Noble Obligation
South of the Sun's Nest Plains, west of the great inland sea lay the ancient forests of the Cah'at clans. The trees were as old as the earth itself and reached high into the sky. Evergreens, hardwoods, birch and cedar, they all thrived in the fertile soil of the ancient lands. Many believed that spirits lived within the woods themselves, but the people of the Cah'at knew better. They knew that the trees were alive and spoke to those who would listen and protect those who didn't abuse their bounty.
It was a land full of life. Tree dwelling beasts rarely saw the earth while great feral cats roamed the ground in search of direboars and giant sloths. Giant birds with sharp hooked beaks stalked the edges for the unwary while other took to the clear water streams for fish as large as a man. All of these animals lived in harmony with Gaia, the spirit of the earth, the care taker of all who lived the ancient planet.
Legends had been told for ages about the first clans and the people who lived in the Deep Green. Legends that began not long after the fifth guardian of the earth first arrived. It had been told that all the guardians came from those old trees because there were no other places where anyone could be better connected to the earth spirit.
The clans knew better and let the rest of the world believe what they wanted. They had lived there since their founders were born and cared for under the watchful eyes of the elf Keer Gorin. Following his teachings, they lived and thrived, building their ranks as any other culture did and spread out to claim the ancient forests for their own kingdom.
Each clan had its own specialty and they placed themselves into their own rankings according what that specialty was. No one clan was considered better than the other and all were treated equally. Knowledge of one was shared with the rest, making them a strong and peaceful nation on the world of Haven.
From among those clans, the Silverclaw were famed for their diplomacy. They helped to write the treaties which still held strong to the present day and helped to dissolve building conflicts. When they were almost wiped out, the world suffered and greedy monarchs expanded their borders to take in weaker kingdoms until one stood out and helped to return order to the chaos.
That was the history that Jasser had grown up with. Told to him by his grandmother, a former guardian of the earth, he learned all anyone could know about the world as a whole and how different cultures reacted to one another. He learned from her wisdom until the day she fully retired and disappeared so the new guardian could take care of things without her interference.
He was proud of his heritage. He knew he was part of something larger than himself and strove to see his grandmother's dreams fulfilled. There was one problem he had.
During the Great War, his father earned the title of Duke in the kingdom of Belleau for his bravery and leadership of the troops. He saved thousands of innocent people including the noble family. Before, they had been a simple barony. Now, they were considered something more as far as social climbers were concerned.
Jasser didn't mind while he was young. Most of his time was spent learning to read, write, and figure from his mother and grandmother and how to fight and use different weapons from his father and the elite guards that trained near the castle. He found his calling among the guards but being the first born, it was up to him to carry on the title and the family name, even though he had several brothers and sisters.
Finding himself wandering the trails of the Deep Green, the young man thought back on his life and how simple it was until he reached his twenties. Since then, it had been one bad relationship after another and he was tired of social climbing gold diggers as the next noble. He had become jaded and doubted he could find anyone, even among his mother's clan.
It had been decades since the destruction of the Silverclaw lands. Where there were once ruins, new buildings stood, each looking as though it had been there for forever. He smiled at the simplicity of the village, thankful it wasn't a sprawling city like his home of Cat's Haven or the capital city of Belleau Wood. It looked like a place he could settle in for a time and relax.
He knew what he was there to do, but frankly, he didn't want to deal with another relationship so soon. The last one left a bad taste in his mouth when the girl tried to trap him by making her pregnant. He didn't want a family yet, just a wife to quiet the elder nobles. Why couldn't they be patient like his mother and father? They already had grandchildren from his his oldest brothers and sister.
While standing there looking at the village from the open gate, he was startled by a feminine voice from behind him. "Hello stranger," she said, chuckling at how he jumped up, "welcome to Riverford. Are you needing some direction or assistance?"
She was rather plain looking lass, tall and covered in black fur with white markings. One eye had a patch of white over it and encircling her neck, a thin line that could be mistaken for necklace. Each of her hand-paws and bare feet were white and though he tried not to stare, a pair of white bands directing his gaze downward beneath the knee length skirt she wore. Long hair of black hung down in a simple pony tail tied with leather cording while straight wisps of her bangs fell lightly across her forehead. Her smile was welcoming, making her oddly matched eyes, one vibrant blue and the other golden yellow, shine. Because of the muscles stretched under her pelt, she didn't have much of a figure and scars of battle marked her chest where the tightly wrapped band held he small bosom in place and protected. One ear was notched, almost tattered along the edge while the other had several studs of gold and gems along the edge. Something he didn't much care for, but she had a charisma about her.
Recovering with a sheepish grin, he rubbed the back of his head and nodded. "Thanks and yeah, I do. I need to find the chief's house. I've been sent from Cat's Haven by my grandmother. She, and my dad, seem to think I need to learn a few things from our people directly."
"Follow me," she laughed then stepped by him to enter the village. She had a few pheasant tied together and slung over her shoulder. He could tell she had been hunting. He was warned that the people who lived in the clan villages didn't buy their food, they traded or caught their own.
"Uh... sure," he said while watching her then started ofter the tall woman. He wasn't exactly short himself. Tall actually, topping just over seven feet and well muscled from his weapons training. The green colored vest he wore was trimmed in silver with the clan crest on the left shoulder, marking which clan he belonged to. His white markings were few; the tip of his tail and the backs of his ears mostly, a a bit of white where only a select few were allowed to see around his groin, but his dyed leather breeches made sure that was well covered to the casual eye. Like his father and grandmother, his eyes were golden yellow, resembling their feral cousins that still stalked the shadows of the forest.
She lead him around the edge of the village, waving to various people along the way or shouting out a greeting when someone called to her. He thought she seemed quite friendly and relaxed. As they neared the river, she turned to walk along the bank, past a ruined building with a creaking wheel still pushed by the fast moving water. Just as he started to see another building similar to old one, she lead him across the bridge to a set of large, well made homes set near the edge of the clearing the village was built in. he stood there, in awe at the vista it created before he jogged to catch up to her again.
