Page 9 of Jessica's Mates
“You mean like pixxe or netah, right?” I hoped he wasn’t thinking about killing the ahnn for meat. I liked meat but I wasn’t about to see a beautiful creature die so I could eat. I would be happy with even the mushrooms over the ahnn any day.
“Of course,” Koh replied. I was starting to think he would have chased after the ahnn and killed it if I said so.
He led me over to a stunning water hole. The grass was short around here, and it was soft under my feet. I sat down and ran my hand over the small purple blades of grass. I scooped some water up with my other hand and drank from it. I was hot after the long walk, but out here it was so quiet.
I was used to the quiet, and I think I needed the break from all the loud sounds back at camp.
“I shall go get the food, I won’t be far. Stay here and I will return very soon.”
I looked up and watched him as he ran, then climbed a tree, his twin tails were in sync with each other. Both waving until he got higher and one wrapped around a branch, and he swung himself like a monkey with four arms, grabbing and grasping as he climbed higher and higher, until I couldn’t see him anymore.
I closed my eyes and listened. Some birds made small sounds, and the leaves rustled a little in the breeze, but other than that, pure silence. Calming and relaxing.
I took a deep breath and lie down, my tee riding up on my belly. I took my runners off and put my toes in the grass. I sighed at the feeling.
I would just close my eyes. Only for a moment.
It was nice out here. Turns out, when I closed my eyes I must have slept for awhile. Koh didn't wake me, but I woke to a mountain of food beside me. Koh was lying beside me. He was still as his chest slowly rose and fell, his upper hands behind his head. He had his eyes closed also.
It gave me a chance to really see him. His long hair, which always seemed to be tied up, was now free and loose behind him. It was beautiful. Black and purple strands running through it. His eyelashes were a darker purple also, but I think what I noticed about Koh was he wasn’t exactly purple. He had more of a blue hue to him. It was pretty and so was he.
His lips were plump and so kissable… Wait, no they weren’t. They weren’t kissable. I couldn’t believe I thought of that. His chest was wide and muscular. God, you could tell he worked with his hands. And that six pack… more like eight. His cloth… oh, that looked a little tented. I quickly averted my eyes and looked at his thighs, so large and strong.
I had the urge to touch him. Just to see how he felt. Does his skin feel soft? Was it rough? His hair looked like silk. Was it?
He was sleeping, and he already had the mating hormones so it wasn’t like I would be triggering something. But then, it was kind of rude for me to touch him without asking. I wouldn’t like it if he touched me while I was sleeping.
“Koh?” I whispered. I didn’t want to startle him.
“Mmm… Jee-seka,” he mumbled back. I bet the poor guy really needed the rest. He had been working nonstop since I got here to Clan Wolf. So, I slowly moved over to the food and picked up the baseball looking one. I knew it was netah. I loved it, I didn’t even know how to describe the taste. But if I had to eat only one of the foods here on Aarzyn, I would pick netah.
I drank more water, and then decided to explore the area, but keeping close to Koh. It was beautiful, this area he took me to. I looked up into the trees, they were so tall. So far up. I couldn’t even climb one if I tried. The branches were too high for me.
I heard a sound and my heart started to race. I turned back to where I heard it. Koh was stretching his hands above his head and yawned before rolling over. He didn’t open his eyes. I smiled. He was so cute just lying there sleeping. If you didn’t know better, you would think he was a rock or something. He blended into the area so well.
I saw a white flower ahead of me. I cocked my head in confusion. I was told the flowers here were green. Not white. Huh… Up ahead there was a tree that was whiter than others. And if I listened closely, I swear I could hear machines? Holy shit. Were we close to the mines?
I took a few tentative steps and looked around. Where was it coming from? Left? Up ahead?
A blinding pain rocked through my head and all I could see was black spots… my body growing weak beneath me. I opened my mouth to call out for Koh but nothing happened. I didn’t know what was happening to me.
Then, everything went black.
Chapter Ten
K’Tem
Three days ago, I spoke to my brother. He was sending messages to two different types of care groups on Mori Mori. Trying to get support for what I had seen here and all the information I had sent back to him. Ones that would be able to help the Zalli.
He had promised me he would come and help save them all. I couldn't just leave them here; I felt guilty that I couldn't do anything more.
“I'm just going on break,” I told one of the other soldiers. He just grunted at me as I walked away. I left my gun and my datawatch behind. This was it; I was going to go find my fated. I quickly made my way past all the slaves and prisoners and into the woods. I knew the direction that I needed to head. She was close to mine eighty-three, I just had to head north and I would be there in a day or two.
I had only been going a few hours when I heard a sound up ahead. I froze. Was it an Aashi male? I wasn't too sure how they would react to seeing me, a M’Mori male, in their territory. I had no weapons to protect myself; I was unarmed. When I heard it getting closer to me, I decided the best course of action would be to greet them.
“Hello, who goes there?” I called out in the Aashi language, hoping to hear someone's voice in return and not spears or any of the weapons Aashi might have.
But whoever was out there had stopped. This left me in a hard position. Were they waiting for me to come out of where I was hiding behind a tree? Or was it an animal who had made the sounds and not someone else? I couldn’t stand here waiting all day, so I took a few steps forward, making sure to keep quiet. I crouched low, my clothing not helping to camouflage myself to the trees.
