Two wide onyx eyes watched eagerly as the sun began peeking gently over the mountain top. Her small five foot frame sat almost paralyzed on the dirt floor, her eyes fixated on the swirling mix of yellow and orange, a mesmerizing contrast to the dark blue base outside the window. The light spread and chased away the ever encroaching darkness as she rose and made her way to the front door of the little clay hut. It was time.
Dark luscious curls fanned around her head in every direction, wild and free, bouncing with every step. Her dark mocha skin was almost completely covered in loose dirt from her morning's grounding exercise. She had been there weeks in preparation for this very moment, separated from her entire tribe. The trail that led to her village took an eternity to travel, the excitement and nervousness welling up inside her almost too much to handle. She closed her eyes and remembered everything she had gone through in her time there, in solitude.. A rite of passage.
The Elder spotted her first. Sunken faded eyes widened, as her return could only mean one thing. She ignored the older woman, holding her head higher as she made her way slowly down the path to the middle of the village- a large dirt clearing where all of the tribe rituals were held. Standing firmly, proudly, in the middle of the clearing was a ten foot tall carved rock, its surface worn smooth from the elements. A small sigh escaped as she rested her hand softly on the rock, tracing the light blue carvings slowly with her fingers. The entire village had gathered on the edges of the clearing, but she didn't notice them as she stripped off the leather garbs that covered her body. Only her skin remained.
A calm silence fell upon the entire village. No one seemed to breathe in the seconds that followed. She closed her eyes and whispered.... every ear strained to hear, but the words were forgotten as the brilliant radiance of the etched stone overtook them. The carvings pulsed faster and faster, turning a brilliant blue and then white. The Elder gasped as she watched glowing blue runic markings appear on the girl's body, and then every eye closed to shield themselves when the light became too much to bear. As fast as it had come, it disappeared, leaving the girl collapsed in the dirt. The only proof of the experience was a dark burn like marking on the girls left chest over her heart. She reached up gently and touched it.
She had been accepted as Priestess. The youngest their had ever been.
"Taiga!"
Strong hands wrapped around her, and she was lifted gently from the ground. she recognized his smell immediately. They had been inseparable for nearly ten years.
"Koda..." She sighed, still weak from the ritual.
"Why didn't you tell me?!?" He questioned immediately, his voice cold to hide how hurt he actually was. She didn't blame him, though. She had avoided the confrontation all together because she knew he would've talked her out of it. This was her destiny, just like it was his destiny to be Chieftain. Now she was lost to him forever, unable to have a human partner.
"Not now, Koda..." She strained, hoping he wouldn't pursue the issue any further. He kept his mouth shut but she could see the strain in his jaw. It took a second for her to realize he was moving, and the rhythm of his steps quickly lulling her into a deep sleep.
Slowly the villagers trickled away to begin their daily routines. The older members were found in the clearing, meditating in the presence of their sacred stone while all able bodied hunters, men and women alike, geared up to hunt for the day's meals. Children ran naked in the dirt, weaving in and out of the huts with imaginations that sored to the sky. They were followed closely by two wolves, one full black and the other a smoky grey, and Koda stopped momentarily to watch the black wolf stop a unruly child from running towards the forest. He had raised both of those wolves from pups to protect his village and watch the young.
Making a sudden stop he turned towards the nearest hut and ducked inside, placing Taiga in the bed of straw in the back left hand corner of the one room structure. When he turned around the Elder was standing in the door way.
"Krea," he growled, his anger finally bubbling over. "What the hell just happened."
"Calm yourself, boy," She answered calmly, her old frame hunched over slightly. Her bald head and sunken eyes often reminded him of something out of old horror stories the elders tell the children to get them to behave.
"Why didn't you stop her? You know this shouldn't have happened."
"On the contrary, this is exactly what needed to happen. I had to figure out exactly what was happening." Krea coughed horsely and then continued. "When she told me, I didn't stop her."
"So now what." Koda growled, anger rising back into his voice again.
"You know what you need to do," the elder chuckled.
"I won't!" he replied, opening up his stance and taking a step forward. He looked ready to punch her square in this face. Krea's amusement faded and she held her hand up, pointing a long boney finger at his chest.
"You will!" Krea snapped, turning quickly to make her way to door. "They are coming, Koda. Tonight. You hace no other choice."
After she had gone, he waited calmly for the anger to dissipate before turning to look at Taiga. She was soundly asleep, her curls half covering her face.
"This is a fucking nightmare," he whispered to himself before picking her naked body back up and disappearing out the hut and into the forest.
* * *
When her eyes opened she was staring up into a bright blue sky framed with tree leaves. The branches above her swayed softly in a cool wind that quickly chilled her naked frame. The forest around her was alive with the sound of birds in the distance, chirping a midday song. Unsure of how she had gotten here, she sat up slowly and searched her memory for the happenings of the morning. Koda... he had picked her up and brought her here? To the middle of the forest? Naked? Her right hand came to rest on the burned runic marking over her heart and she stroked in gingerly, expecting happiness to well up inside her but it never came. This confused her. How could she not be happy. She had chosen this life...