"Here we are, stranger," she said with a grin then motioned him to the door. "Maybe I'll see you around later."
"Thanks again.. uh... I didn't get your name," Jasser said, trying to be polite.
The woman laughed and started to walk off. "That's because I never gave it. You can call me Shan-Nay. After offering a wave, she jogged back toward the river with the dead birds bouncing in time to her gait against her back.
Chuckling to himself, he watched a moment longer then knocked on the door. The thick wood resounded with the firm rapping of his knuckles and sounded hollow. The surrounding structure was made from stone, mortar and wood, strong and sturdy for the land they lived in.
A timid leopard opened the door, her green eyes cast down and demure as she spoke, "May I help you, sir?" Her blond hair made ringlets of gold that spilled over her shoulders and across her eyes, accenting the burnished orange and rosettes of black on her pelt. He thought she looked quite beautiful if shy.
He grinned, trying to appear friendly, "Yes, ma'am, I'm here to speak to Chief Silnar. My father, Yanneh Silverclaw, sent me here." As much as he didn't want to have to talk to another leader, he though this meeting would be better than dealing with the nobles of other kingdoms.
"Yes, sir. Follow me, sir," she said softly then opened the door for him to enter. The girl lead him down a short corridor to a broad room where another large, black, cat sat beside a burning fire.
The room itself looked like it had several purposes, an office, with the servicable desk beside the fireplace, a few well cushioned chairs and a couch near by for less formal meetings and family, and plenty of space to handle a good sized gathering within it. He found it odd that such a small looking home would have a large main room.
"My chief, the son of Yanneh, has arrived," the leopardess said, trying to make herself look small.
Looking up, the older cat eyed the younger then let a smile curl across his muzzle. His gray eyes showed the years of war had set their burden on him but he shouldered it well on the outside. The white streak running down the bridge of his nose wrinkled with the smile as he stood and offered a thick, burly hand-paw to Jasser. "Welcome to Riverford," he said sternly, "Your father and grandmother are well known here."
Grinning, Jasser nodded and took the hand, giving him a firm shake before standing in front of him as if he were being inspected by the general of the forces he trained with. "Yes, sir. They sent me to strengthen ties with the clan once again."
Looking dubious, the elder grunted then came out from behind his desk. "I see. They do know I don't have any daughters to offer. Don't they," he said. "All I have is young Ri-Shah here and she is far too young." he smiled at the shy leopardess then turned his attention back to the male cat before him. "The War left me without children of my own."
"I'm sorry to hear that, sir," the younger said in respect to the chief. "I don't think they were meaning I was sent to marry one of yours. Just strengthen ties some how. We live so far away, father thought we could do something to keep our clan strong in and out of the Deep Green."
"I see," the elder spoke then hummed softly. "There are plenty of ways to build such ties besides marriage. We will have to take time to consider these though I think trade may not work considering the distance."
"I agree, sir," the younger said with a nod then glanced around the room. The girl was still there, standing off to one side waiting for them to request something of her.
The old chief smiled then looked at the clock on the wall as it chimed the hour.** "Why don't we go outside, young man," the chief said then turned his attention to the leopard girl, "Ri-Shah, go tell Mei-Le we are going outside for a while. I'll be back before she has dinner ready." He didn't wait for a response, nor did he expect one from her when lead his guest to the back door.
The girl simply nodded then scurried off, almost invisible to Jasser as he walked through the immense room with the chief and through another adjoining room to the back.
As close as what the house seemed to be from the front, there was a considerable distance between it and the edge of the forest. Sounds of calling birds echoed among the trees and locusts buzzing in the summer heat were louder than what they were when he first approached. It was as if the village had muffled those natural sounds and this out lying home was beyond that field. He liked it and found those sounds calming after his long trip south.
Nestled behind the house, close to the edge of the forest, a small barn could be seen with a fenced off paddock where several horses grazed. A few chickens scattered as they walked by, clucking and flapping their useless wings in their escape. Coming from the barn itself, the sounds of cattle lowing were heard, bringing a smile to the young man's face.
"I would never have guessed this home was a working farm, sir," he said. "When I came up to the door, it looked like a normal home."
The elder chuckled as he nodded, "That was intended, young man," he said cheerfully. "We don't show off what we have intentionally. It isn't our way. But, nothing says we can't keep it all maintained out of site so we can enjoy what we have and let our guests see."
Jasser considered then nodded thoughtfully. "Is it true what they say that the Cah'at are run by a committee rather than a single leader for all the clans," he finally asked, curious to see if what he was taught was really true.
Silnar grinned. "Yes, that is true. We meet in conclave every spring and fall to talk over business and share news of what has happened during the interim."
"How does this work," he asked, wondering, "I'm used to seeing a single leader governing a kingdom with their vassals maintaining the laws they set. In Cat's haven, we're expected to uphold the laws of the kingdom of Belleau."
"I can see why you would ask," the elder replied. "It isn't as difficult as you may think. The chiefs of each village under a clan select one to represent them then those go to the conclave. The high chief of a clan keeps track of what is going on and what problems are arising within his area so he can report them. From there, he, or she, gives their vote for anything that concerns us as a whole but we maintain control of ourselves. If we need someone to speak with the monarch of a neighboring nation, we take the most qualified; usually the High Chief of the Silverclaw, but not always."
"I see," the younger went into deep though, watching as the chief went into the barn. A few minutes later, he came out; leading two horses by the reins. One was offered to him and the other, the large cat mounted and waited for his new companion to do the same.
"I'll show you around a bit, Jasser," he commented. "It'll give you an idea of what we have to offer so you can tell your father when you return home."
Jasser mounted his horse then, together they rode through the village. Various places were pointed out, the smith, baker, potter's shop, and the shaman's hut. The most peculiar place pointed out was the brick building beside the river where the water flowed over the great paddled wheel with a strange faint hum. It provided power of a different kind to the village as well as purified the water.
