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Forbidden Love

Chapter Four

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

2ndMay 2023

All Rights Reserved.

This Week's Writing Challenge: The hills held a deep, dark secret.

At least 1000 words, don't worry if you go over.

Tag all prompts with: WritingGroupChallenge.

Add all prompts to a separate folder.

Put the prompt description at the beginning of your story.

Ethan trembled, he couldn't help it, gazing into the wide, dark eyes of Eilidh, before she laughed and licked his forehead.

"Silly Buck!" Eilidh snickered. "You should see your muzzle, adorable!"

Letting out a low, whimpering moan, Ethan shuddered. "That wasn't a very nice joke to play on me..."

Her expression flashed away in a blink; before she frowned and her gaze turned more predatory.

"Buck is lucky you pleased me - last stag who did not..."

Pointedly, she looked to the bubbling cauldron, then back at Ethan, raising an eyebrow slowly, her point made accurately, which sent a tremble rippling through his body.

I thought animals could sense us - what we are and would flee from us! How... does Eilidh know something, some - way - to mask, that what we are? How much knowledge of our kind, does she know, that my people do not? I could...

He squealed as she tweaked his ear painfully, snapping him out of his mental thoughts.

"Deer attention here and now - please - "

Ethan sensed the_please_ was an afterthought from her, and he shivered and nodded gently. "Of course, I apologize - "

"Is polite Deer," Eilidh spoke quietly. "I like polite Deer - I like Deer that know how to please Doe...more."

Ethan smiled nervously, turning on all his Whitetail charm and talent, as his lips quivered.

"Whilst Deer is not..." Eilidh raised an eyebrow.

"That's not my fault - " Ethan shuddered and felt inadequate. "It's a species thing, I'm sorry I don't..."

Eilidh snorted; as if bored with the conversation. "One more drink for Deer I think, Deer is healing well - more drink, more food, and more rest. Now..."

As Eilidh began stirring the stew and preparing whatever that medicine was, that bombed him, Ethan experimentally flexed his leg - it still hurt, a lot, but he knew his Therian body well - it'd heal a lot faster; than a normal human's injury would.

Turning back, she held the bowl with the stew.

"Deer will drink this, Deer knows the alternative..."

Taking it from her, nodding his head in thanks, he looked down at the soft, moist chunks of venison and swallowed, trying his best not to think about what said Stag and Eilidh had done - before - he displeased her...and was turned into this...

Eilidh stared at him; until Ethan drank down the stew and handed back the empty bowl.

"Thank you - " He murmured, truly, grateful for her kindness in feeding him - even if, instinctively, he realized just what a fine, fine line he walked with her.

Are all Therian Reds like her? So quick to change their mind and turn a friend into a hot meal? My own kind is nothing like this - we're warm, gentle and...

"Ware Buck, thoughts stray - " Eilidh spoke quietly, as the pungent scent of the medicine filled his nostrils.

Fearfully, he snapped out of his mental landscape and timidly took the bowl back, his nostrils starting to wrinkle at the scent of it.

"Drink it..." Eilidh spoke, her voice growing impatient.

Ethan shuddered and in five quick swallows, drank down the bitter liquid, his body rocking back and forth before he collapsed bonelessly onto the pallet bed, unconscious.

"Eilidh needs to be apart," Eilidh told him, stroking his ears tenderly. "Too much time with Buck is dangerous - for both. Must return to the herd, to Matriarch, before suspicion falls on me. Sleep Buck, Eilidh will return soon - sleep and heal..."

Ethan heard nothing and sensed even less, his breathing slow and regular, even his inner Therian slept - whatever this medicine was, finally, gave both of them the much-needed respite they craved.

TO BE CONTINUED...