss. Desperate for something to distract myself and willing to use this girl for such a use. “I take it your people don’t brazenly fuck in the open?”

  “No,” Chuma giggled and wiggled herself in my p. “Too bad, that would be exciting.”