After passing the power station, they encountered a thin, stooped over, old feline, more gray than black fur and dirty. He babbled on about nothing and everything, but he kept crying out with wild eyes and a creaky voice, "The magic is gone. The magic is gone! There is no more magic left in this world!"
While the chief ignored the old man, Jasser stared at him, brows furrowing at such a disgrace. He never thought anyone would allow themselves to get so bad off and thin when there was so much for all to enjoy. "What is wrong with him," he finally asked after the old cat's cries faded behind them."
"He has gone insane," the elder replied stiffly. "The Great War did it to him. When the water turned deadly, he was one of the few who survived it because of his ability. Somehow, the tainted magic could not affect him, none could. The old shaman mentioned that his talent was anti-magic, which would protect him from it but never allow him to use it. Because of his ability, he slowly lost his mind and withered away into what you saw."
Looking back, the young male blinked then shook his head. "So sad. I never heard of such a disastrous talent before." He was glad his own would harm him unless he spent too much time using it.
"Yes, it is very sad. He was a good friend," Silnar mentioned. He sat stiff backed, unwilling to let himself see the last vestiges of the old man behind them. With his eyes closed, he blocked out the memories that were dredged up, but left himself open to something else.
A cry from Jasser behind him brought him back to the present. A large winged beast had landed in front of them, snarling and gnashing it's teeth, frightening the horses they rode on. Sharp scimitar talons raked through the dirt as it prepared to pounce on the chief. It resembled a tiger in some ways with long curving tusks for canines and back facing horns curving over its ridged head. The shoulders and neck were heavily muscled and scarred from years of battles over the right to mate. Just behind those thick shoulders, tiny wings, barely flapped against its sides; both tattered and torn with age. The hind quarters looked small compared to the front but were thick with knotted muscle. The long sinewy tail whipped about behind it, kicking up dust from the bare patch of ground. Strong legs resembled those of an eagle but thicker and more heavily scaled. It gave off waves of fear that gripped at the throats of its intended victims in an icy hold.
The horse reared up, pawing at the air with its hooves then danced in place, keeping the larger feline from concentrating on getting away from the hungry creature. The whites of their eyes showed as they rolled about in their sockets. All they wanted to do was escape the menacing creature that suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Watch out," cried the elder while trying to rein in the wildly bucking horse. "That thing is going to attack!" It was all he could to to remain on the poor equine's back.
Jasser had the same trouble, concentrating on keeping on his mount and keeping it controlled enough to escape. The horse danced around, spinning and bucking to be rid of the weight it carried. Just as he thought he was about to get it facing in a different direction, he went sailing over its head onto the ground. The air was knocked from his lungs, stunning him from the impact.
Right as he landed on the ground the beast attacked, roaring mightly and lashing out with its talons. The horse took off at full gallop toward the river while the other continued to buck off its rider and fend off the attacking beast. The beast was no longer interested in the horse, it had far easier prey laying on the ground in front of it. In one leap, it pounced on the prone body of Jasser, digging its sharp talons in to remove the strange hide covering the tasty morsel.
Not about to let the young man become some wild beast's dinner, the chief jumped off the scared horse's back, letting it run off to safety while he bellowed out a roar of his own to distract the beast. With one fist raised, he charged, ready to punch the thing in the head or at least make it chase him instead. "Get away from him you mangy beast," he yelled at the feline looking beast before taking a swing at the creature.
Growling, the creature ducked, glaring at the larger feline. Ears laying back, it roared then swiped with talon at the charging cat. It was hungry and it wanted food, now. The stunned cat was just perfect to fill its growling belly. It was more than prepared to defend what it intended to eat.
Silnar wasn't expecting the cat to duck and spun, managing to dodge the slashing talon when it tried to swipe at him. Eying it as he turned back around, he grinned slyly then shifted into a large feral panther and charged the cat, fighting it on its terms. He leapt with claws ready and slashed at the creature's face.
Not prepared for such an attack, the creature ducked and lashed out with its talons before rolling off the prone feline. It defended itself the way it knew how, using tooth and claw and protecting its soft underbelly from the vicious claws of the attacking cat. Little by little, it gave up ground; backing toward the trees it had pounced from just moments before.
While the two combatants fought, Jasser came around, groaning as his eyes opened to sudden sharp pain behind his eyes and from the gashes healing on his sides. Confused, he started to haul himself from the ground, looking about to see what was making all the noise until he spotted the fighting beasts. The larger, black, cat, he recognized and knew it to be the chief in his feral form. The other, realization came to him painfully as the creature that sprang from the forest without warning.
Forcing himself to focus, he shifted. His body swelled, muscles knotting and lengthening as his skeleton adjusted itself into a new shape. Leathery wings sprouted from his back as his arms and legs throbbed and burst into the leathery scaled hide of the dragon he envisioned himself to be. As his head reshaped into the tapered muzzle of his new form, his neck lengthened and his tail sprouted spins as it lengthened. With a mighty screech, he beat his newly formed wings against the air then dove after the tiger striped beast and blasted a ball of lightening from his opened maw to force it back further.
In his dragon form, he wasn't big like those from the legends he knew, but smaller, larger than the horse he had ridden and more massive, but not by much. Onyx claws reached for the now frightened beast as the younger joined in the fight. When the creature tried to duck around to escape, he snaked his head over to bite and blast it with another lightening burst.
The chief fell back, letting the younger, stronger Cah'at fight the beast. He had already suffered several deep cuts from the sharp talons and limped from a bite wound to his hind leg, but he still lived and would heal eventually. Out of the way, he licked his wounds and waited for the end to come, be it the beast running off or being killed in cold blood as draconic instincts took hold of the young male.
Giving up, the strange looking beast turned and bounded off into the forest with the transformed Jasser in hot pursuit. It left with a frustrated roar from deep within the trees before all went quiet. Some time later, the dragon returned, stalking out of the forest with a self satisfied grin on his muzzle.
By the time Jasser made his return, Silnar's wounds had been tended by the old shaman. Little more than some bothersome cuts remained but a little rest and time would allow them to finish healing on their own. Able to focus, the chief had returned to his normal form and looked the smug dragon over carefully before letting a grin slide across his features. "I take it the tracker won't be bothering us again for a long time?"