"Taiga."
Koda dropped out of the tree branches and landed a short distance from her, his muscles glistening with sweat from the climb. His black hair was short and messy, and the square frame of his face was strained. When he straightened up he stood right above six feet tall, towering over her. She had always admired his height, being as short as she was.
"I see you're finally awake," he forced a smile. She knew better.
"Why did you bring me here?" He was surprised by how soft her voice was when she spoke. He expected anger, hatred even.
"We need to talk."
"Talk about what?"
"About your decision, Taiga. Please don't play dumb with me."
Taiga repositioned herself, leaning back against the nearest tree, letting the rays of the sun warm her skin. She was silent, watching him carefully. When she refused an answer, he tried again.
"I need an explanation, Taiga. First, you are too young, and secondly you didn't even give me the chance to talk to you about it. It was foolish, you could've died."
"But I didn't."
"That's not the point." He growled, clenching his jaw tightly to avoid yelling. He needed to keep his cool.
"Look, I didn't have any other choice."
"Explain."
"I don't need to explain anything to you, this was my decision and my decision alone." Taiga's voice hardened and her eyes were suddenly blank. He realized she was guarding herself. There was something she hadn't told anyone, some secret. If anyone could find out it was him. He moved closer and placed his hand softly on her knee. To his surprise she flinched, something she had never done before and he withdrew immediately.
"What in the world happened..."
She looked away, uncomfortable and ashamed. He moved next to her, resting his back against the tree and they just sat their in silence for an eternity. The birds chirped around them, oblivious to obvious awkwardness. She hated hiding from him like this, not telling him. It hurt her in ways she couldn't even express. He had been her stone pillar for so long that pushing him away was like stabbing herself in the gut.
"You started your blood moon." His voice was so low she almost didn't hear it. Was she that easy to read? Couldn't be... how did he know? She was 2 years too young, and it had scared her. At 16 she should've been aiding those who were bearing children in the field, or hunting with the strong, but instead she was... she was...
"Taiga." His voice stopped her train of thought and she realized he had moved directly in front of her, staring into her eyes. She was mesmerized, suddenly feeling... light? So light and so free. There was fire, a warmth, spreading in her groin and suddenly she needed him like she had never needed anything before. A warning sounded off in her head. The look in his eyes relaxed her a little, pushing away the uneasiness into the back of her mind and locking it away. A smile played on his lips as he closed the distance between them. He was so close, closer than he had ever been, and she leaned towards him, never breaking away from his gaze. She felt.... odd, but odd in a good way. She needed him closer, needed him.... needed him.... closer....
He stopped inches from her and she suddenly looked away, fighting the fuzziness in her head; why couldn't she think straight? What had just happened? A small gasp escaped her mouth when she realized how wet she was between her legs. Her body seemed to be in some sort of overdrive. Embarrassment overcame her, and fear, but his voice distracted her.
"Taiga..."
Taiga blinked when she realized his hand had brushed her cheek, guiding her to him until.... When their lips touched she exploded, but it brought her no relief like she had hoped, only magnified the feelings that were ripping her apart. Koda broke away and was watching her struggle with a sly smile. As soon as he had backed away she was leaning in for more, like a starved animal.
"Koda?"
"Yes Taiga?" Her eyes were half closed and she was still attempting to lean in, searching for some relief. He had done it, the spell was successfully completed, and he knew that now she wouldn't fight him.
"Help.... help me..." Her head dropped slightly as she closed her dark eyes and shook her head side to side in slow motion as if she were drunk. "Something is wrong... I... I don't feel... so good."
No.
Koda's eyes widened. She was much stronger than he had anticipated. Scowling, he tried frantically to determine his next course of action. If he continued she would fight him the whole way, and it was something he couldn't fathom doing to her. But on the flip side it had to happen now, his time was running out, their time was running out.
He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them softly, bringing his lips to her ear so he could whisper the last words that were needed. She barely understood what he had said before he had ripped her away from the tree and had slammed her on to the ground.
I'm sorry. Please forgive me.
He had whispered I'm sorry. Taiga closed her eyes as the wind hit her bare body and she smiled. Then he was on her, skin against skin, and she watched through half open eyes his face peering down at her. He hesitated. A rain drop hit her face, causing her to question her sanity. It definitely wasn't raining. But there it was again. He was crying. She opened her mouth to say comforting words to him but her brain was rattled by a sudden pain.
A pain she hadn't been expecting.
A pain that was slipping away.
Away... away....
A moan. Was it hers? His? It didnt matter.
She was being given the relief she desired.
'Thank you' she wanted to whisper.
The words never came out.
