Page 29 of Scarred

“Just make it back for our ceremony,” Rown said.

“Nothing but death will stop me,” Suni promised.

“If you will excuse me, I am going to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything while you guys work out the last kinks to our plan.” Amma left the males by the fire and returned to the cave to find her animal friends laying on her bed snoring in a tangle of limbs, having taken to each other like they had been born brothers. She smiled and bent over the sleeping cuties. “Hey guys, wake up. We are getting ready to leave.”

Can we leave later? Mike stretched with a big yawn.

“Now you want to sleep?” Amma picked Mike up and touched his nose with hers. “Suni is going to help visit Jo and find the others.”

Not Jo. Sam scampered up her leg. She can stay lost.

“Sam,” Amma said, and glared at the innocent-looking squirrel. “That’s not nice. She has already been found. She has a strong mate, and I’m going to tell her what you said.”

I’m sorry. Sam bumped her cheek with his nose. I will be more kind.

“I know you will,” Amma said. “Pick a shoulder, you two. Astro, are you coming with us?”

Astro stretched out as far as his little body would go, claws extended. Adventure!

“Yes, we are going to have an adventure,” Amma promised. Astro jumped into her hands, and she helped him get settled on top of her backpack.

Chapter 11

Suni

“She is a strong female, and interesting.”

Suni turned his glare on Rown, who stood next to him staring after Amma. “She is mine.”

“I know.” Rown turned from the cave and kicked dirt over the fire. “I was just stating a fact. I would never try to turn your female’s eyes from you.”

Suni snorted. He doubted the young warrior could do such a thing. Amma didn’t seem like a female who wanted to train a youngster. “Remember to cover the ground with foliage to cover any tracks we may have left.”

“We will.” Gar replied and cleared his throat. “I know we have been over this, but are you sure it is a good idea to go into another’s territory without permission?”

He couldn’t get mad at the young warrior. It was unheard of for a warrior to enter another chief’s territory without permission. It could be seen as an act of war, and war was something his village didn’t need. “We are on good terms with Volt’s village. I am hoping that alone will give us a welcome.”

“Maybe Jo will be able to smooth things over,” Rown said. “They are her family.”

“What should we tell your brother?” Gar grinned. “He likes to know where all his siblings are at all times.”

“He forgets we are all adults,” Suni grumbled. “Tell him I said I am the older brother. If that does not work, inform Mia that I am escorting her cousin, Amma, to visit Jo. She will understand and keep my brother calm until I return.”

“If I was not the one bearing the news, I would enjoy what was to come.” Gar said. He grabbed his brother’s arm and pulled him from the clearing. “See you upon your return,” he yelled over his shoulder before they were both swallowed by the foliage.

“Did Gar and Rown leave just now?”

Suni turned and sucked in a breath. The light of the rising moon shone through the leaves and highlighted Amma’s dark skin and sparkling eyes. If he were a poet, he would write songs of her beauty for all to hear.

“Yes, they have started their return journey home.”

“I wanted to say goodbye. I hope I get to see them again.”

“I am sure you will.” Suni would do all in his power to convince Amma to return with him to his home as his mate. “They are constantly causing some type of trouble.”

“They remind me of my sisters and cousins,” Amma said. “I didn’t know how much I missed the friendly bickering until I met them.”

“If you thought that was bickering, wait until you meet my family. We can make anyone go crazy. If you are ready to move out, we can start walking. I ask that you stay close and listen when I say stop. Some of the morning predators have not bedded down yet.”

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