The dragon nodded and slid his forked tongue along his muzzle. He settled onto his haunches and preened his wings, clearing off the fur which caught on the leading edges and from along his belly. Glittering yellow eyes watched the shaman and chief while he cleaned and 'talked' to them in the multi-toned sounds of the smaller dragons.
"Yes," the chief said with a nod, "I'll be fine in a few days. Our shaman took care of the wounds while you were 'chasing' off the tracker." he chuckled at the look he received then added, "My talent is understanding and using any language, son. Makes for communicating with people from far off lands much easier."
Surprised, the former cat blinked then gave the chief a hard look before shrugging. His hide and wings gleamed after the bit of grooming then he shifted slowly back to his natural feline form. "I should say so, sir," he said when his throat reshaped enough to manage speech. The rest followed suit over the course of several minutes. "You just saw my talent. It comes in handy though there are drawbacks."
Eying him, the creaky old shaman smirked. "You cannot remain in any new shape for long without risk of forgetting yourself, young man. I have known many shifters in my time as shaman."
"She's correct," Jasser said with a shrug then tugged his vest onto his shoulders then asked, "Did you call that thing a tracker?"
With a loud whistle, Silnar called for the horses that had run off during the attack. Nodding, he spoke, "Yes. They are helpful animals to have when you can convince one to work with you or spend the time training it from egg to adult. There's nothing they can't find."
Together, they waited for the horses, idly talking about the tracker. Though questioned, Jass didn't say what he did with the beast after they had disappeared in the woods. All he admitted to was making sure it wouldn't return for a good long while; if at all. Even later, while in the shaman's lodge, he refused to say anything more about the encounter in the wood.
Over the next several weeks, he spent his time around the village, observing the people and learning more about his heritage from them. He found them to be great artisans and crafters, wondering if they'd be willing to send the occasional train to sell them back home. More than once, he found himself being the center of attention to one woman or another once words got around who his father was and the potential his family line had associated wit it. Once again, he became annoyed with the way he was viewed and considered moving on to another village or another clan before he needed to return home.
Pondering what to do, he sat by the river near the old power station, watching the ancient wheel turn slowly and rotted pieces drop into the current with a splash. It reminded him of the ones which dotted the landscape beside the rivers back home, only they purified the water, not supply energy for the benefit of a community. So engrossed with the old mill, he didn't hear anyone coming up behind him.
"Hello, Lord Jasser," the soft feminine voice of one of the village maidens said behind him. "I hope I'm not disturbing you." It was Shah-Nay, the plain, scarred cat he had met when he first arrived.
He had spotted her many times since his arrival but had been either too busy with business in general or fending off other girls who wanted him for his social status. He didn't mind the offers of a romp in the furs with them, but he didn't like the intentions behind the requests. They knew he was fully mature and strong, so he could sire a child with any of them.
Glancing up at her, he nodded then shrugged. "You don't have to be formal with me," he said, "Here, I'm just Jasser." Looking about to see who else was there. Spying no one else, he eyed her suspiciously. "You're not disturbing me. What do you want?" he didn't intend to sound blunt, or harsh, but the others had worn on him and made him more jaded toward females in general.
With a smirk, she held up her paws then sat down by him. "Easy. I'm not after anything except a good spot to fish." Then, with a sweep of her arm, she indicated the very place they were sitting. "This just happens to be a perfect spot to catch fish. They love the shade of the old mill and the calmer current on this side of the bank."
As much as he didn't want to believe it, he could tell she had no interest in him as anything other than someone who just happened to be there. "Really? I never really noticed fish in this river," he said by way of testing her.
She nodded and settled herself in before summoning a fishing pole complete with baited hook into her paws and cast the line in to see what bites. "Really. I'm surprised you haven't seen them. This time of year, we get some pretty big fish coming up stream from the ocean." Spying a shadow gliding by underwater, she pointed it out. "Look there. There's one of them now."
After looking and seeing a fish about half his size, his eyes opened big. Okay, so she was being honest and wanted to fish. "That..." he said with a pause, "is a huge fish."
"I know, right," she said cheerfully then pulled the hook out of the water to cast it closer to the fish they just spotted. "One of these could feed an entire family for a day or two."
Smiling, he leans back, bracing himself on his elbows while he watchers her fish. It felt good to just sit with a girl and not feel pressured into having sex with them. As much as he wanted to, he wanted something more than just sex. The future of his family and line depended on it.
For the rest of the afternoon, he watched her fish while they talked about random things. Neither said anything about themselves and enjoyed the time for what it was; companionship on a warm, sunny, day. He liked the idea and promised himself he'd be there often just to see if she'd show up to fish again.
As promised, he returned to the same spot, finding himself waiting there alone most of the time. He spent that time thinking, letting his thoughts wander where ever they wanted. Day dreams of a possible future filled his head as his thoughts started to focus on one girl in particular, the very plain Shay-Nah, the only one who didn't try to push herself on him. She seemed to be the perfect one for him. Though she seemed to be the right one, his heart didn't quite feel like it was in it.
More often than not, he found himself alone by the river. He felt something was missing most of the time and wondered what it could be. Before he knew it, he fell sleep while listening to creak of the wheel. While his waking thoughts were on a girl with apparently no interest in him, his dreams took him place else.
It was a dream he had many times. The river and mill were just like the one he was beside now and he was watching the water flow by on a quiet day. From out of the water, a maiden walked, her hair silken and blue like the water and her body softly coated with sable fur. Deep blue eyes matched the sky above. Though she moved as gracefully as any feline he knew, she certainly wasn't like one, for her supple form seemed too delicate and her fingers and toes webbed but she was as beautiful as the day was long. He held her close in his dream, whispering in her ear how much he longed for her to be in his waking arms.
Slowly, his eyes opened, seeing the very girl he was dreaming about, but he was still locked within that very dream. She came to him, promising him her heart if he could find her among the people he was with now then stepped back as if to return to the water.
