Our First Night Together
The wind and snow picked up as we left Wolf Point and the rez behind. Raven's family begged her not to go. "The roads to the cabin will be too dangerous," they said. "Wait until it gets warmer." But she smiled, saying only that she wanted to do it this way. She wanted to show her respect. Her grandmother smiled and handed Raven a small leather pouch with the instruction that she not open it until she reached the cabin. "I will see you when you return for the wedding," Grandmother whispered to her.
And with that, we loaded the van with food, supplies, blankets, and clothes. Once our good-byes were said, Raven drove up to the cabin. I read the map and kept her travel mug full of warm coffee from my thermos. Neither of us said very much during the trip.
Finally after several hours of driving, we arrived at the cabin an hour before sunset. We unloaded the van, stocking the food in the cabin's cupboards and the clothes in the bedroom's dresser. Once that was done, I started a fire in the sunken living room fireplace. I sat down on the blanket in front of the fireplace and watched the flames crackle. Raven sat down beside me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "You've been really quiet today, Michael. Having second thoughts?"
I turned my head a bit to kiss her cheek. "Just a bit worried. I know I'm not exactly your parents' first choice, and this isn't how they imagined giving their girl away."
Raven moved her arm down to my waist so her head could rest on my shoulder. "But my family likes you. And they know you love me." Raven took the pouch out of her pocket and opened it. Inside was a small silver leather strap with two silver and onyx rings dangling from the strap. I took the necklace from her and placed it around her neck. The rings caught flashes of firelight and flashed it across her light bronze skin. "Grandma adores you. And she thinks it's wonderful that we're doing this. Truth be told, I think she was a bit disappointed that my parents didn't do the ceremony."
I nodded, holding Raven close. "You want to catch a quick nap before nightfall?"
"Sure thing."
***
Several hours later, I stepped out of the warm cabin, and immediately the crisp winter wind slashed my unshaven face and hands. My bare feet fell into a snow bank by the door. I had given her enough of a head start. As I tore off my clothes, a wolf howled in the distance. I sniffed the air. It's a male. That means competition.
A whirlpool of wind and wetness wrapped around my body. I dropped to my hands and knees, reveling in the sensation. My hands shrank. My nose flared. Bones broke and mended. Teeth and nails hardened, tearing out of my flesh. I shook roughly, tossing the water off my body. The wolf had taken over.
I sniffed the air. She was downwind. And she stayed there. I would laugh if I could. She wanted to be found. But she wasn't going to make it easy. Lupine eyes scanned the shadows. Another whiff told me she was moving south. I marked a tree near the cabin and darted into the storm.
The sounds of my panting and my padded paws were muted by the snow. And still I ran, stopping only to mark the trail so I could find my way back. The other male howled again, this time much closer. The thought of him being anywhere near Raven ripped a warning growl from my muzzle. My eyes narrowed.
There she was.
Her fur was the most beautiful shade of grey I had ever seen. Her scent was pure and untainted, her eyes full of a primal fire from before the dawn of time. To my surprise, she had managed to keep the leather strap and rings around her neck. My canines rubbed against my muzzle as I watched her from my hiding place in the trees.
A twig breaking caught my attention. She heard it too. We both saw the other male at the same time, his interest and intent obvious.
I leapt out of my hiding place, my fur back and my teeth exposed. Mine! I growled at the intruder.
Your scent is not on her he snarled as he bared down for a fight. A small part of my mind balked and panicked. This was NOT how we had planned this to go. I quelled the panicked voice and pounced at the other, diving low at the last second and clipping at his leg with my teeth. He howled as the bite slashed through to the bone. He was young. He was stupid. This would be easy.
I let go and backed away, giving him room to retreat. But he would not be denied. He charged at me, snarling, trying to look menacing as he favored his wounded leg. I ran as if to retreat. He darted after me, thinking me frightened. Not wanting to be too far from Raven, I circled around back into the clearing where she waited, watching in excitement, arousal, and fear. I could smell them all radiating from her. I blocked it out. I couldn't afford the distraction. I darted as fast as I could to a tree stump in the clearing, turning away at the last possible second. The bark scraped against my hide, I had cut it so close. The other was wounded. He could not turn away. He hit the stump with a shattering thump, then fell to the ground, quivering softly as he whimpered and tried to lick his wounds. He was young. He would recover...probably.
I turned to her, wet and panting, a bit of blood still clinging to my mouth. Raven said nothing so I approached her, my ears down, my eyes full of softness. Her kind eyes meet mine and she padded towards me. We sniffed each other as we danced in a tight circle.
It was at that point that I knew wolves could smile. The look she gave me, the musk from her...all I wanted was to drown in it. She ran off at a steady jog, playfully daring me to follow her. I howled and darted off after her.
She led me to a nearby cave, small and dank. With a glance behind her to make sure I was still there, she entered. I followed her. And there she was. On the cool, dirt floor. Surrendering to me. Asking me to surrender to her. We nuzzled and snuggled and soon found a comfortable position. She rose to meet me as I entered her. Our scents marked each other. I knotted her. We fell asleep.
I awoke to the scent of dawn in the air. Raven seemed to sense it as well. She nodded once at me. Then we quickly exited the cave, our noses sniffing the wind. She catches the scent of my marks. We followed them back to the cabin. I stood as close to her as I could as the change took place. We held each other as best we could as our bodies shattered from the inside out, and were reborn.
And Raven stood there beside me, clothed in nothing but the wind and snow. We walked hand in hand into the cabin. She rekindled the fire as I gathered the think blankets we brought with us. We cuddled under the blankets as the fire blazed in front of us. "I love you, Raven," I whispered to her, kissing the flesh around the rings dangling from her neck.
"I love you, Michael," she replied. Her arms pulled me towards her as she laid me on my back in front of the fireplace, the wilderness and desire in her eyes. I pulled her on top of me and gave her all the love I had to give.
***
One week after arriving at the cabin, Raven and I drove back to Wolf Point. Once there, the rings served as our wedding bands. At her parents' insistence, we had a small service at the rez with our friends and family in attendance.