Page 4 of Restoring the Ngozii

The battle within me to go to my mate is the hardest I’ve ever had to fight, without a doubt. I made an oath to protect Captain Kari and Vahru, and I will, with everything in me. The problem is, can I protect them even if it will cost me my mate? I can’t lose her, not before I’ve had a chance to know her.

My feet carry me up and down the path in front of Vahru’s house, my steps silent as I listen for any threats. A small moan drifts to my ears from the woods, and I turn in the direction Kari and Vahru headed, my brow raising as I listen. There are no more, so I’m sure it’s not the moan I was afraid it was.

My eyes lift to the sky, noting the stars and the neighboring planet barely visible through the canopy of leaves. Having seen it completely, in all its blue marbled glory, I’ll never forget it’s there and will look for it every chance I get. I’d love to go explore it if I got the chance. Do people live there? Is it just an empty world waiting to be filled? So many questions.

Footsteps crunch through the leaves, and I turn to see Vahru coming back with a sleepy Kari wrapped in a blanket in his arms. Rushing up the porch steps, I quickly push open the door for them and close it once they’re inside, Vahru whispering a polite thank you before disappearing with his mate.

I sigh as the door clicks closed. That could be me carrying my little mate. My body slumps until I sit heavily on the top step, my chin in my hands as I pout. Why couldn’t she have come at a better time when I’d be available to properly court and mate her? Why now?

My eyes roam around, noting the small flickering lights deep in the forest, hints of the Guardians watching. I know that most things, if not all, happen for a reason. The Guardians remind us of that often. Things happen the way they must for certain outcomes to be achieved, and sometimes it’s not as we’d like, but it’s what’s best for all involved.

Maybe my mate coming to me after her ordeal this way, and me being too busy to go after her immediately, is perfect. She does deserve time to come to grips with what happened to her and how she’s free now. She needs to be herself, find her purpose in life, before she’s forced to adjust to having a mate. I could hinder her healing process if not careful. I know that.

Logically, I understand it all. Emotionally, I hate it with every fiber of my being. I want to be with her, to hold her, to help her heal, to protect her and assure her that she’ll never be forced to do anything she doesn’t want ever again. I’ll make sure of that. Just because I understand the way things must be doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Terax quietly stalks up the path, stopping just short of the porch as he nods to me. His hands are clasped behind his back, his long black hair down behind him rather than pinned for once. His tail is still behind him, indicating his calm isn’t forced but natural. Piercing green eyes assess me carefully as he stands tall and ready. “How goes things tonight, Kosiiba?” His voice is quiet as he watches me, waiting for my response.

I look around and shrug, sitting up. “Nothing out of the ordinary. Quiet as can be here.”

Terax grunts and nods, his gaze taking in our surroundings for a long moment before he mutters, “Don’t let your guard down. Could be the calm before the storm.” He then turns on his heels and marches off to check on the others, his shoulders stiff, tail still as can be behind him. Maybe that calm wasn’t entirely natural but his anxiety forcing him to remain calm and prepared for any sort of surprise.

I’ll never have that sort of calm reserve like him. He’s always so strong, so stoic, never showing emotion as he handles everything in stride like a true leader. I know he’s been through a lot in his past, and I wish it hadn’t hurt him so much. He’s a good guy, really.

A lot of the village tends to avoid Terax because he’s terrifying looking. I get it, when I was young and joined the party, he terrified me a bit, too, just looking at him. He’s covered in scars and keeps a permanent scowl on his face. He can be calm and gentle, but he’s always hyper-focused on the task at hand. He doesn’t joke around or play games, he’s serious and prepared at all times. It makes him a great leader because he’s always ready for anything, his mind always focused on plans in case of changes. Doesn’t make him a bad person, though.

Since Jeff became in charge as Kari’s second and started handling the hunting teams as a village guard as well, people are growing more comfortable with Terax. He’s the sentry for the village center, he’s the leader and coordinator of all the hunting parties, making him Jeff’s right hand man, so people are beginning to come to him with concerns. Personally, I think it’s great for him to get that sort of exposure, that sort of acceptance, when he’s been missing it from his life for so long. It’s good for him.