He reached for her, feeling an ache he could not described and called out in his sleep for the mysterious woman. Grasping her paw, he pulled her close, feeling the weight of her body against his as if it were real. She wanted him as much he wanted her and together, they made love there on the river bank where anyone could see them.
As he filled the woman in his dream, he woke up to find the very same girl straddling his hips and panting from the moment they shared. She smiled at him, mischief sparkling in her eyes then murred into his ear, "Find who I really am and I will be yours for all eternity, Jasser." She placed a passionate kiss on his lips before she reluctantly pulled herself away from him and jumped into the water.
For the first time, he had sex in that dream and woke up to find his dream girl on him. He didn't want to make any mistakes of siring an cub before he found the woman he wanted. Now, he had that worry added but a promise to go with it. Quickly, he tried to follow her, shifting to match her form so he could search the depths of the river; thankful the cold water helped to ease the hard erection he still had after she left.
After hours of searching in the water, he crawled out of the river, shook off, then flopped down on the bank to make the slow change back to his natural feline form. "Goddess, I wish I knew who she was," he said to no one in particular then rolled over onto his stomach to stare into the forest.
All the Cah'at could shift, but only a few had the talent to take any form they wanted. He only needed to touch something to know how it worked and shift into it the first time. Realizing something, he shifted again; into the strange, knotted form of the tracker.
Stealthily as he could, he returned to where he had first seen the gorgeous sulky then sniffed the ground. The strong scent of him and her mixed together, making him heady with the need to mate then shook it off to follow the fainter trail back into the water. Somehow, he kept track of her scent through the coursing river to a spot further upstream then followed it back toward town. Feeling the beasts instincts try to crowd his own personality, he forces himself to follow the scent along the edge of the village and toward the chief's home. Just as he reached the house, the trail lead him to the back door. There, he saw a very wet leopardess, eyes down and trying to be invisible while he returned to his form at last.
The tracker's ability stuck with him, making the scents around the house stronger but hers was strongest of all, tickling at the memory of his dream mate and his loins. He could smell himself on her and he knew he hadn't been with such a young girl before. "Ri-Shah," he asked gently, "were you near the river?" He could think of no other way for his scent to get on her and suspected something.
Ri-Shah shook her head and kept her eyes down, trembling before him as if she were in trouble. The girl refused to talk to him. She bit her lip and instead looked away from him rather than at him.
"I won't get mad if you were," he insisted gently then touched her chin to make her look up at him. "I followed a trail here and you seem to have gotten something on you that shouldn't be there." A strange shock coursed through his fingers when he touched her cheek. He knew her but wasn't sure how. "Look at me, Ri-Shah," he commanded and furrowed his brows.
The girl laid her ears back, trembling more before she responded to the command she was given. Her eyes were the same bright blue as the sulky's eyes. Though she looked very different from the supple, otter-like woman, she was very much the same one who he mated with on the river bank. Her eyes held no fear, but the same mischievous gleam as the sulky to match the heady scent filling his nose.
"You're not Ri-Shah, are you," he said while looking into her eyes. He could feel his heart jump when he nodded. "Who are you, then? I found you, now I want to know who you are."
She shook her head then giggled. "You have to guess, Jasser. We've already spent plenty of time together before we consummated at the river. Think about it and you will figure out who I am. It isn't who you would suspect." Laughing, the young leopardess turns and enters the house to resume her duties.
Following her in, the young lord grumbles and tries to catch up to her. By the time he reaches for her again, she had changed. The girl he held by the arm was the real Ri-Shah. The other had vanished as quickly as she had appeared. Growling under his breath enough to frighten the already scared girl, he stalks back the way he came and into the forest to think and calm down before the festivities that night.
That night, he ventured out to try and enjoy the festival. The first of the crops had been harvested and they gave promise of bounty to get them through the coming winter months. Music filled the air as couple danced and children ran about playing. Smells of roasted beast and fish filled his nose while looked around for someone.
Trying hard not to cheat, he couldn't help but to retain the tracker's sense of smell and ability to follow a trail. He wanted to find out who the sulky was. He wanted to find the girl in his dreams so he could end the whole trail of social climbing women wanting him for either his money, title, or his bloodline.
Her scent was everywhere. She touched so much around the festival grounds and wasn't surprised. He had to think which smelled the oldest then looked for the newest. Several times he sniffed at a passing woman's hair, or a girl when she spun too close from the dancing. He'd grin and excuse himself before returning to his search.
More than once he was caught by one of the girls he didn't like; the gold diggers wanting him for his bloodline and the promises it could bring. None of them had what he wanted, not did they have his interest and desire. Brushing them off, he extricated himself from their inane conversations to find the girl of his dreams.
Feeling a strong need to find her, he searched all over, spending little time enjoying the dancing and frolicking with the other. It was a time to celebrate and he was too focused on chasing a dream. As people started to clear out for more private places to spend the night, he picked up the scene he was looking for.
Away from the partying and the food, he followed the trail back toward the river. He had an idea who it could be, he just needed to make sure. So far, only one woman in the village piqued his interest. There, but the water, he found; watching the star lit water flow by under the full moon.
"Shah-Nay," he said softly as he walked up. "It was you, wasn't it." He hoped against hope that she was the one he was meant to be with. "You're the sulky who came to me in my dream." He could smell himself on her, still, faint as it was.
"Yes," she said with a purr, "and no." Slowly, she turned to face him, very much the plain panthress he met the day he arrived. "I'm not exactly a sulky, or anything for that matter..."
Tilting his head, he grinned, "Your a true shape-shifter, aren't you," he asked. "You're similar to me, though I have a true form." he stepped closer to her, holding his paws out to her. "Why did you run from me earlier?"
Shaking her head, Shay-Nah sighed then looked away. "Yes, I am a true shape-shifter. I sensed in you something I thought I could never find, then I saw how you reacted to the other women of the clan." As she looked over her shoulder at him, she answered his question, "I ran because I didn't know what I wanted. That same dream you had? It has plagued me for a while. Always the same. Always reaching just that same point then I wake up. When I saw you sleeping on the river bank, I thought, why not give it a try. The dream wouldn't keep repeating itself if it didn't want me to mate with you. Even if it was just one time." Her shoulders drooped and her head hung low. "I never expected to feel what I did after it was done."
