Erebus 14

It was hard for me to connect my mate to a warrior. Knowing that she was a protector instead was easier. Even so I could not imagine her claiming a creature such as this. There was no clear sign of size but if it was one of the big nine like the Tuska... it could not have been small. Just in its posture I could see the muscle beneath the skin and scales. They might be gentle though. The Makilu were reported to be so and they could easily kill Humans.

The drawings in here were very different from her public works. These invoked feeling. The way her eldest brother was distanced from the other two. That he had a tail on display. Her other brothers were close together the one smiling at her as she had drawn the picture. All of them had been adorned.

Now with Noir. The creature seemed almost bored as she had held still for my mates amusement. Even the Kimala was adorned. Her tail in the background had something criss-crossed around the tip. It's ankles had cuffs. Even around the neck seemed to have a heavy necklace. Again I wondered why she was not.

"So what should I expect on your home world?" She asked me before I could voice my own question. In some ways I almost thought she was avoiding it. Maybe she was.

"We will need to get you clanned first," I said.

"How does one do that?" Her head tilted to the side. I had seen a few Humans make that movement before. It was apparently a holdover from when Humans had still been nothing more than animals.

"You will earn the right. Anyone not born into a clan must earn their place." She stilled at my words. Every muscle in her body locked her into place. Not a single hair moved. She stopped breathing. I had never seen a human do this.

"Earn... Like I'm gonna have to fight for it?"

"Of course. We do not accept weaklings."

"I can't fight your people and win!" Bright white bones rose from her head. Her brother and the other male had had these as well. It took me a while to realize these were her quills. "Your females alone are nearly twice my size!"

"Females do not require physical strength," I told her with with a grunt. So that's what she was worried about. A physical fight would be hard for her that much I knew. She did not seem to have any fighting capability at all. Even her quills seemed more defensive as much as some kind of scare tactic.

Her quills instantly disappeared back into her hair at my words. Her body relaxing as she asked, "So it is a mental test then."

It did not sound like a question but I still said, "Yes." I wondered if she would pass. She had said she served as a protector for her people. In what way? "How do you protect your people?"

"I watched over the children mostly. Used my drawings to teach them what to watch for." Ah, a teacher then.

"What are the chances I fail this?" She asked after a time.

"If you fail it would mean Fytin was wrong."

"That is not what I asked."

"No." I agreed and smiled. Her eyes narrowed at me.

"Look here! I may not be what you wanted but I am what you got. What you need. If I have to pass some silly test to prove it then so be it."

"All I need is a challenging hunt to keep me entertained," I point out and leaned back in my chair. She laughed at that.

"Well they always did say I was a challenge back home. Guess we'll find out if I'm challenge enough for you."

"I look forward to it. You are a spirited little thing."

She visually bristled at that. "I am not little! Not my fault you're a giant male over seven feet tall! And don't expect to get rid of me that easily!"

I seemed to have hit a sore spot. "Nine feet three inches," I corrected her. "I do not intend to be rid of you." I watched as her teeth gripped her bottom lip. She shifted in her seat.

"You did not sign up to be matched," she said. her eyes were on her hands. She had entangled her fingers together.

"I am still young. I have considered it a few times since finding a mate is hard given my nomadic lifestyle. I am not the heir so there was no rush."

"Does that mean you did not want a mate then? At least not yet?"

"I am glad to be mated. I never do anything against my will."

She looked at me now, "Really?... You aren't... disappointed by me?"

I felt myself jerk back. I felt my own eyes stare at her stunned now. Which made her fidget in the chair she sat in again. "You are a surprise but you do not disappoint me. Your personality is intriguing. I admit your behavior is confusing to me at times, I find I like it."

She sighed and leaned her head back looking at the ceiling. "I hope your family agrees with you," her eyes moved to look at me then. "I assume I will be meeting them on Clovis?"

I grunted again, "Yes, my mother, Father, mate Father, brother, his mate and mate brother."

"Mate father? Mate Brother?" Ana questioned. Her head rising to focus fully on me once more.

"Yes, we will also have to pick a mate brother eventually. The single males of the Clan will make their intentions clear if they would be interested when we arrive."

"What? Back track here. What is a Mate Brother?"

Her people must call them something different. "Mate brother is the male who is your second mate," I said.

"Your women take two male mates!" She yelled.

"It is common practice," I clarified. "Some choose not to. Other take three or even four."

"And you want me to what? Pick another male to mate with?" She shook her head fiercely.

"Not right away," I say. "Do your people not take multiple mates?"

"Not after we marry." She sighed and stood up. I recognized Human pacing. It was a stress response. Or so I had been told. One I did not understand but was not inclined to interfere with. "Male siblings might share their wives with their sister after marriage but otherwise no. Once we are married we stay with a singular male. Why would you want me to do that?"

"You do not have to. It is recommended though. While it is another mouth to feed, having another male means more protection and someone to take shifts hunting with. When I go out hunting you will be left alone."

She turned back to me. Her mood swings were something I would have to adjust to. "Why does it matter? From my understanding most of the time you go hunting I will be staying back with the rest of the hunter families."

I sighed, "That's exactly why. There are protective measures in place but there have been cases of accidents while Hunters have left their families at home."

"I thought your people were highly possessive. How does that even work?"

She was not outright against it. I knew enough about Humans to tell she was just trying to wrap her head around it. I could work with that. In the end it would be her decision. "One male is the more dominant one. The main Hunter for the family. Although you get final say on most things."

She sighed, "I... I don't know how to respond to that. I'm not completely against it but... it's hard for me to imagine... To understand. I married you with the idea we are soulmates. That we are what the other needs. I don't know that I could agree to another partner without... knowing them." She started pacing again. "Do they know? About our marriage? About me?" Nothing about my mate said confident warrior. Whatever her position in the Tribe she was no Eckson. "About our trial period?"

My mind went back to her Brother. He had been born with his tail. Perhaps her Father was the Eckson. Or maybe the title had passed to that brother already. Whatever amusement I had for the situation left as quickly as it had came. Something that must have shown as I crossed my arms. Ana froze in her movement. One leg partially lifted to take her next step but her eyes were locked on me. "Why? Planning to leave already?"

Her back straightened at that, "No! Didn't I already say I would make you fall for me? It's just..."

"Just..." I echoed.

"If they find me lacking won't they make you... won't they stop our marriage?"

That made me growl as I stood. She turned fully to me as I approached her. "You are mine. No one gets to interfere with my martial affairs. So long as we both agree to this you belong to me!" Her eyes shown with a hint of desire again and it made me growl. I did not miss the way she shifted. How her legs pressed together.

"Alright..." she said. Her voice gentle. Submissive. We were quiet for a time. "Is your family Hunters like you?"

"No," I said taking my seat again. I began to take the controls again. "All Stelnubis are warriors first and foremost. My father is the leader of the Clan. My brother is the heir." As I talked she moved to take her own seat again. "They lead the Clan, handle diplomatic drama, enforce the laws, and whatever else is needed to deal with other clans and off worlders."

"You followed a different path," she smiled as she said that.

I found myself grinning. "The beauty of being born later. I am free to choose my own path. Januai path was decided the moment he was born."

"Sounds like back home," she laughed. "Januai is your older brother?"

I nodded. "Januai could have renounced his inherentance. It has happened before. He loves his role however. I have no patience for leading. If someone is being an idiot I would rather crack their skulls and move on. I am too much of a loner to be a good leader. I like to go wherever whenever I wish. No shackles."

I glanced at her as I heard the tool in her hands stop moving. She had opened to a blank page and had a faint outline of something going. "Except you're shackled with me now," she says.