Erebus 4

I can not believe I was going through with this. Beside me the damnable Cupion was laughing. Fytin had called in his favor for saving my hide from a rather sticky situation rotations ago. I Thought he would use it to help him find someone or something. Maybe to have a connection to my people. Instead he had used it and his damned silver tongue ways to make me listen to what he had to say.

Appeaently he had found my soul mate. I had been happy to hear that. Until he told me she was Human. I had very little experience with Human females. What little I had had with them had taught me they were loud, bossy, and head strong. I had always figured my mate would be demure and submissive. Fytin had laughed at me for that. Had pointed out what we want is often not the same as what we need.

Hetint's balls! I cursed inwardly. The God of Hunters gave me no reply. I had not expected him to since this had nothing to do with him. I had been considering taking a mate for some time but it was hard given my nomadic life style. Even so given the Cupion's track record I had to at least consider it. When he had sent me a picture of my mate I was pleasantly surprised.

Given my career choice most of the Humans I had come across were muscular. Luana seemed to be anything but. While she was not fat by any means she was soft. There were no hard edges to my mate from her 3D hologram.

Beside me Fytin's shoulders shook with his amusement. I glared at him. He in turn laughed. "You and Luana are perfect for eachother." I huffed and looked around us. Humans were capable enough. I knew Human hunters that gave many a run for their money. The last time I had been around a Human female I had almost been executed. My main arms crossed over my chest at the thought. Shame flooded me. It had almost gotten the female in question executed as well. She had simply been trying to clean up my mess. A mess that never should have happened. I had almost cut my braid off myself afterwards.

It was expected on Clovis that we learn how to stretch the rules. That was the only hunt where having done so would have cost me everything. My actions had put females and younglings in danger. Having their blood on my hands... I would have requested my Father end me. We took pride in our ruthlessness. Climbing to the top of whatever we did was always the priority. Would my mate understand that? Could she understand that? I doubted it. Humans seemed to have a belief that there were more important things. I found in one way they were right. The lives of the younglings and those in the Clan who could not protect themselves... those were more important.

The sound of the docking bay pulled me from my thoughts. "Nervous?" Fytin asked me. I turned my head and bared my fangs at him. He smiled. I wondered briefly if I should make his feathers a gift to my new mate. My research had told me that females from the Human race took a liking to the Cupion race at some point. Was my mate the same in that regard?

The bay doors opened with a hiss. My ears twitched at the sound. The shuttle's ramp decended swiftly and I found myself standing taller. "You are a male about to meet his life mate. There is nothing wrong with being nervous." I grunted to keep myself from aggressive displays. Others around us were looking at me. My large size was intimidating enough for most species. Having been overtly aggressive physically had set more than a few on edge. Others however took the smiling Cupion as a sign that I was not, in fact, a danger. "I shall pretend you are not," he finished with a chuckle.

I had never wanted to harm a male that held so much of my respect. At least not to this degree.

A seemingly endless stream of people poured out. The number of species on the shuttle was astounding. Given the sheer volume of them my mate must have had small accommodations. Then again Humans were among some of the smallest species out there. Although they had a considerable size variant. I wondered if my mate was on the shorter spectrum for her people. Given my size I hoped she was taller than was average. I had to stop myself from shifting on my feet. For all my bluster I would still not call myself nervous. I was filled with anticipation. Around us people who were siting and standing began to wave and call in greeting to people in the crowd. A sliver of worry laced through me. Had she decided not to come afterall?

That was when I saw her. Fytin noticed her first it seemed as he waved to her. It was a typical Human wave I had seen many do. As she approached us I made note of her dress. It was a flowing dress that was loose fitting. It was blue with some kind flora in green at the bottom. Given the color I suspected they were leaves. It was odd to me how much of her was covered. Even though it was loose fit it went down to her ankles. Likewise her arms were covered. Although the fabric parted from her forarm as she walked.

She smiled at us. To my surprise her lips stayed closed as she did. Humans often displayed teeth while smiling. Most people now knew it was not a display of aggression but instinctually it made us aggressive in kind.

I was happy to find my mate more attractive in person. While she did not seem to have the traditional Human beauty, her features were pleasant enough. It was something in the way she walked and held herself, an aura of sorts. Her long black hair followed over her shoulders and I was happy to see two braids framing her face. Other than that she seemed unadorned. An odd thing for a female. Especially a Human one. Her face was small and her eyes wide. Not in surprise or shock but simply naturally wide. It was a look I had not seen on Humans before. I had seen it in many species that hunted at night. Was my mate decended from nocturnal hunters? Even if she was I very much doubted she herself was one. Those eyes were a striking green with a yellow ring at her pupils.

Those eyes stared at me blatant wonder. Her nose was small but wide. That I recognized from a Human hunter. He had not been offended when I asked why his nose was different. It was an adaption to the environment of his ancestors. Long wide noses where areas with high heat but little water, while short and and wide meant they had water in abundance with that heat. Her face was bare. I had seen females with heavily painted faces and had never cared for them. I let my eye gaze approvingly over her curves. They were not large by any means but seemed to fit her size well. I had feared she would be a bag of bones some Human females seemed to be. I found it was good to have that extra bit to her. Otherwise I would almost believe her to be a child, given how small and fragile she seemed. I wanted more than toothpicks to hold onto.

She walked towards us with pure enthusiasm. I approved of her continence but it made me worry. It did not mesh with the submissive personality I had desired in a life mate. Even so my eyes caught a fellow male working the dock. He was watching Luana with desire in his eyes. As she was my soon to be mate I found my instincts rising. He was muscular and appeared handsome enough by Human standards. As Luana failed to notice him he pretended to stub his foot on something not there. She glanced towards him and he smiled at her.

My female blinked at him. It was a slow blink that I did not recognize from my time with other Humans. Then her cheeks brightened with embarrassment. She seemed to not realize at first that the male was trying to flirt. I released a growl with bared teeth. Luana turned to me first. He turned to see what caught her attention. Upon seeing me his hands rose in the univeral sign of not a threat. His face was white. Fear rolled off him as I took a step forward. "My bad man! I didn't know she was taken." He scurried off. He hopped onto the hover cart and drove away with a response from me.

I braced myself for Luana's ire. I knew most Human females would yell at their mates for pulling something similar. Instead she just smiled and continued towards us. I expected her to react like most Human females. Most of which had been Hunters themselves. They would be telling me how they could handle it themselves. Or how she was perfectly capable of handling her own battles. No male like myself would stand idly by while some pretender tries to take what's mine. The next look she shot me was one of amusement. Beside me I heard Fytin chuckle. I glared at him as he said, "Told you so."