"What did you feel," he asked after a moment, feeling a resurgence of an old feeling arise. He felt as if this girl would be just like the others he had met; seeking one thing and one thing only. Now he was obligated to see this to the end, or until nature took care of things.
Her shoulders rose then fell but she did not turn around to meet his serious gaze. "I don't know. What I did feel scared me and when you woke up to see me there, connected to you so intimately with your seed flowing into my belly, I felt like I had done something horrendous. I took you against your will and that feeling crushed all else."
That much he realized had happened. There was nothing willing about their mating on the bank except through the dream itself. It was her he had been dreaming about for years. Grabbing her by the shoulder and spinning her around to face him, he growled at her. By any definition, it was rape and that was punishable in any culture. And yet, he could not bring himself to be angry. Not too angry anyway.
He felt used by her, not violated. He wanted the dream to be real for so long, that he could let that atrocity pass. What he couldn't let go was the sinking feeling that she used him. "So, you're saying you took advantage of me sleeping on the bank just to make a dream go away?"
Shaking her head, she started to sob. Shah-Nay knew she messed up big. "No," she whispered. "No... I wanted something else from you." Her body started to tremble, not from fear of what he could do to her, but from the tumult of emotions vying to take the forefront.
"What did you want," he growled at her through clenched teeth, getting frustrated with the whole situation.
As she lifted her violet eyes to look at him, she sniffled then sighed, "I wanted stability. I'm not what you think I am, or who I am. But I didn't expect to feel something else when I first met you."
He knew her eyes had been blue before and now they were another color. He couldn't quite pin down how they did it through his anger, but he knew deep down. His anger eased as he looked at her and felt sympathy. "What do you need stability for," he asked, insistent on knowing the reason. "Tell me the truth, Shah-Nay. Tell it to me now."
Shaking her head, she backed away from him, sobbing still. There before him, her body wavered as she started to lose control of her magic. No one form could be settled upon, she kept changing and not staying on just one. Then, she started to wail, a high pitched keening sound that deafened him and echoed through the village and surrounding forest.
He would not have believed it if he didn't see it for himself. Wide-eyed, he watched as she lost form and flowed through too many for him to count. After catching his thoughts, he blinked then swallowed hard, feeling bad all of a sudden. "You're a true shifter," he breathed, "This isn't just a rogue talent, this is what you really are." Then, in that instant, it came to him, she was like him with one exception.
Her keening grew louder when he pointed it out and her changing body losing more of its shape. Concerned, he rushed to her and grabbed a hold of her mass in his arms. "Calm down," he said gently, no longer feeling angry or betrayed. She wouldn't have become so upset if she meant him any harm. "You have to calm down or you'll lose yourself forever." Her voice hurt his ears with her wailing, making them ring deep inside from the growing trauma.
With him suddenly there, trying to hold her wavering, liquid, form, and talking to her, not growling, the wailing subsided. His very touch was felt deep within the unstable core of her body and gave her strength. So close, enfolding him in her fluid form, she covered him completely and relaxed.
Jasser didn't know what to make it. He found himself surrounded by her viscous body, the rippling, trembling, mass breathing for him as she touched every inch of his body. There was no fear from him, he felt no malice from this shifter. He felt this new being ignite something within him. A new shape he needed to feel himself become and felt the dangers that came with it.
Just as he started to shift and let himself become the same as she, Shah-Nah recoiled and pooled on the ground in front of him. Slowly, she rose up, reforming herself into the plain Cah'at he knew. "Don't," she warmed when she could form speech and he was still melding into a formless mass. "Not while we hold each other. We could lose ourselves forever if we meld together."
Pained by the sudden separation, he watched her and fell to his knees, understanding what she meant before he spoke. "I see," he grunted, then looked up at her. "You don't have to be scared. I know what it is you feel." Shaking off the affects, the young man stood and let his clothes fall away from his body.
"I'm not the real Shah-Nay," she finally said, admitting to her ruse, "I don't have a name, except for hers."
"I know," he said with a purr, "but we were brought together for a reason." he smiled and gently took her by the paw. "My grandmother has always said that the Fates do things for a reason. Only they know what the future holds and the guard it closely. What they reveal through dreams or through oracles is but a hint. We cannot fight what they demand." Then, he pulled her close to him, and took a deep breath. She stilled smelled strongly of him but her own scent was there, sweet and enticing with the new season.
"I don't know what you mean," she said, unsure of what he was going to do, but not fighting him. She could see his very naked body in the moonlight and what she had done while engulfing him in her own unstable form. A familiar tingle tugged at her loins, pushing her to do as he asked.
"You want stability and I want a girl who wants me, for me," he said trying to explain to her. "The real Shah-Nay doesn't cause the same feelings in me that you do. She's a nice girl, but she's not interested in having a nobleman for a mate. Too much responsibility for her to endure. But you... you are something else entirely. You are everything a man could want and then some." Then, directing her to the hard length standing proudly from his loins, he grins, "You made this happen. Not just anyone can do this without effort."
Shah-Nay smiled, feeling stronger in herself when he explained what he wanted and what she thought she needed. "Would your family and the other nobles except a shifter as one of them," she asked, prepared to give anyone the truth if she could be with him.
"Mom and dad won't mind," he said with a chuckle. "They just want to see me happy. Besides, the Silverclaw bloodline has already been secured by my younger brothers and sisters, they have their families and plenty of grandchildren for mom and grandmother to enjoy." Feeling a stronger urge bubble up, he pulled her closer, pinning his erection between them and purrs, "So, what do you think. Come back with me as my wife. If we just happen to create something new along the way, all the better. Who cares what the other nobles think, as long as I do my duties properly and our children follow in our steps, they have no right to complain."