A buzzing noise has me on my feet in seconds, jumping off the porch as I search like mad for the source of it. It’s above me, that much I can tell, and I follow its path through the trees as I listen carefully. It circles Vahru’s house before heading down to the center of the village.

My feet move swiftly as I turn to run after it, but I skid to a stop, kicking up dirt as my head swivels back and forth between the path and Vahru’s home. I growl as my ponytail whips me in the eye, and I pause, thinking this through. Terax is in the main part of the village, he should hear it and may be able to take it out or even get a good look at it, which I was unable to do.

I made an oath to him and to Kari that I would keep her and Vahru safe, that’s my first priority. However, my heart made a claim on a tiny wisp of a woman that needs my protection, too, but she’s on the other side of the village, near the great lake. My chest pulls me towards the village, but my head turns back to the house I’m meant to protect.

I’m torn in two, unsure of what the right course of action is, when a tiny green light settles on my shoulder. I catch sight of the tiny Guardian before my vision is blinded, and when I blink again, the tiny Guardian is as big as me, hovering before me on humming wings. Gasping in shock, I quickly bow to it, afraid of offending the great Guardians of our forest.

“It’s all right, Kosiiba, you may rise.” She smiles sweetly at me, her pink eyes nearly glowing. Her entire body is green, but a pale shade of it. She glows with an ethereal light that’s soothing to my soul.

“I’m sorry, Guardian. I didn’t want to offend. Thank you for always watching over us.”

“Kosiiba, I’m simply here to tell you that things will work out for you when they are meant to. I know you’re struggling now with the new arrival of your mate and your oath to Kari, but let us be clear,your oath to Kari is most important now. This world needs Kari now more than ever, you need to protectherfirst. You will get plenty of time with your mate when things are settled, I can assure you of that, but Kari must be safe and able to complete her mission here before that can happen. You make sure Kari is safe and capable, we’ll make sure you get a life with your mate.”

“I understand.” My eyes drop to the ground as I’m filled with sorrow for a moment. Meeting my mate will have to wait a while yet.

“I know it seems as if you’re losing your chance at love, but that’s not the case, dear boy. Time will pass faster than you expect. Your mate needs her time to prepare for you anyway, think of it as following the right course. You’re on the right path, don’t fret.” Her pale green lips lift in a motherly smile, and I try to return it.

“All right. I’ll stay the course. It won’t be easy, but I trust you.”

She beams a bright smile, her light shining so bright I’m blinded, and when I blink, she’s back to a tiny fairy buzzing before me. I blink again, and she zips off into the trees, leaving me alone on the path in the darkness of early morning. Looking through the canopy, I note the rising of the sun, the lightening of the sky, and the shift in our sister planet. So much time passed during that small interaction, how odd.

Shuffling back to the porch steps to sit and wait for shift change, a scream comes from the house, making my heart pound furiously. Who dares go after my captain!? Ripping my knives from my sheathes, I storm up the porch and throw the door open, my eyes roaming the room before rushing across and kicking open the bedroom door.

I’m met with a ferocious Vahru as he crouches on the bed, naked as the day he was born, growling at my intrusion. My eyes roam, taking in the well-kept room to find it empty aside from them. Vahru whirls around as Kari pants for breath, his body blocking hers from my view as all I can see is her face. “Kari, what is it?”

He reaches for her, and she slaps his hands away, her mouth opening as she gulps in deep breaths to calm herself. I slowly slide my knives back into my sheaths, standing up tall as I wait for her answer, assuming it’s nothing more than a nightmare that’s terrified her. When she looks up at Vahru and smiles, I’m thrown for a loop, not sure what to expect.

“I know how to stop Tavionna. I can fix this.” Her words are a panted whisper, excitement coating every word.

What in the… how? That must have been one hell of a dream.

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