Page 106 of Return of the Nine

They returned to their camp, and the shield was still in place. Fortunately, they had fresh supplies.

“All right, gentlemen. You know what to do.”

This trip was putting the Wilders first. If they needed to run and hunt in their shifted shape, she was going to give them a worthy foe.

While they worked on the camp, she used her returned dexterity to climb a tree and saw off a few supple branches. The basics meant that everyone without claws was going to be carrying a spear or long blade. This was not easy prey.

Humming to herself, she wrapped a strip of fabric around the hilt of a knife to bind it to the stick. She heard a familiar sound.

“Gentlemen, we are about to be visited. If you injure thisanimal, I will gut you like a Zaphling.”

She walked toward the sound and found the meadow where the creature was frolicking with his mate. She stood and watched, feeling Cavos come up behind her.

The beast took exception to the other male near her, and he charged. She dropped her spear and stepped forward until the animal jerked to a halt and shook his head in frustration. She was not going to let him spear her bond mate.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. They are highly migratory, but I have only seen a dozen or so in my time in the wild.”

She smiled as it snuffled across her body and the horn finally settled against her heart. She remained calm and placid as it tested to make sure she was still herself. When he rested his head on her shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The female was investigating Cavos. The male let out a snort of caution, but she simply flicked her mane and nuzzled at Cavos for a touch.

Nik looked to her mate and showed him how to stroke and scratch at the soft and silky hides.

The wind shifted, bringing the scent of Morro and Tidae to them. The horned animals jerked and thundered off, manes and tales flaring.

Nik grinned and turned to Cavos. “Welcome to my world.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “That was amazing. Now, let’s see how well Morro and Tidae can run. Take us to their prey.”

Nik laughed, “I have just the thing.”

Trusk, Cavos and Nik sat up in the trees and watched as the Wilders dodged and jumped over the stampeding beasts that didn’t want to be prey.

Trusk eventually asked Nik, “You are the hunter, won’t youstep in?”

“Just a little bit more. They haven’t learned their lesson yet.”

“Mate. I think Morro is getting tired. Please step in.”

She grinned. “I don’t think they are going to thank me, but all right. You two stay safe. I don’t want to explain an injury to Dr. Meevin.”

She clambered down the tree, gripped the spear she had stowed at the base and ran to help the Wilder’s bring down the ten-foot tall, woolly beast that they were trying to corner.

It took three rolls under charging animals to get close. The horns and the speed were a problem, so she cheated. She killed the beast with a spear to the eye. She made a coughing noise that gave them a wide area to work with and repeated it until the herd made its way to the next meadow.

Morro’s features were still all predator. He formed words with difficulty. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. The kill may be mine, but the carcass is yours. Don’t let the wool touch the meat or you will spoil it. I am going to coax my husband out of that tree now.”

She turned and wandered away, leaving the spear in the animal and her two Wilders with their knives and basic knowledge of butchering. She heard the sounds of a carcass being dragged, and she smiled. It appeared that Wilders were either born with the intelligence of how to process an animal, or they actually listened when they were being lectured.

Once the animal was taken care of, they sent the signal for pickup. That animal would feed two hundred Wilder in need of actual meat.

Sitting next to Cavos with the fire burning, she looked at the two Wilders. “Have you had enough?”

Trusk shook his head as the other two sat thoughtfully. “Not smart enough to call a halt.”

---