A soft smile curled across the female's muzzle while she thought about a future with someone who could give her what she wanted most. Finally, she nodded then placed a kiss on his lips to answer his question. She couldn't refuse him if she wanted, not as close as what they had just become in the last few minutes.
There was no further need to talk. He got his answer and she accepted his offer. While they locked lips, he lowered her onto the grassy bank and gently eased her onto her back. His paws slid over her supple body, feeling the scars he knew were not hers and the strong muscles beneath the thick fur along her stomach. Though her bosom wasn't very big, he felt the handful sized breasts, weighing them in his palm while caressing the hardening nipples until they poked through her fur then he kneaded gently with the tips of his claws.
Soft moans were muffled on escape while they shared their embrace. His paws finding every curve and nuance of her body while he prepared her for his member. Her paws stroked along his back and cradled his head. She could feel his erection throb against her thigh impatiently and trickle droplets of his pre onto her dark fur.
Breaking from the kiss, he smiled down at her, gazing deep into her violet eyes before purring, "You should chose your own form so no one will mistake you for another." He cocked his head to one side then dipped his head down to take in a hard nipple; suckling on it hungrily.
This was definitely no dream for her, this time. As he suckled, she felt him pull at something deep within her core, making the tingling in her loins grow stronger and expand outward to fill more of her belly. She wanted him, the need growing stronger and she knew what it was this time and wasn't afraid. Holding him close, she moaned and panted, her hips arching off the ground, even as he made the suggestion.
While he suckled from her and made her growing heat stronger, she shifted slightly, the scars disappearing and much of the toning melding away into a softer, more curvy female; a memory of a woman she had met long ago. The known white markings disappeared, leaving new ones in their place, a bib of white that covered from her chin to over her fuller breasts, white tipped ears, both feet and hand-paws. They were now hers to keep and known by.
He could feel her body change beneath him. Her breast swelled slightly and the nipple he lashed with his tongue and held in his teeth thickened. The other, in his free paw, felt heavier and the white dazzled his eyes when it appeared. He smiled around the teat before switching to the other, giving it the same attention while he listened to her moans and felt her body writhe beneath his own.
Sensing her readiness, he reached between her thighs to feel her softly furred mound. His fingers slipped between to find her clitoris and stroked the swollen nub as it protruded from its hood. She felt wet and her scent had grown spicy with her heightened desires. As much as he wanted to take her right then, he held back, trembling with his control until he could feel how warm she had become from his attentions. One finger slipped past the puffy outer lips to stroke just inside, making her buck and tense with renewed vigor. He could feel the muscles tighten to pull him in further.
Adding another finger, he pushed his way into her depths, feeling the heat of her arousal and the flood of her nectar as she came. Slowly, he thrust his fingers in and out of her canal, sating her need long enough for him to enjoy her body before releasing himself to the mindless craze of mating.
Shah-Nay groaned, writhing more as he found her secret places and tickled the hidden place that made her lose all control of her desires. She begged him to sate her, to scratch the growing itch of her burgeoning heat she felt rising inside of her. As she pressed her body to his, she found his shaft and stroked the thick, length of barbed meat, smearing the thin pre all over his length.
He could feel her lose more of herself to the moment and her desire rise up to engulf him in its wake. The urge to take her had grown stronger with her stroking, making him grunt and groan with the effort to hold back for as long as he could. But, her begging and the sensual motions of her writhing form became to much for him to endure for long. Easing back, he slid his length from her eager paw and pressed the tip into her hot channel he held open with his fingers. As he licked them clean, he took in her heady scent and dove in deep to hilt himself in her warm embrace.
Joined with her, he rocked his hips, feeling the ripple of her inner walls around his shaft and the tightening of her body beneath his own. She was tight, snugging him like a glove and it felt perfect to him. While he thrust into her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.
Behind his eyes he saw explosions of emotion and color as he gave himself over to their feral needs. He felt her own release pulse around him several times and the flood of her nectar washing through her canal as he thrust in deep, making her slick enough for his barbs to move freely and stimulate her into ovulating during their tryst.
As his need grew stronger, he rolled her hips up and braced her knees on his shoulders so he could pound harder into her well. He grunted and growled ferally, lost to the moment as he sought out his release. All he could was her wrapped around him, their bodies and souls entwined as they raced onward toward their ultimate release. As he neared his peak, his thrusts became erratic, hips twisting and turning to feel every inch of her heat before he suddenly roared and flooded her depths with thick ropes of his seed. He kept grinding into her, needing to spill all he could into his new wife before his climax ebbed.
Jerking from her hot, pulsating well, his barbs raking deep, making her yowl and tense as he sprayed her nethers with his seed then plunged back in to continue grinding against her mound. In the back of his sex crazed mind, he wanted to make sure she would be carrying his first cub before they left even thought the long trip could prove dangerous for both. He felt the same need from her echoing in his mind, demanding they keep going until both were fully sated and the Fates had what they wanted from them.
For hours they coupled, shifting into their feral animal forms at the end to bind their union more fully. He covered her smaller form with his massive size and pounded home his seed into her willing, heat filled, body. Only when he finally released the last of his seed and yanked out of her depths to stimulate the eggs of his future children to enter her filled womb did they stop and rest curled together on the bank in their animal forms.
Dawn found them entwined once more and in their normal bodies, sleeping peacefully when the chief and his adopted daughter came riding by. He laughed at the sleeping pair, not bothering to awaken them, knowing they were up until the wee hours of the night copulating. Everyone heard them though not many had been asleep either. But, the elder confirmed his suspicions on his morning ride and felt a little sad that his only child could have the young noble. Still, the one he chose was pretty enough and she had his approval to leave with the young man.
When the pair awoke and stumbled their way into the village, a new party had been set up. It was already late afternoon and they spent some extra time making love by the river before returning to civilization. A cheer rose up when they entered the main square and the chief was there waiting for them with a huge smile.
"I was beginning to wonder if the two of you would stop long enough to find our surprise, Jasser," the elder chuckled. "Why don't you two come forward and make your mating official in the eyes of the clan?"
Jasser was confused and so was his mate. They looked at each other then blushed. Who couldn't ignore the ruckus they were making while they were mating by the river. Holding paws, then went to the chief and stood before him in wrinkled clothes and tussled hair and fur.
"We could hear everything, young man," Silnar explained, "There was no denying what had happened and who you were with, though I never suspected you'd join with our own mystery."
Looking even more confused, Shah-Nay gripped Jasser's arm tightly and curled her tail around his waist. "You... you knew I was here all along..." she stammered, suddenly frightened by what that could mean.
The young man held her close, protecting the woman he decided to call his wife. Her expression became serious while he looked up at the chief on his raised dais.
Nodding, the chief said, "Yes, we knew. It became obvious when we noticed the same fur in two places at the same time. We suspected but let you decide when to come out and let yourself be known. It wasn't our place to make you come forward until you were ready. But, you have been the names of others. I, for one, would like to know your name, young lady."
Almost hiding behind her mate, the shifter shook her head and shuddered. "I... I don't have a name. Not one I can remember. No harm was meant in taking on those I mimicked."
"Shh," the young male whispered to her to try and calm her down, "don't be scared. I don't think he's going to do anything to you or else he would have by now."
"That's why I'm not angry with you," the chief said with a kind smile. He held out his hand to her and asked once more, "Please, may I have your name."
Shaking her head, the shifter hid her face. "I don't have a name to give," she whimpered, feeling out of place for no reason.
Leaning close to her ear, Jasser purred, "I'll give you a name." then he looked up at the chief, "Her name is Bella Maria, sir." he smiled at her and hugged her close, "My chosen mate."
Silnar nodded then looked at the pair in front of him. He still held his paw out to the young woman, waiting for her to take it. "Very well, then, Bella Maria. You are now named among us, one of the Silverclaw clan. Welcome to your new family, Bel-Mar."
Blinking, Bella looked up at Jasser then up at the chief. She was given a great gift by both of them and no one was jeering at her. After a moment and a gentle nudge from her mate, she let go of him to take the chieftain's paw. "Thank you," she murmured and dipped her head in respect.
"You're welcome, my lady," the old chief said then let her paw go. "Now that she is named and one of us, it is time to bind the two of you in matrimony. It isn't often we get to see two very different beings come together in front of our eyes. Personally, I was hoping you'd take an interest in my daughter, Ri-Shah, but there are others she can have later when she is ready." he chuckled merrily.
Jasser blushed and ducked his head. He thought the girl was pretty but she was just too shy for him and couldn't bring herself to speak to him during his stay with them. He brought Bel-Mar into his arms again, holding her against him while she cried tears of joy into his shoulder fur. He grinned at her and purred softly before their attention was required again.
"Now, on with the ceremony," began the chief while the shaman came out of the crowd carrying a basket of herbs of strange smelling flowers. "The clan has come together to bear witness to the union of Jasser, son of Yanneh and Angel, grandson of Sab-Eth and Jass and Mariko and Denson, to Bel-Mar, daughter of mother earth and father of the forest, grandchild of the spirits. His is a line of royalty and strength as the son of the returned leader of our clan. Hers is a line of mystery and renewal. With this union, a new generation will grow to bring us closer to a future filled with prosperity and peace."
While the chief spoke his litany and their heritage, the shaman sprinkled the both of them with the loose petals of the flowers and herbs from the basket. She placed her wrinkled paw on Bel's stomach, smiled, then blessed her. She also blessed the confused male standing before her and winked at him before placing a ring of woven beads and flowers on their heads. As the chief neared the end of his speech, the old cat produced a thin leather cord, braided and decorated with black, green, and silver beads.
As the chief spoke, she bound their paws together with the cording and stepped back from them. "With this leather band," the chief continued, "you are bound together as husband and wife. Together in life, you will share everything as you wander the winding paths to your end days. Do you, Bel-Mar of the clan Silverclaw, promise to protect, love, and keep your mate's confidence for all your days? Do you promise to bear his children to continue his line and raise them within the laws and traditions of your clan?"
Her eyes wide with wonder, and confused by the wink the shaman gave her, bell nodded then looked up at the chieftain. "Yes, I do swear to love him and keep him until the end of our days. I promise to bear the fruit of his loins and raise them as part of the clan." Speaking the promise, she shivered and felt a cold streak race down her spine, making her fur stand on end.
Not seeing her reaction, the chief turned to Jasser and grinned big at him before continuing. "Do you, Jasser, promise love and protect Bel-Mar, honor her always and keep her within your heart until the end of your days? Do you promise to make her the only mother of your children and raise them in the laws and traditions of the clan?"
Standing proudly and more than happy to say it, he spoke firmly, "I do and willingly. She is already a part of me and I a part of her." Noticing her sudden chill, he glanced at her quizzically then touched his forehead to hers and purred softly.
"Then, but the power vested in by the Council of Chiefs and this clan, I now pronounce you mates. You may kiss your bride," he laughed then stepped down from his dais to congratulate them first. While the two kissed, he announced to those present, "Please welcome our newest couple and wish them many blessings for their future together!"
While they kissed, the other clansfurs closed in around them to wish them luck and congratulate them on their marriage. Bel's strange cold reaction was never questioned and forgotten before their kiss ended. For the rest of the evening, the danced and enjoyed the food prepared for them. Well into the night, they celebrated with the village. As soon as they could slip away, the ran to the river, paws still bound together and dove in, shifting into sulkies to mate in the cold water away from prying eyes.
Their honeymoon was their long trip back to the city of Cat's Haven. Each night, they held each other and looked up at the stars while talking about what ever came to mind. They knew she was pregnant when they left the village with a contract for trade and a promise of a faster route to the distant city. Dangerous as it was, they traveled slowly to enjoy their time together and let their new cubs grow throughout the season.
The Fates smiled at the newly mated pair and the twins the shifter carried in her womb. They laughed and swirled around them invisibly before dancing off to find their next couple to bring together. Somewhere, they knew, two hearts were needing help in finding each other and the future they saw needed them.